“Princess Maria Brâncoveanu remains a luminous example of living the Christian faith,” said Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova on Wednesday at St George the New Church in Bucharest, where the relics of the newly canonised saint were exhumed.
“What did this way of life mean? First of all, patience until the last day of her life, bearing this cross with such resignation, especially in the evangelical spirit, understanding everything that was happening and giving thanks to God for all things,” the bishop said.
“Moreover, examining certain documents from the period following 1714, we also notice her deep love for prayer,” he added.
During the same ceremony, the relics of two sons of the princely couple of Saints Constantine and Maria Brâncoveanu were also exhumed—Prince Martyrs Stephen and Matthew Brâncoveanu.
Tears that never dried
On the occasion of the exhumation, the final memorial service for the saint was officiated, and hymns dedicated to the Holy Brâncoveanu Martyrs and to Saint Maria Brâncoveanu were chanted.
“Her love for the Church continued even after the difficult trials she endured. After managing to obtain some financial support and assistance from what she still possessed and from benefactors, she continued to show generosity toward holy places,” Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova said.
He also recalled “the constant tears that never dried on the face of Princess Marica (Maria) Brâncoveanu.”
From Surpatele Monastery, where she built a church and spent much of her life after returning to Wallachia, the bishop recalled, Princess Maria often traveled to the nearby Dintr-un Lemn Monastery. “The path between the two monasteries became known among monks and locals as The Lady’s Path or The Path of Tears.”
“Only God knows how many tears flowed in this family, washing away everything that could still be cleansed before God,” the bishop said.
Martyrdom as supreme love for God
Bishop Timotei also spoke about the martyrdom of the Brâncoveanu saints, calling it “the highest sign of love for God,” and recalled the history of the discovery and authentication of the relics of the saint, her husband and their sons.
“We pray to the Brâncoveanu saints, especially to Saint Maria Brâncoveanu—the lady full of patience, wisdom, kindness and humility—to remember before God the people from whom they came, the Church they loved and served, this place where the martyrs were buried, and all those who honour their memory,” he said.
Hope for discovery of other relics
Also serving at the ceremony were Archimandrite Nectarie Șofelea, Exarch of the monasteries of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, Protosyncellus Simeon Cuțui, cultural exarch, and priests from the Archdiocesan Centre in Bucharest.
They were joined by Father Emil Nedelea Cărămizaru, parish priest of St George the New Church.
“As you mentioned, in 2014 the relics of the Holy Prince-Martyr Constantine Brâncoveanu were identified for the first time after 300 years of waiting. Perhaps now the Romanian people also need the visible, physical presence of these martyr relics,” the parish priest said.
He expressed hope that other relics—those of Saint Constantine Brâncoveanu Jr., Saint Radu Brâncoveanu, and Saint Ianache the Counsellor—might also be discovered in the future.
A destiny similar to the righteous Job
Historian Mihai Răzvan Clipici, a member of the canonisation commission, said that the life of Saint Maria Brâncoveanu closely resembles that of the righteous Job.
He noted that the Saint experienced both glory and persecution and exile. She raised eleven children, four of whom were martyred together with their father. She built churches and “cared deeply for the spiritual life of the country governed by her husband.”
Despite considerable wealth, she used her resources for the benefit of many rather than for personal gain, he added.
Saint Maria Brâncoveanu was canonised by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church in July 2025 together with fifteen other Romanian holy women. Their general proclamation took place at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest on February 6, 2026.
The local proclamation of the canonisation of Saint Maria Brâncoveanu will take place at St George the New Church on her feast day, August 16, 2026.
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