Archbishop Atanasie

Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in UK marks first year of Archbishop Atanasie’s enthronement

The Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is marking one year since the enthronement of His Eminence Archbishop Atanasie of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with a liturgical programme at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of St George the Great Martyr. The events will begin on Friday at 6:00 p.m. with the service of…

May 8, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Oldest Romanian Orthodox parish in Great Britain marks patronal feast of Saint George

The Romanian Orthodox parish of Saint George in Holborn, the first Romanian community established in London, celebrated its patronal feast on Thursday with a Divine Liturgy led by Archbishop Atanasie of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In his homily, the archbishop reflected on the life and witness of Saint George, saying true victory is found…

Apr 27, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox Archbishop celebrates Divine Liturgy at UK prison, offers Paschal message of hope

Archbishop Atanasie of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Bright Tuesday, at Maidstone Prison in Kent. Attendees included Romanian nationals and detainees of various nationalities. The archbishop explained that salvation is not limited by external circumstances, and that Christ brings peace and a new beginning to…

Apr 15, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Atanasie says Resurrection is ‘true life’, calls for faith and stability in families

“The Resurrection is not merely a consolation for the soul, not just a beautiful thought that comforts us for a moment, but is life itself—the true life,” said Archbishop Atanasie of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in his Easter pastoral letter. In his message, the archbishop emphasised that the Resurrection transforms and gives meaning to…

Apr 11, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Atanasie addresses London Police, says faith ‘supports and ennobles public service’

The Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland addressed London police officers on Monday during the event “Orthodox Easter 2026,” stressing that for Orthodox Christians, “faith is not separate from public service, but supports and ennobles it.” The event took place at the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service (New Scotland Yard). Among…

Feb 26, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Atanasie says forgiveness is the key to Great Lent

“Whoever understands the mystery of forgiveness understands that the Lord came to wipe away the sin of this world,” Archbishop Atanasie of Great Britain and Northern Ireland said on Sunday in his message at the beginning of Great Lent. Referring to the well-known liturgical hymn “Open to me the doors of repentance,” chanted during the…

Feb 23, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox youths are the Church’s living present, not only its future, says UK’s Romanian Archbishop

“Young people are not only the future of the Church; they are its living present,” said His Eminence Atanasie, Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in his message for International Orthodox Youth Day. The Archbishop expressed his gratitude to Orthodox youth, especially those living outside their home countries. Young people in the…

Feb 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Atanasie elevates abbot of Scotland’s only Orthodox male monastery during pastoral visit

Archbishop Atanasie of Great Britain and Northern Ireland elevated Father Seraphim Aldea, abbot of the Monastery of the “Dormition of the Mother of God and All Saints of the Isle of Iona,” to the rank of archimandrite. The monastery is the only Orthodox monastic brotherhood in Scotland. Between January 28 and January 30, Archbishop Atanasie…

Feb 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Archbishop in UK calls Triodion season a “school of repentance and humility”

In a pastoral message issued at the beginning of the Triodion period, Archbishop Atanasie of Great Britain and Northern Ireland said that this liturgical season is “a true school of repentance and humility, a school of prayer, and also a school of spiritual asceticism, which reopens for us the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven.”…

Feb 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

UK’s Romanian Orthodox Archbishop Atanasie calls for spiritual vigilance at start of New Year

“This passage between years is also a time of watchfulness. We are not called to judge our lives with harsh severity—which leads to discouragement—but to place them before God with sincerity,” noted Archbishop Atanasie of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in a message marking the turn of the year. “The year now drawing to a…

Jan 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Whoever receives Christ receives the courage to love: Archbishop Atanasie’s first Christmas pastoral letter

“Whoever receives Christ receives the courage to love, to forgive, and to live without fear. In Him, fear is transformed into trust, and loneliness into a sacred encounter,” noted His Eminence Archbishop Atanasie in his first pastoral letter for the feast of the Nativity since his enthronement as shepherd of Orthodox Romanians in Great Britain…

Dec 22, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu