Society

The Face of God: It is the responsibility of all of us to preserve God’s creation

“The Face of God,” a recently released film, features Orthodox Christian perspectives from North America on climate change. The film presents reflections based on the experience and responses from Orthodox communities on the ecological crisis. Voices of clergy and lay leaders, scientists and theologians, as well as parish communities, focus on ecology, theology, and our…

Mar 11, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Bucharest public transport company introduces one-hour ticket

Users of the Bucharest overground public transport can purchase a ticket valid for one hour starting March 8, the City Hall announced. The ticket, which costs RON 1.3, is valid for one hour, regardless of the distance travelled or the number of public transport means used, mayor Nicușor Dan explained. The one-hour ticket can be…

Mar 11, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

With humility about the Romanian Orthodox Church (OPINION)

An article signed by Ioan Vieru in Cotidianul highlights that “the Orthodox Church raises and preserves the voice of Romania in the framework of historical and cultural clarity, as no other institutional form can do.” The author considers that “every moment the candle of the Holy Church shines in the great abyss, being the beacon…

Mar 2, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Young artist creates Archbishop Teodosie portrait with 720 Rubik’s cubes as a sign of gratitude

Young artist Cristian Leana, Romania’s Got Talent Finalist and social media influencer known as “Mr. Puzzle”, wanted to express his gratitude to Archbishop Teodosie of Tomis with what he does best: he made a portrait of the Romanian hierarch with 720 Rubik’s cubes. “I will make the portrait of His Eminence Archbishop Teodosie as a…

Feb 17, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

“It’s our duty to bring them home”: Draft law on repatriation of relics of Transylvanian Confessors

On February 9, 2021, eleven deputies submitted a draft law on the repatriation of the Holy Transylvanian Confessors’ relics. The Saints died in the Kufstein prison in the Austrian state of Tyrol in the 18th century, when the Austrian authorities imposed the union between the Orthodox believers in Transylvania with the Roman Catholic Church. Saint Bessarion…

Feb 17, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

1,500-year-old ‘Christ, born of Mary’ inscription discovered in Israel

A 1,500-year-old Greek inscription bearing the name “Christ, born of Mary” was unearthed in northern Israel, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced, The Jerusalem Post reports. The archaeologists discovered the inscription engraved at the entrance of an impressive building from the Byzantine or early Islamic period, featuring mosaic pavements decorated with a geometric design. The…

Feb 12, 2021Gheorghe Anghel

Romania’s Buzău Land, one step closer to becoming a UNESCO Global Geopark

Buzău Land (Ținutul Buzăului) in Romania is just one step away from becoming a UNESCO Global Geopark, which means that it would be recognized as a territory with natural and cultural values of international importance. In December 2020, Ținutul Buzăului Association sent to Paris the file of the 18 communes that constitute the Land, to…

Feb 7, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Christians around the world called to reflection and action during the Covid-19 pandemic: Document

A document proposed last year by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) encourages communities and Christian organizations to reflect upon Christian solidarity with other religions and confessions in a period marked by the Covid-19 pandemic. The document, entitled “Serving a Wounded World in Interreligious Solidarity: A Christian…

Jan 27, 2021Ștefana Totorcea

Persecutions against Christians worsen during pandemic

More than 340 million Christians were severely persecuted in 2020 and the phenomenon worsened during the coronavirus pandemic, announced last week Portes Ouvertes, the Frech partner of Open Doors International. The numbers have gone up since the 2019 report, which found 260 million Christians persecuted globally. The organization monitors all the incidents, from daily soft…

Jan 20, 2021Ștefana Totorcea

Poll: The Church remains the most trusted institution in Romania

A poll made by the Center for Urban and Regional Sociology – CURS between January 11-15 found that the Church remains the most trusted institution in Romania. The research report showed that 62% of the Romanians place a high and very high degree of trust in the Church. On the second place came local councils,…

Jan 19, 2021Ștefana Totorcea

Romania’s Timișoara, on The Independent’s list of Best Second Cities in Europe to Visit in 2021

Timișoara, in western Romania, features on the list of the Best Second Cities in Europe to Visit in 2021 put together by the British newspaper The Independent. The list covers nine cities that can serve as “alternatives to bustling capital cities” or to crowded nature spots. “With beaches, parks, and even mountains now crowded with…

Jan 14, 2021Iulian Dumitraşcu