On Holy Thursday, April 17, 2025, just days before the 140th anniversary of the recognition of its autocephaly, the Romanian Orthodox Church will consecrate the Holy and Great Chrism for the 23rd time. The event, marked by special solemnity, is part of the Romanian Patriarchate’s Centennial Year program. Before consecration, the Great Chrism is prepared…
Her Excellency Tamar Beruchashvili, Ambassador of Georgia to Bucharest, visited the Romanian Patriarchate on Wednesday, where she held discussions with representatives of Trinitas TV and Basilica Travel. The meeting was attended by Archdeacon Gheorghe-Cristian Popa, Director of Trinitas TV, alongside Oana Lungu and Father Mihai Profiroiu from the Basilica Travel Agency. The ambassador was accompanied…
“Through humble prayer united with fasting, a person empties himself of ego and is filled with the humble, healing, and sanctifying love of God,” said His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel on Sunday at the historic “Saint George” Chapel of the Patriarchal Residence. In his sermon at the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Patriarch of Romania…
Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday in Ungheni, marking the 56th anniversary of his monastic life, alongside two milestone celebrations of the local parish dedicated to Saint Joseph the Merciful, Metropolitan of Moldavia. On this occasion, Fr. Gabriel-Andrei Gherasă, dean of the Ungheni parish, celebrated seven years of priestly ministry and…
Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of the Americas officiated last week the blessing service for the cornerstone of a new Romanian cathedral in Olmsted Township, Ohio. The service was also attended by Fr. Călin Barbolovici, Dean of the Central USA Deanery and parish priest of the “Holy Trinity” Romanian Orthodox Church in Troy,…
Her Excellency Tamar Beruchashvili, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Georgia to Romania, along with Consul David Chachava, visited the Library of the Holy Synod on Friday, where they held discussions with Archimandrite Policarp Chițulescu, the director of the institution. The purpose of the visit was to propose a continued partnership with the…
The new Archbishop of Albania, His Beatitude John, was enthroned on Saturday at the “Resurrection of the Lord” Cathedral in Tirana, during a ceremony attended by members of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Albania and representatives of other autocephalous Churches. Commitment to Sacrificial Ministry In his enthronement address, His Beatitude Archbishop John…
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania conveyed a message of congratulations at the enthronement of the newly elected Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, His Beatitude John (Pelushi). „We are fully confident that Your Beatitude will fulfil the new ministry entrusted to you with great pastoral responsibility and missionary dynamism, contributing to the proclamation…
The local proclamation of Saint Liviu Galaction took place on Tuesday at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Cluj-Napoca. The solemn event coincided with the patronal feast of the Metropolis of Cluj, Maramureș, and Sălaj. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Metropolitan Andrei of Cluj, Maramureș, and Sălaj, together with an assembly of ten hierarchs of the…
On Thursday, the Holy Synod elected His Grace Bishop Benedict to lead the Diocese of Sălaj. Following the synodal vote, His Grace expressed his hope that it is God who entrusts him with this new mission. “At this moment, I would like to liken myself to Moses,” said the bishop, recalling a similar moment five…
On Thursday, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church elected His Grace Bishop Benedict of Bistrița as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Sălaj. The position became vacant in December 2024, after the local Synod of the Metropolis of Cluj, Maramureș, and Sălaj decided to suspend Bishop Petroniu. Also running for the office…
On Thursday, March 27, 2025, the working session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church took place in the Aula Magna “Teoctist Patriarch” of the Patriarchal Palace, under the presidency of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel. The session was preceded by a Te Deum service celebrated by His Grace Nectarie of Bogdania, Assistant Bishop…
On Thursday, His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia delivered a message marking the 107th anniversary of Bessarabia’s Union with Romania, emphasizing God’s work in the history of Romanians beyond the Prut River and the courage of their forebears. “Union, beloved brothers and sisters, is not a closed chapter, but a sacred work that must be…
“My greatest joy is seeing my parishioners come to church,” said Fr. Claudiu Bene, parish priest of a small community in Sălaj County, in an interview with Formula AS. Fr. Claudiu Bene spoke about the pastoral challenges of serving in the village of Inău, Sălaj, where a priest must be constantly present in the life…
Representatives of the Metropolis of Bessarabia took part in consultations with the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Moldova regarding the reduction of plastic funeral wreaths, which are highly polluting. The meeting took place on Tuesday at the Ministry’s headquarters and was attended by Fr. Maxim Melinti, Cultural Advisor to the Archdiocese of Chișinău,…
The “Saint-Serge” Institute in Paris, one of the world’s most important centers for Orthodox theological research, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The centennial celebration program will begin on May 3 with a conference dedicated to the institution’s history. Later, on September 20, an academic day will be held, along with the celebration of…
The Greek community in Bucharest commemorated its forebears on Sunday at the Greek Church, in the context of Greece’s National Day. During the Divine Liturgy, the heroes of the Greek Revolution of 1821 were commemorated—an event marking the Greek people’s independence from the Ottoman Empire. Alongside Her Excellency Lili-Evangelia Grammatika, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic…
The Social Department of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Germany, Austria, and Luxembourg, coordinated by Fr. Dimitrie Ursache, has funded the digging of a well in the village of Makombe, located in the mountainous Iringa region of central Tanzania. Nun Irina Savu, assigned to the Orthodox Mission Center in Kidamali, Tanzania, visited Makombe in mid-March…
On March 27/April 9, 1918, Bessarabia united with Romania, becoming the first province to contribute to the creation of Greater Romania. Historical Context In the lead-up to the union, on February 25/March 5, 1918, the Protocol of Buftea was signed, extending the armistice with the Central Powers and accepting their imposed conditions. Around the same…
Interim President Ilie Bolojan and Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia paid tribute on Wednesday to the founders of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania, during a ceremony at Cernica Monastery in Ilfov County. The interim President of Romania was received by His Grace Bishop Veniamin and Archimandrite Vasile Pîrjol, the abbot of Cernica Monastery, in…