Just one day after the feast of St. Sophrony of Essex was celebrated for the first time since his glorification among the saints last year, he was honored as the patron saint of a restored and reconsecrated church in a town in northwestern Romania. On Sunday, July 12, the old church in Sânmartin de Beiuș,…
“It is a joy to see that an icon of the Mother of God gathers in the love of the Holy Trinity a lot of people from different parts of the country, but also of different ages,” said His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel on Sunday at the summer patronal feast of the National Cathedral’s Chapel. At…
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel wrote a message marking the 300th anniversary of the translation to Bucharest of the ‘relics sanctified through martyrdom’ of one of Romania’s most significant leaders, martyrs and saints Constantine Brancoveanu. The message was read out Sunday, July 12, 2020, at St George the New Church in Bucharest, one of Brancoveanu’s foundations.…
The assembly of bishops (synod) of the Metropolis of Moldavia and Bukovina gathered Saturday, July 11, for a working session in Iași during which two candidates were proposed for the vacant episcopal see of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți. The archdiocesan see became vacant after the repose of 90-year old Archbishop Pimen Suceveanul of…
Monastics and pilgrims gathered Thursday at Neamț Monastery in eastern Romania to celebrate the feast of the Wonderworking Icon of the Mother of God called the Directress. The festive Divine Liturgy was presided over by His Grace Bishop Calinic of Botosani, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Iasi. The day’s sermon was delivered by Fr.…
The Romanian Diocese of Australia and New Zealand is carrying out a complex project in the Australian state of Victoria, which includes the first Romanian Orthodox monastery in the southern hemisphere, a social and cultural centre, an episcopal chapel and a church dedicated to the Three Holy Romanian Hierarchs Andrew Șaguna, Gregory the Teacher, and…
The campaign to fund a new pregnancy crisis helpcenter in Bucharest has almost reached its target last week, raising 96.5% of the 20,500 Euros needed for the center to be set up and operate for two months. In addition to money, a donor offered a copy of the icon of the Mother of God “Protectress…
The June edition of Atiqot, an Israeli research journal, illumines the Christianity of a Byzantine settlement from old Galilee, destroyed by Persian invaders in 613 AD. Archeologists have just finished their analysis of this site, which was partially unearthed in 2007 at Pi Mazuva, in northwestern Israel. “While for now, we have no documents from Christian…
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel told the Ecumenical Patriarch that the Romanian Patriarchate supports the preservation of the current status of the Hagia Sophia Basilica in Constantinople (Istanbul). The status of this symbol for Christianity is being re-discussed in Turkey. The Ecumenical Patriarchate has asked the Turkish authorities to keep the current museum status for the…
For the first time since the canonization of Ruler Prince Saint Stephen the Great (1992), the Saint’s feast day was celebrated at Putna Monastery in the absence of Archbishop Pimen of Suceava, abbot Melchisedec Velnic noted Thursday. The celebrations took place in special conditions caused by the pandemic. The abbot of Putna also lamented the…
The Romanian artist Luminița Pătrățeanu created mindful illustrations that reflect on the world’s current situation and capture the harsh reality of doctors who sacrifice themselves to take care of people. The illustrations went on display this week at the Municipal Emergency Hospital in Moinesti under the title ‘Blue Quarantine Story.’ The outdoor exhibition was opened…
The “Holy Apostles Peter and Paul” Romanian Orthodox Cathedral in Melbourne, Australia, celebrated on Monday its patronal feast, which coincided with the 12th anniversary of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand. On this occasion, His Grace Mihail gave an impressive account of his visit to a small Romanian community from Dunedin, one…
Dumitru Comănescu was aged 111 years and eight months old when he passed away on Saturday – just under one month after inheriting the title of the oldest living man in the world. The oldest man in the world has died less than one month after scooping the impressive title. Romanian Dumitru Comanescu was 111-years-old…
Patriarch Daniel expressed his deep sorrow for the loss of Professor Constantin Pavel, ‘the great construction engineer of the National Cathedral.’ Professor Constantin Pavel reposed in the Lord on June 25 at the age of 84. Patriarch Daniel said he was ‘a creative spirit’ with ‘innovative ingenuity and scientific rigor,’ being one of the best…
During his sermon on the patronal feast of the Orthodox Cathedral in Constanta Monday, Archbishop Teodosie of Tomis said that Romanians are ‘the Apostles’ batch of dough’ and that is why in Romanian Christianity there are no extremes. The Archbishop of Tomis noted that all the Apostles, except for John, have suffered a martyr’s death,…
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel Monday presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest for the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. During his homily, the Patriarch of Romania highlighted the main characteristics of the two Apostles, noting that they were different as regards their intellectual and spiritual formation, as well…
After the Divine Liturgy held Monday for the feast of Saints Peter and Paul at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel thanked the people for joining the common prayer and urged them to adhere the basic measures for protection against COVID-19. ‘We thank all of you for coming and attending the Divine…
The best shows of Bucharest’s “I.L. Caragiale” National Theater (TNB) will be live-streamed on the Facebook page of the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York (RCINY). The project has been named Digital Stage. This Saturday, at 20:00 local hour (03:00 Bucharest time), the audience on the US East Coast can watch “Lottery Tickets”, adapted after…
An online event was organised on Wednesday, 24 June 2020, by the EPP Working Group on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue, to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Churches, as well as the Churches’ social teachings in response to the current crisis. The panel included representatives of the three major Christian traditions in Europe – Catholic,…
Romania’s Chamber of Deputies established on Wednesday the National Day of Awareness of Violence against Christians. It will be observed on August 16, when the Romanian Orthodox Church commemorates Prince Constantine Brâncoveanu, his sons and one of his advisers, Ianache, martyred by the Ottoman Turks. In observance of the National Day of Awareness of Violence…