“The guards of the stone at the tomb entrance are all those who turn faith into ideology, spectacle and political image capital,” His Grace Bishop Ignatie of Husi stressed in this year’s Easter pastoral letter entitled “The Resurrection of the Lord and the false guards.” The Bishop of Husi points to the contradictory elements in…
His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia met on Thursday with Her Excellency Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova. Topics included the social work of the Metropolis of Bessarabia in support of Ukrainian refugees. During the meeting, His Eminence congratulated President Sandu for the proper and honest activity she has shown in the context…
Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, it now includes events coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network in more than 193 countries. In 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco, peace activist John McConnell proposed a day…
In his Easter Pastoral Letter, the Romanian Bishop of Canada reminds us that the Church was established through prayer and communion after the disciples met Resurrected Christ. The hierarch also emphasizes the Eucharist as an act of communion with God. “The encounter with the risen Christ constitutes the Church. Following the encounter with Him, the…
The Romanian Metropolitan of the Americas explains in his Easter Pastoral Letter what is the meaning of the candle that we lit on the night of Resurrection. He says we can change the world by the inner light of understanding that we, Christians, can bring peace “through clear vision, good deeds, and tolerance towards all,…
In a video message for Easter 2022, Patriarch Daniel stressed that the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord calls for sharing the joy and peace of Christ with those around us through prayer and good works. The Patriarch of Romania also urged support for those who need our help, including Ukrainian refugees. Message by…
In his pastoral letter for Easter 2022, Bishop Siluan of Hungary referred to the constant feeling of fear and uncertainty brought about by the significant changes in the life of the whole world in the last two years. In such conditions specific to man and human nature, the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Hungary noted, “came…
Romania’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Andrei Muraru, visited two of the oldest Romanian Orthodox parishes on American soil. The ambassador met with Romanians at St Mary’s and St Stephen’s churches in St Paul, Minnesota. The visit was part of Ambassador Muraru’s “50 States, One Community” tour throughout the United States. The two…
“The body of the Church that has been built by the Lord, for which He said “the gates of hell shall not overcome it” (Matthew 16,18), continues throughout the centuries His sanctifying and redeeming mission through His Disciples and their heirs, the Bishops and Priests,” transmits Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem in his Pastoral Letter…
His Grace Bishop Justin of Maramureș and Sătmar used his Easter pastoral letter to call for continual prayer and support for the Ukrainian neighbours suffering from war. “Let us pray fervently for an end to the fratricidal war waged in the vicinity of our country. May God give the leaders thoughts of peace, understanding, dialogue…
In his Easter encyclical this year, His Grace Bishop Sofronie of Oradea points to the sad state of today’s world “in agony” compared to the splendour of the “Empress of feasts,” which cannot be overshadowed by anything. “We celebrate with great joy, but also with great, but measured, pomp, with enthusiasm, the Resurrection of Christ,…
In his pastoral message for Holy Pascha 2022, His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia urges prayer for peace among peoples. “I urge you to increase your prayers for peace among peoples so that the God of peace and mercy may enlighten through the Light of Resurrection the minds of the leaders of this world to…
In his pastoral letter for Holy Pascha 2022, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel stressed that “the light of the grace of the Most Holy Trinity, which links the Holy Mysteries of the Church with the mystery of the resurrection of the dead, the Last Judgment of human deeds on earth and the joy of eternal life…
The tradition inaugurated by Patriarch Daniel in 2009 to bring the Holy Fire to Romania will also continue this year. The Holy Fire will be brought from Jerusalem on Saturday evening, April 23, 2022, by Archimandrite Teofil Anăstăsoaie, the superior of the Romanian Patriarchate’s Settlements at the Holy Places. As before, the Holy Fire will…
An exhibition entitled “Portraits, icons and books for the soul: Moldovans in Ukraine, Ukrainians in Moldavia. Sacred art testimonies – 16th-19th centuries” was opened last week at the Metropolitan Museum in Iași. At the event, Metropolitan Teofan of Moldavia and Bukovina stressed that there is “a kind of perichoresis, an intertwining of holiness” between the…
The Very Rev. Archimandrite Makary Chakarov from Rila Monastery, a graduate of the Patriarch Justinian Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Bucharest, will become a bishop in Bulgaria. During its working session on April 13, 2022, the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church elected Archimandrite Makary as assistant bishop to Metropolitan Naum of Ruse, with…
Speaking about the anointing of the Saviour’s feet with precious myrrh, Patriarch Daniel emphasised during his sermon on Palm Sunday that honouring God with objects or gestures of great price should not be put in opposition to helping the poor. The Patriarch of Romania recounted the Sunday Gospel passage, which recalls how the sister of…
“After two years of pandemic, when we lived in isolation and showed love for our neighbours by keeping them at a distance, God made us worthy to resume the tradition of pilgrimage on the eve of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem,” Patriarch Daniel said on Saturday evening at the Palm Sunday Procession in Bucharest. His…
His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of the two Americas celebrates his 55th birthday on Friday, April 15, 2022. His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae was born in the city of Constanţa on April 15, 1967, to his parents Nicolae and Victoria, both now asleep in the Lord. In 1988 he was admitted to the Andrei Şaguna Orthodox Faculty…
On the 5th Sunday of Lent, Patriarch Daniel said that “the Saviour Jesus Christ overturns the logic of oppressive selfish power and brings the logic of humble beneficent or helpful ministry; not selfish dominion should be the rule for the disciples, but humble service.” “The way of thinking of the Saviour Christ is not of…