Thousands of Georgians are paying their final respects to Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia at his coffin in the Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba) in Tbilisi. The transfer of the patriarch’s coffin from the Patriarchal Residence drew large crowds in a solemn procession through the streets of Tbilisi. According to Orthodoxia News Agency, senior state officials…
The Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church has called on the people of Georgia to embrace repentance, unity, and spiritual renewal following the passing of Patriarch Ilia II. “Today, our love for the Patriarch must be shown by following his long-standing exhortations; first of all, by confessing our sins before God and one another,…
Mega Channel in Greece is preparing a television series on the life of Saint Philothei of Athens, commemorated annually on 19 February in the Orthodox calendar. The saint was born in 16th-century Athens as Revoula, the result of her mother’s prayers after being unable to have children. Although she did not wish to marry, she…
His Grace Bishop Teofil of Trotuș, assistant bishop of the Archdiocese of Roman and Bacău, called on Wednesday for Christians to become messengers of peace in a world troubled by wars and conflict. He celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at the Deleni Skete. In his homily, the bishop said that many minds are…
The Basilica News Agency has published in English the digital booklet “Synaxis of the Holy Romanian Women”, dedicated to the women saints whose canonisation was proclaimed on 6 February at the Patriarchal Cathedral. The publication is prefaced by excerpts from an address delivered by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania on the first day of…
His Grace Bishop Macarie Drăgoi of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe baptised a young Greenlander on Thursday, who received the name of Saint Cleopas (Ilie) of Sihăstria. The bishop noted that the young man had been influenced by the writings of the Romanian saint and wished to bear his name. “Accompanied from Scandinavia…
A lesser-known aspect of Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia is his significant contribution to Georgian church hymnography, alongside his long tenure as a pastor and spiritual leader. The Patriarch of Georgia reposed on Tuesday evening at the age of 93, after dedicating more than half his life to patriarchal service. His legacy to the Georgian…
Saint Nikolai Velimirović was commemorated on Sunday at the Protection of the Mother of God Monastery, where he is honoured as the third patron saint, alongside the Mother of God and John Jacob of Neamț. His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of the two Americas celebrated the Divine Liturgy and spoke about following Christ and taking up…
Archimandrite Ioan Meiu, representative of the Romanian Patriarchate at the Holy Places, said the situation in Israel remains largely unchanged despite ongoing attacks and restrictions, warning that online reports often exaggerate the reality on the ground. “The situation in the Holy Land is almost the same as when the war began. Airspace is closed to…
In the context of the recent appearance on social media of accounts which falsely claim to represent clerical and monastic personnel, and through which money is requested in exchange for non-Orthodox practices (fortune-telling, “deliverance prayers”, “witchcraft” or other activities of an occult nature), the Romanian Patriarchate draws attention to these fraud attempts, urging awareness of…
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel welcomed the new U.S. Ambassador Darryl Nirenberg to the Patriarchal Residence on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, for a courtesy call. The ambassador was accompanied by Aaron Singleterry, the embassy’s political counsellor, and Alex Climescu, a political specialist. His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel welcomed the ambassador to the Romanian Patriarchate and highlighted the…
His Excellency Răzvan Rotundu, Romania’s ambassador to Georgia, has sent a message of condolence following the passing of Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia, highlighting his remarkable contribution to the life of the Orthodox Church and to inter-Orthodox relations. “May God rest the soul of His Beatitude Ilia, Catholicos-Patriarch of all Georgia, a distinguished spiritual leader…
“Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II has fallen asleep in the Lord. He was a man of an epoch, and his passing is an immeasurable loss for the entire world Orthodox Church,” said Metropolitan Shio of Senaki and Chkhorotsku (Mujiri), Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne. He created a whole epoch According to the website…
The Ambassador of Georgia to Romania, Tamar Beruchashvili, said the late Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia was “a spiritual shepherd in the truest sense,” guiding his people with humility, wisdom and quiet strength through times of trial and change. Speaking to Basilica.ro after news of the patriarch’s death, she described it as “an immense loss…
His Beatitude Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia will be laid to rest on Sunday, 22 March, at the Sioni Cathedral of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Tbilisi, the Georgian Orthodox Church announced. The decision was presented by Metropolitan Jobi of Urbnisi and Ruisi, who described the late patriarch as “an epochal figure” with immeasurable…
March 18 marks 70 years since the blessed repose of Saint Nikolai Velimirović, a Serbian Orthodox hierarch whose life was defined by sacrifice, witness and devotion to the Serbian people and the Orthodox Christian faith. He was born on 23 December 1880 in Serbia. His early education began in the family and continued at Ćelije…
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has officially established Romanian Language Day in Ukraine, to be celebrated annually on 31 August, according to a presidential decree. The decision was taken during the Ukrainian president’s visit to Romania on 12 March. The decree states that the holiday was introduced “to promote mutual understanding, mutual respect and cooperation in Ukrainian-Romanian…
His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, issued a message of condolence on Tuesday evening following the passing of His Beatitude Ilia II, Patriarch of Georgia. The Primate of the Romanian Church refers to Patriarch Ilia II as “a venerable personality of contemporary Orthodoxy and a steadfast confessor of the faith, who shepherded…
Bishop Macarie Drăgoi of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe arrived in Greenland on Monday, where he will spend a week celebrating the Divine Liturgy and baptising local people who wish to enter into communion with the Church. In a message posted on the diocese’s Facebook page, the bishop said the mission is taking…
Baumit, a leading construction materials company, has entered the National Cathedral of Romania project into the Life Challenge 2026 competition, in the non-residential buildings category, which rewards the most striking Baumit façades across Europe. “The National Cathedral is a landmark of Romanian religious architecture, combining Byzantine tradition with local elements. Its façades, structured with arches…