The Archdiocese of Iași plans to commence construction work on the Saint Emilia Maternal Center this spring. Metropolitan Teofan of Moldavia and Bukovina made the announcement in a video message marking the start of the Month for Life 2025 and was later confirmed by Pro Vita Iași in a recent Facebook post.
A Shelter for Women in Crisis
“The March for Life supports women in difficult situations who need assistance, and we hope to begin construction this year on the Saint Emilia Maternal Center in Iași. This center is dedicated to sheltering women who, at certain moments in their lives, will need a place to rest, reflect, and protect the child in their womb,” said His Eminence Metropolitan Teofan.
The project has been in the planning stages since 2018, with land registration and permits secured before 2023. The center will be able to accommodate eight mother-child pairs for up to two years, with the possibility of extension based on individual needs.
A Moral Obligation to Protect Life
“For me, the Saint Emilia Maternal Center is a moral obligation to a mother who, 30 years ago, was on her way to an abortion, devastated by the horrific act she was preparing to commit,” explained Father Radu Brînză, coordinator of Pro Vita Iași, the Archdiocese’s pro-life mission department.
“She had tear-filled eyes and bruises inflicted by someone who refused to let her return home with the child. She asked me: ‘Where can I go, Father? They won’t take me back home.’ At that moment, I had no answer. But now, I do: the Saint Emilia Maternal Center, so that no one will ever be left without an answer to this tragic question.”
The center is named after Saint Emilia, a mother of ten children, five of whom are venerated as saints: Saint Basil the Great, Saint Macrina the Younger, Saint Theosebia the Deaconnes, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, and Saint Peter of Sebasteia.
Services and Facilities
The theme of the Month and March for Life 2025—“Every Human Being Matters”—is a reminder, say Pro Vita Iași representatives, “to ensure that no one feels alone in times of hardship and to prevent fear or despair from overshadowing the light of a new life.”
In this spirit, the Saint Emilia Maternal Center will become a symbol of solidarity and tangible support.
The center will offer shelter and free comprehensive services for pregnant women in crisis and victims of domestic violence, along with their children. These services include psychological counseling, education, vocational guidance, and more.
The facility will include:
- Four dormitories
- Kitchen, laundry, and ironing rooms
- Storage spaces
- Isolation room
- Chapel
- Recreation and socialization areas
- Offices and counseling spaces for welcoming visitors
Funding and Donations
The project’s estimated total cost is approximately €550,000, with over €110,000 contributed by the Archdiocese. Donations received so far amount to approximately €60,000.
Supporters can contribute online through the Archdiocese’s donation platform, Fiideajutor.ro.
Photo: fiideajutor.ro
