The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy, which is celebrating its sixteenth anniversary, consists of 478 pastoral-missionary units, 278 of which are parishes. These communities are served by 310 priests and 25 deacons, and 62 parishes own their places of worship.
The establishment of the diocese was approved in the last synodal session presided over by Patriarch Teoctist in June 2007 and became effective with the enthronement of the diocesan bishop on May 8, 2008. At the time of its founding, several dozen parishes were already present.
Sporadic Presence Until the 90s
The first Romanian Orthodox parish in Italy was established in 1975. Before 1989, there were only four parishes in Italy. In 1990, more Romanians began emigrating, leading to the creation of four more parishes by 1998.
Subsequently, the Romanian presence grew significantly. The Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe recognized this trend and, in 2004, appointed Assistant Bishop Siluan (the current diocesan bishop) to oversee the Italian region exclusively.
By 2004, the Romanian community in Italy already had 34 parishes. Initially, large regions were covered by single priests: Lombardy had one priest, Piedmont another, Apulia-Basilicata another, and Tuscany another.
Massive Migration After EU Integration
During the vicariate period, efforts were made to recognise the community legally at the central level. After 2008, with the establishment of the Diocese, the Italian state began to view the institution differently, leading to significant progress on various fronts.
By the end of 2008, the number of parishes had reached 80 or 90. By 2011, there were 120 or more, recalled Bishop Siluan in an interview with Basilica.ro.
Following Romania’s integration into the EU, the number of parishes increased yearly, reaching 478 communities. The diocese is currently organized into 26 deaneries, including the eight monasteries.
Diverse Activities
Charitable, educational, and youth work gradually developed alongside the pastoral-missionary and construction activities at the parishes. Established initiatives include the Nepsis Brotherhood for Orthodox youth, San Lorenzo dei Romeni ETS (the diocese’s charitable association), the Saint Dionysius Exiguus Center for Theological Studies (CDSE), the Rome Extension of the “Patriarch Justinian” Faculty of Theology from Bucharest, and more.
The Diocese of Italy has received substantial and consistent support from the Roman Catholic Church. Most of our parishes are hosted in Catholic places of worship. Buildings or land have been provided with a 99-year free lease or through sales and other means.
The 16-year celebration took place on Wednesday, May 8, at the Diocesan Center in Rome. Present were Bishop Siluan of Italy, Assistant Bishop Atanasie of Bogdania, representatives of the Romanian embassies in Italy and the Holy See, the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova, and the Consul General of Romania in Rome.
Currently, approximately 1,200,000 Romanians live in Italy.
Photography courtesy of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy
