The yearly report of the Romanian Patriarchate detailed the development of Romanian Orthodox dioceses abroad.
Outside of the existing borders of Romania, the Romanian Patriarchate holds jurisdiction over four archdioceses and nine dioceses. Additionally, archdioceses serve as metropolitan centres.
In these dioceses, there were a total of 1,483 parishes and non-parochial churches at the end of 2022, up from 1,472 at the end of the previous year; 71 Romanian Orthodox monastic settlements, up from 67 at the end of 2021; and 1,379 Romanian clerics, up from 1,311 clergymen in 2021.
The continual growth in the number of baptisms, marriages, and reception of converts in the Orthodox Church is notable.
Thus, the following was reported in the parishes and communities of the Romanian diaspora during the year 2022:
- 25,282 baptisms, compared to 24,643 in 2021;
- 5,758 weddings, compared to 3,605 in 2021;
- 3,692 funerals, compared to 2,734 in 2021;
- 721 receptions to Orthodoxy, compared to 433 in 2021;
- 34 returns to Orthodoxy, compared to 27 in 2021.
Approximately 3.6 million Romanian migrants make up the fifth biggest diaspora in the world, according to research by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Most Romanians in the diaspora live in Italy (over one million), Germany (680,000) and Spain (573,000).
Read more: Factbox: Church and Romanian Diaspora today
Photography courtesy of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe
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