Hundreds of faithful entered 2025 in prayer, gathering at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest to join in the thanksgiving service led by His Grace Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova.
The Assistant Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bucharest shared the message of Patriarch Daniel, who reminded attendees that “the Church encourages us to approach each moment of life with trust, hope, responsibility, and gravity.”
The service followed the liturgical order established by the Holy Synod in 2011, which includes reading the Akathist Hymn to Our Lord Jesus Christ, as January 1 commemorates the day when the incarnate Son of God received the name Jesus.
The Akathist was followed by four additional prayers and the Patriarch’s address titled, The Christian is Called to Sanctify Place and Time on Earth to Enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
In his message, Patriarch Daniel emphasized the importance of remembering Romanians living abroad in prayer, encouraging the cultivation of inner peace and prayers for global harmony.
Additionally, he highlighted that 2025 marks the Solemn Year of the Romanian Patriarchate’s Centennial and the Commemorative Year of the 20-century Romanian Orthodox Spiritual Fathers and Confessors.
He noted that this anniversary is not merely a celebration of the past but a call to gratitude for ancestors and reflection on the Church’s role in the lives of the Romanian people.
Bishop Timotei Prahoveanul expressed gratitude to the faithful for their patience and commended their choice to welcome the New Year in church.
Attendees were gifted 2025 calendars, the Christmas Pastoral Letter of Patriarch Daniel, and an icon of Saint Basil the Great.
See more images from the event in the Photo Section.
Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
