The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America published a message reaffirming the sanctity of life based on the firm conviction that life starts at the moment of conception. “All humans, whether in the womb or in the world, are made in the image and likeness of God, possessing God-given beauty…
Buzău Land (Ținutul Buzăului) in Romania is just one step away from becoming a UNESCO Global Geopark, which means that it would be recognized as a territory with natural and cultural values of international importance. In December 2020, Ținutul Buzăului Association sent to Paris the file of the 18 communes that constitute the Land, to…
Painter Daniel Codrescu and his team are working tirelessly on the mosaic painting of Romania’s National Cathedral. They offered Basilica.ro a photo feature of the making of the Platytera Mother of God mosaic icon in the sanctuary. The name of the icon means in Greek “Higher than the heavens”. This icon is usually of great…
His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sent on Monday a letter to His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel in which he expressed the “deep compassion” of the Ecumenical Patriarchate following a fire that broke out at the Matei Balş National Institute for Infectious Diseases in Bucharest. “We pray for the rest of the souls of the innocent victims…
The Orthodox Diocese of Covasna and Harghita donated 10 tons of potatoes to the Miercurea Ciuc city council to prepare meals for the Roma people temporarily accommodated in the city sports hall. They were taken in after a fire destroyed their houses in January. Bishop Andrei of Covasna and Harghita declared for Romania’s national news…
Regular services were resumed in the church at Berislăveşti Monastery in Vâlcea, Romania, after 21 years. Previously, services were held only occasionally because of the danger of the collapse of the building, reports the Archdiocese of Râmnic. Extensive restoration and conservation work on the historical ensemble began in 2015, which allowed for the reopening of…
A priority for the Archdiocese of Suceava and Radauti for 2021 is to design and raise funds for a polyclinic and a hospital named after Metropolitan Anastasie Crimca, who was the founder of the first public hospital in Moldova in 1619. This is not the first large-scale initiative in Suceava as regards supporting medical activity.…
During this year’s first meeting of the Romanian Patriarchate’s Church Painting Committee, the Patriarch of Romania urged the new members to draft an iconographic guide and a set of norms for the restoration of the ecclesiastical heritage used in worship. “The Church Painting Committee is now called, during this term, as the most competent central…
“There is no word or deed to wipe away the tears and now soothe the broken hearts of parents and relatives, but we are with them at this particularly difficult time,” the Archdiocese of Suceava said Monday. An internal investigation has been launched into the case of the 6-week-old child who died a few hours…
Princess Ileana, the last princess of Romania, better known as Mother Alexandra, was commemorated in Iași, Romania, on the 30th anniversary of her repose. The National Athenaeum in Iași inaugurated a photo exhibition in her honour. The memorial service was held in the Artists’ Chapel of the Athenaeum and attended by the institution’s management, employees,…
His Grace Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova Monday celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Radu Voda Monastery in Bucharest to honour Saint Gregory the Theologian, the patron saint of theology schools. The staff and students of the Orthodox Seminary in Bucharest gathered in prayer to thank their patron saint for helping them carry out their activities…
The Diocese of Bălţi still has to pay approximately 20,000 euros to take possession of the land on which it will build a cathedral and a Romanian cultural centre in the city. “The project is an investment, by faith, for the future of our Romanian nation, and, in essence, it is an endeavour for whose…
Patriarch Daniel expressed sorrow and condolences to the families of the persons who died in a blaze at a hospital in Bucharest being used to treat COVID-19 patients. At least four people have been killed in a blaze at a hospital in Bucharest being used to treat COVID-19 patients, just three months after another hospital…
“He distinguished himself through self-sacrifice, but especially through mercy and the care he had for the Church and its servants,” Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia said Tuesday about Saint Joseph the Merciful at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iasi. „He was one of the worthy hierarchs who pastored this metropolis,” Bishop Veniamin said about St Joseph…
The Romanian Patriarchate announced on Wednesday it stands for keeping the one-hour-per-week time budget of Religious Education in all high schools, regardless of their technological or theoretical profile. His Grace Varlaam of Ploieşti transmitted the message in person at the Palace of Parliament, during a debate organized by the joint parliamentary committees for Education, science,…
The Archdiocese of Timișoara, in Western Romania, spent 900,000 € on philanthropic projects last year, according to an announcement on its official website. The beneficiaries were socially-vulnerable persons and institutions with financial difficulties. “In spite of all the financial difficulties,” the diocese said in a statement, “support activities have been intensified by the Diocesan Center…
Several ceremonies including a solemn Divine Liturgy, a Te Deum service and a wreath-laying ceremony were held Sunday on the Patriarchate’s Hill in Bucharest to mark the 162nd founding anniversary of the Union of the Romanian Principalities. Attending the ceremonies, Patriarch Daniel spoke about the contribution of the Romanian Orthodox Church to ‘this fundamental act…
A document proposed last year by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) encourages communities and Christian organizations to reflect upon Christian solidarity with other religions and confessions in a period marked by the Covid-19 pandemic. The document, entitled “Serving a Wounded World in Interreligious Solidarity: A Christian…
In a message occasioned by the 162nd anniversary of the Union of the Romanian Principalities, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel stressed that “the Romanian Patriarchate blesses and supports the communion of Romanians everywhere.” The message has three main topics including the declaration of 2021 as a Solemn Year of the pastoral care of Romanians outside Romania,…
A Christian Orthodox organization from Sidney, St Ypomoni Family and Friends Ministry, launched a short film competition for children. The initiative aims to strengthen their faith and make them reflect on the main message of the Gospel: love of God and of one’s neighbour. “Fruits of the Spirit” is the theme of this inaugural edition.…