With the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, following the request of Fr. Sergiu Vlad, rector of the Romanian Orthodox community in Istanbul, Turkey, the Romanian Patriarchate has offered a reliquary containing a fragment of the holy relics of the Holy Ruler Prince and New Martyr Constantine Brâncoveanu to this community abroad.
The silver reliquary, manufactured at the Romanian Patriarchate’s Workshops, was placed in the church of Saint Paraskevi at Haskoy, which was founded by Saint Constantine Brancoveanu in 1692.
The Wallachian Ruler Prince’s relics arrived to Constantinople on Wednesday, August 14, 2019.
Since 2004, the Romanian Orthodox community in Turkey has been hosted by St Paraskevi Church at Haskoy with the blessing of His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Constantine Brancoveanu was a Ruler Prince of Wallachia from 1688 to 1714. Being brought under arrest to Constantinople by the Ottomans, he was imprisoned in 1714 at the fortress of Yedikule (Seven Towers).
He and his four sons were beheaded on St Constantine’s 60th birthday (the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos), together with grand treasurer Ianache Vacarescu.
Brâncoveanu was a great patron of culture, his achievements being part of the Romanian and world cultural heritage.
In 1992, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church resolved to glorify Constantine Brancoveanu, his sons Constantine, Radu, Stephan and Matthew, and Counsellor Ianache Vacarescu.
The Holy Brancoveanu Martyrs are commemorated on August 16. Their feast was also included in the local calendars of the Polish and Russian Orthodox Churches.
Photo: Fr. Sergiu Vlad
