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British Library returns historic documents stolen from Greek Monastery in 1979

The British Library has returned three rare historic documents that had been illegally removed from the Panagia Chrysopodaritissa Monastery in Achaia in 1979, Greek City Times reports. According to the Greek Culture and Sports Ministry, the items which were returned to the Greek Embassy in London on Thursday to be sent on to Greece, include…

Mar 22, 2019Gheorghe Anghel

Pro-life activists to rally for rights of unborn children in 600 cities in Romania, Rep. of Moldova

Thousands of pro-life activists are expected to rally on Saturday in over 600 cities in Romania and the Republic of Moldova to support the rights of unborn children under the slogan ‘Unique from the first second’. The purpose of the March for Life 2019 is to raise awareness on fetal rights and the need to…

Mar 22, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Researchers study how internet impacts orthodox Christianity

Young scientists from Ural Federal University and Higher School of Economics are trying to understand whether the Internet has influenced Orthodox Christianity, and how the social institution and social practices could have been transformed in the conditions of widespread media, Eurek Alert reports. The project “Social media as a factor in the transformation of Orthodoxy…

Mar 20, 2019Gheorghe Anghel

‘Being pro life means being pro-love’, Students for Life President Eliza Clotea says in exclusive interview

A few days before the March for Life 2019, the newly-elected president of the Students for Life Association, Eliza Clotea, a senior student at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila, Bucharest, confessed in an exclusive interview for Basilica.ro that the most difficult part of her activity is the ‘fight against the obstacle of mentalities’.…

Mar 20, 2019Sorin Ioniţe

Kathara Deftera, National Holiday across Greece

Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera), a public holiday in Greece, is the first day of Great Lent in the Greek Orthodox Church. This first day of Great Lent is called “Clean Monday” because Christians should begin the holy season with „clean hearts and good intentions.” Clean Monday is a day where families and friends celebrate with…

Mar 14, 2019Gheorghe Anghel

Satu Mare Deanery buying house for 7-children family that lost home in fire

A Romanian family with 7 children that lost its home to a fire in early February will be able to buy a new home thanks to the generosity and Christian love of the clergy and faithful of the Satu Mare Deanery of the Maramureş and Sătmar Diocese in northwest Romania. Through collections organized in the…

Mar 5, 2019Sorin Ioniţe

Banat Metropolitan invites poor mother of four children to eat lunch together

Following the Divine Liturgy celebrated Sunday at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Timisoara, His Eminence Metropolitan Ioan of Banat invited a poor mother of four children to eat lunch at his residence. The Metropolitan was impressed by the woman’s story and offered to help her. ‘When I entered the church,’ Metr. Ioan said, ‘I met this…

Feb 15, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Construction for Sümela Monastery cable car project to start in March

Construction works for a cable car planned to be built in the area where the historic Sümela Monastery in Turkey’s Black Sea province of Trabzon’s Maçka district is will start in March, authorities have announced. Companies will tender for the project on Feb. 19, Trabzon Mayor Orhan Fevzi Gümrükçüoğlu has said. The planned cable car…

Feb 6, 2019Gheorghe Anghel

1,200-year-old Bible seized in southeastern Turkey’s Diyarbakır

Security forces on Tuesday seized a Bible said to be 1,200 years old in southeastern Turkey’s Diyarbakır province. According to the Diyarbakır governor’s office, local gendarmerie received intel that someone was looking to sell an ancient Bible manuscript written on leather with gold-encrusted motifs. Suspects were caught red-handed while trying to sell the 34-page manuscript,…

Feb 6, 2019Gheorghe Anghel

President Iohannis declares Iași a Historical Capital of Romania

On Wednesday evening, President Klaus Iohannis handed over to Mayor Mihai Chirica a copy of the decree promulgating the law that declares Iași as Historical Capital of Romania. A special ceremony was held at the Palace of Culture in Iași on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the Union of the Romanian Principalities in…

Jan 25, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Archdiocese of Timișoara invested $1 million+ in philanthropic services in 2018

In addition to its spiritual role, the Romanian Orthodox Church is a great philanthropic force in the Orthodox nation. For example, the Archdiocese of Timișoara in western Romania spent more than $1 million in social endeavors last year alone. It was reported at the diocesan assembly on January 19 that 13,725 people were helped through…

Jan 24, 2019Iulian Dumitraşcu