In his address on New Year’s day at the Patriarchal Cathedral which also marked the inauguration of the Solemn and Commemorative Year 2025 in the Romanian Patriarchate, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel emphasized the dual role of the Patriarchate – not only as an administrative entity but as a beacon of faith and national identity. The…
Bishop Ioan Casian of Canada emphasized that we have entered a year with significant historical moments for Romanian and universal Orthodoxy. Three of these moments directly concern the Romanian Orthodox Church, while the fourth pertains to the Orthodox Church as a whole. His Grace referred to the celebration of the Centennial of the Romanian Patriarchate…
In his pastoral letter for Christmas, which is celebrated in the Metropolis of Bessarabia on January 7 according to the unrevised Julian calendar, Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia urged believers to embody God’s compassionate love for those in suffering. “Let us become the hands of God’s merciful love for our neighbors in distress, and like…
Hundreds of faithful entered 2025 in prayer, gathering at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest to join in the thanksgiving service led by His Grace Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova. The Assistant Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bucharest shared the message of Patriarch Daniel, who reminded attendees that “the Church encourages us to approach each moment…
On New Year’s Eve, the Patriarch of Romania delivered a message reminding Christians of their calling to sanctify the place and time on earth as preparation for entering the Kingdom of Heaven. The Patriarch’s message was read by Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova during the service held Tuesday night at the Patriarchal Cathedral. In his…
Recently canonized by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Venerable Martyr Gerasimus was celebrated for the first time last week at Tismana Monastery in Gorj County, alongside Saint Nicodemus, the founder of the monastic settlement. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Irineu of Oltenia, who highlighted the similarities between…
In 2024, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church issued several significant resolutions that shaped the spiritual and organizational life of Romanian Orthodox communities both in the country and abroad. Retrospective Overview The Synod’s decisions were made gradually, responding to the evolving needs of the faithful. A notable example was the elevation of the…
Last week, the Metropolis of Bessarabia and the Romanian Embassy in the Republic of Moldova made a donation of spiritual and Romanian literature books to Penitentiary No. 9 – Pruncul in Chișinău. A congratulatory and blessing message from Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia was conveyed by Hieromonk Gurie Dumbrava, who expressed gratitude to the staff of…
This Christmas brought a remarkable gift to Romanians in Faenza, Italy: the Roman Catholic Diocese of Faenza-Modigliana donated the historic San Rocco Church to the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy for use by the local Romanian parish. The donation agreement was signed on December 18 by His Grace Bishop Siluan of Italy and Monsignor Mario…
The iconographic ensemble of the Great Dome in Romania’s National Cathedral now features a mosaic representation of Psalm 18 of King David at its base: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of His hands. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.” The Orthodox Creed…
Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, and His Royal Highness Prince Radu, accompanied by Princesses Sofia and Maria, attended the Divine Liturgy on December 26 in Săvârșin Parish, Arad County. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Timotei of Arad. During his sermon, the Archbishop highlighted the celebration of the Synaxis…
The Romanian Orthodox Parish in Borås has successfully completed the purchase of its own place of worship, as announced by the Diocese of Northern Europe via social media. On Christmas Day, Bishop Macarie blessed the planned renovation works for the newly acquired church building. “We look to the future with optimism, hoping this church will…
The Romanian Orthodox Church in Tokyo concludes the year with a significant achievement: the adornment of its interior with iconography and frescoes. “With great joy, we share the celebration of Christ’s Nativity from the Bethlehem of Japan! This year, God’s abundant blessings have beautified our church through paintings and icons,” the parish representatives posted on…
The Holy Community of Mount Athos has officially announced new measures regarding the access of pilgrims, which will come into effect from January 1, 2025. The decision was made due to the increasing number of visitors and to not disrupt monastic life and the prayer schedule. According to the new regulations, the maximum number of…
„The feast day of Saint Stephen the Archdeacon is also the patronal day of the deacons and archdeacons of our Church,” reminded His Grace Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești, secretary of the Holy Synod, at the end of the Divine Liturgy celebrated on Friday at the Patriarchal Cathedral. „Therefore, today at the Divine Liturgy,…
„Among people, the one who helped Baby Jesus the most was Righteous Joseph,” said Patriarch Daniel on Sunday. „Joseph was not the father of the Baby, who is born eternally from the Father without a mother, as God, and was born on earth from a mother without a father, as Man. But Joseph is the…
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel presided over the festal Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral on Wednesday, marking the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord, and explained that “by coming into the world, Jesus sanctifies the world as a gift from God to humanity.” His Beatitude referred to the Saviour’s humble obedience to God the…
On Tuesday, His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Basarabia attended the presidential inauguration of Her Excellency Maia Sandu as President of the Republic of Moldova. The event took place at the Palace of the Republic in Chișinău during a joint session of the Parliament and the Constitutional Court, in the presence of over 500 guests. Metropolitan…
In his Christmas encyclical, Bishop Mihail of Australia and New Zealand explains that the fast we conclude on the feast of the Nativity of our Lord allows us to receive the Infant Jesus, making Him a dwelling place in our hearts and souls. “Sanctifying our soul and body through repentance, through reading the Holy Scriptures,…
In the Christmas Pastoral Letter, His Grace Bishop Iustin of Maramureș and Sătmar underscores the importance of making a definitive decision between living in the light through faith and love and in the darkness through lawlessness and the rejection of Christ in the context of the modern world, which is characterised by conflicts, divisions, and…