The Romanian Orthodox community in Los Angeles celebrated the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Romanian-American Church of the Holy Trinity, one of the oldest Romanian parishes in the United States. Metropolitan Nicolae of the Americas and Romania’s Consul General in Los Angeles, Lucia Sava, attended the jubilee last Sunday. The celebration opened with…
The pilgrimage organised at the National Cathedral to mark the consecration of its mosaic iconography has ended after 11 days, during which 315,000 faithful passed through the Holy Altar. The place of worship will remain open for visits until November 14, from 11:00 to 19:00. The final pilgrim passed through the Holy Altar on Thursday…
Father Ioan Moga of the Romanian Orthodox Church “Saint Anthony” in Vienna wrote on Facebook about what he described as miracles he witnessed at the Neonatology Department of the AKH Hospital: two premature baby girls — one weighing only 460g and the other 800g — survived thanks to divine providence and modern medical technology. The…
The Apostles’ Fast in 2026 will last 21 days, making it the longest in the past eight years. The fast will begin on Monday, 8 June, and end on Saturday, 28 June, on the eve of the feast of the two great Apostles Peter and Paul. The duration of the Apostles’ Fast varies from year…
Orthodox bishops in the Benelux met in Brussels on Tuesday for the 31st meeting of the Orthodox Episcopal Conference of the region. Key topics included Christian Orthodox religious assistance in the Belgian armed forces and prison system, as well as the potential introduction of Orthodox religion classes in primary schools in the Netherlands. The Conference…
The Romanian Patriarchate is highlighting the family of Saint Basil the Great as a model for contemporary Christian families, as it designated 2026 as the Solemn Year of Christian Family Pastoral Care and the Commemorative Year of the Holy Women in the Church Calendar. The official icon for 2026 depicts Saint Basil’s family, which produced…
The Orthodox Nativity Fast in 2025 will run for 41 days — from November 14 to December 24 — during which believers observe dietary discipline, with fish permitted on Saturdays and Sundays except in the first and final week. By contrast, in Orthodox communities that follow the unrevised Julian (Old) Calendar, the Nativity Fast starts…
We were deeply saddened to learn of the tragedy in Rome, where the collapse of the historic Torre dei Conti resulted in the death of Romanian worker Octav Stroici and injured several others who were working at the site. In these moments of hardship, the Romanian Patriarchate expresses its solidarity and compassion for those who…
The Romanian Patriarchate reminds the public that, after 11 days of continuous pilgrimage, the opportunity for the faithful to venerate inside the Holy Altar of the National Cathedral will end on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at midnight. Visiting Hours Following the Pilgrimage Period However, from November 6 to November 14, the National Cathedral will be…
A memorial service for the victims of the Colectiv nightclub fire was held last week at the roadside cross erected in front of the former club, marking ten years since the tragedy. The service was held on Thursday, October 30, at 10:30 a.m. at the Fabrica Pionerul – Parcul Bucur access area in Bucharest’s Sector…
Metropolitan Petru of Basarabia sent a message of congratulations to the new government of the Republic of Moldova upon its inauguration. Following recent parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova, a new government led by Alexandru Munteanu was formed and took the oath of office on Saturday before the country’s president, Maia Sandu. Metropolitan Petru…
Romanian Orthodox believers in Budapest marked on Sunday the 125th anniversary of their parish’s establishment in the Hungarian capital, with a festive Divine Liturgy led by Bishop Siluan of Hungary. Concelebrants for the Divine Liturgy included Hieromonk David Pop, Superior of the “Saint John the Baptist” Monastic Settlement; parish priest Marius Maghiaru, dean of Budapest;…
His Grace Bishop Macarie of Northern Europe has proposed five keys to a proper understanding of the National Cathedral. Bishop Macarie took part in the consecration of the mosaic iconography of the National Cathedral — an event about which much has been said and written. “I am writing down several reflections — possible keys of…
A week after the consecration of the iconography of the National Cathedral, more than 230,000 faithful have venerated in the Holy Altar. The place of worship remains open day and night until Wednesday, November 5. In the Holy Altar were placed for veneration the relics of Saint Andrew the Apostle, the Protector of Romania and…
Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Paisie of Sinaia officiated a Te Deum on Saturday at the Patriarchal Cathedral to mark 100 years since the enthronement of Romania’s first Patriarch. “Through the work of Patriarch Miron Cristea, the Romanian Orthodox Church stepped into modernity, properly prepared to carry out its evangelical mission,” the hierarch underlined. His Grace recalled…
November 1 marked the centennial of the enthronement of Romania’s first Patriarch, Miron Cristea – a landmark moment in the history of the Romanian Orthodox Church and in the spiritual life of the Romanian people. The event of 1 November 1925 confirmed the elevation of the Church to the rank of Patriarchate, thereby recognising its…
“Through all its component elements, the National Cathedral can be considered an open book of Orthodox theology, written in stone, colour, and light, which calls to prayer and holy communion,” emphasised His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel in an article published in the Sunday edition of Lumina newspaper. In the article published on October 26 on the…
The consecration of the National Cathedral’s iconography has sparked a wave of reactions and online shares. On the Facebook page of Basilica News Agency alone, posts dedicated to the event garnered millions of views – a sign of Romanians’ interest in one of the most important religious moments of the century. The consecration service was…
“A monument of our Romanian Orthodox unity and identity, of national dignity and the crowning of our people’s centuries-long efforts – the National Cathedral will be for our people a symbol and an anchor,” emphasised Assistant Bishop Sofian of Brașov of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Germany, Austria, and Luxembourg in a post on his…
Father John Parker is the Dean of St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania – the oldest Orthodox theological institution in North America. After nearly three decades of ministry and of forming young people preparing for the priesthood, Father Parker speaks with depth and joy about the gift of life, the role of the…