Tuesday marks 20 years since the repose of Mother Benedicta — academician Zoe Dumitrescu-Bușulenga — who, during the communist period, urged her students to read the Bible and, after its fall, rose to become Vice-President of the Romanian Academy before choosing the path of monastic life. She was born on 20 August 1920 in Bucharest…
Six centuries ago, on 5 May 1426, Saint Ephraim the New surrendered his soul after enduring prolonged and brutal torture for the Orthodox faith. Saint Ephraim was born in Greece on 14 September 1384 and was left fatherless at a young age. At the age of 14, he entered monastic life at the Monastery of…
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania underlined on Sunday that “Jesus Christ teaches us that at all times we must do good, showing merciful love and offering help to those who suffer, the sick and the lonely.” The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church interpreted the Gospel passage of the healing of the paralysed man…
Sunday marked 130 years since the birth of Queen Helen of Romania, posthumously honoured with the title of Righteous Among the Nations for saving the lives of thousands of Jews and, indirectly, preventing the deportation of tens of thousands more through her interventions with Ion Antonescu. Alongside this courageous involvement in public affairs, she fulfilled…
The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada marks this year a decade since its establishment, with a series of religious and cultural events scheduled for 8–10 May. The celebrations will take place at the Cathedral of Saint George the Great Martyr and Saints Epictetus and Astion in Saint-Hubert, Canada. Anniversary Programme The programme will open on…
On Thursday, 30 April 2026, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania welcomed His Eminence Emmanuel of Chalcedon at the Patriarchal Residence. He was accompanied by Archimandrite Aetios Nikiforos, the Grand Ecclesiarch and Director of the Patriarchal Office. Patriarch Daniel welcomed the guests to the Romanian Patriarchate and highlighted the longstanding relations of friendship between the…
War Veterans Day was marked on Wednesday with a military and religious ceremony at the Monument of the Heroes of the Nation, in front of the Carol I National Defence University in Bucharest. The Te Deum service was officiated by a group of military chaplains. Fr Ciprian Ioniță, Patriarchal Counsellor and coordinator of the Social-Philanthropic…
Dragoș Tiberiu Niță, Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute Dimitrie Cantemir Istanbul, met on Wednesday with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. In a post on his personal Facebook page, Dragoș Tiberiu Niță said the Ecumenical Patriarch encouraged him to continue “promoting Romanian cultural and spiritual values in an international context.” He added…
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople received on Tuesday His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Phanar district of Constantinople. The visit took place as Patriarch John X wished to convey his Paschal greetings personally to the Ecumenical Patriarch, following an invitation from Patriarch Bartholomew. The Primate…
The Romanian Senate adopted on Wednesday a legislative proposal designating 2027 as the “Year of Romania’s Independence,” marking 150 years since the proclamation of state independence. The draft law has been forwarded to the Chamber of Deputies of Romania, which serves as the decision-making body in this case. Under the Senate-approved version, Parliament, the Presidential…
The Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has expressed support for the introduction of Romanian as a national GCSE examination subject in the British education system, during a conference held on Monday at the UK Parliament. The conference brought together representatives from diplomatic, parliamentary and educational sectors, alongside members of the Romanian…
A new social day centre for elderly and vulnerable persons will be built in Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Suceava County, Romania, under the patronage of Saint Elizabeth of Pasărea. The works were blessed on 22 April by the Archdiocese’s Assistant Bishop Damaschin of Dorna, through the blessing of the site and foundation for the project entitled “Day…
The Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Seaca village, Olt County, Romania, is set to be restored, preserving a place of worship more than 500 years old that once belonged to Cozia Monastery. According to Poboru mayor Iulian Bărăscu, the church dates back to 1518 and has a rich history linked…
Archaeologists have confirmed the existence of an old cemetery surrounding the Church of Saints Athanasius and Cyril in Iași after human remains were uncovered during restoration works at the historic church. The discovery includes 57 human skeletons believed to belong to the cemetery that existed in the churchyard until 1946. The Church of Saints Athanasius…
Romfilatelia has issued a commemorative postal stationery item dedicated to the Synaxis of the Holy Romanian Women, marking the inclusion in the Church calendar of the 16 women saints canonised by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church and proclaimed in 2026. The philatelic piece reproduces the icon of the Synaxis, highlighting the portraits…
Ciprian Olinici, Romania’s State Secretary for Religious Affairs, visited the Romanian Orthodox Church of Saint Stephen the Great in Vienna on Tuesday. The official viewed the church’s frescoes and learned more about the parish community’s educational and pastoral activities. Frescoes Inspired by Romania’s Bukovina Churches The frescoes, inspired by the painting tradition of the Bukovina…
Romanian doctoral students in the United Kingdom were honoured last Friday for academic excellence at the final of the Sir George Iacobescu Awards 2026, organised by the Embassy of Romania in the United Kingdom. Opening the event, Ambassador Laura Popescu stressed the importance of supporting research and encouraged young scholars to strive for excellence without…
Forty-two lost pages from the Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul have been recovered from an ancient manuscript, in a discovery scholars say sheds new light on how the Pauline writings were read and interpreted in the early centuries of Christianity. According to the University of Glasgow, the discovery was made by an international team…
The relics of Saint Antonina of Tismana were uncovered on Monday during a solemn rite at Tismana Monastery, with Metropolitan Irineu of Oltenia saying the newly canonised saint “lived a truly holy and spiritual life, preserving her silence and purity.” His Eminence underscored the significance of the moment: “With God’s help, we are fulfilling the…
A conference entitled “The Famine of 1946–1947 — Historical Research and Memorial Testimonies” was held in Bălți at the NordTec Hall of Alecu Russo State University. The event brought together researchers, representatives of public institutions and members of civil society concerned with preserving the memory of one of the most tragic chapters in the history…