coronavirus

Patriarch Daniel’s Easter Encyclical: Love has conquered death

In this year’s pastoral encyclical for Holy Pascha, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel highlights the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection noting that the faith in the resurrection ‘helps us not to lose our hope in the face of life’s hardships.’ ‘Let us ask more insistently for the help of the crucified and risen Christ, Who knows our…

Apr 14, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Church intensifies prayer and action against coronavirus pandemic

The Romanian Patriarchate announced that over 1.48 million euros have been given to help those affected by the coronavirus pandemic in the country. Church intensifies prayer and action to help those affected by pandemic: Full text In the context of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and the state of national emergency, following the appeal of His…

Apr 9, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Bucharest Archdiocese tailor shops make disposable coveralls for volunteers who help the vulnerable

Church-affiliated volunteers who help vulnerable persons during the coronavirus crisis will receive disposable coveralls made by the tailor shops of the Archdiocese of Bucharest. According to a statement by the Social-Philanthropic Department of the Romanian Patriarchate on Monday, the Archdiocese’s tailor workshop ‘Reverenda’ and the embroidery workshop ‘Altarul’ have already made 30 disposable gowns. They…

Apr 8, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Use deserted city and isolation for spiritual profit, Patriarch Daniel urges

‘We are called to prayer, humility and repentance to transform ourselves, to change the way we think, speak and are, the way we act, live and work,’ Patriarch Daniel said during his homily on the fifth Sunday of Lent. Speaking from the St George chapel of his patriarchal residence, the Patriarch of Romania referred to…

Apr 6, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

‘To Thee the Champion Leader’: 100 top voices minister peace to a struggling nation in viral video

A hundred church chanters formed a nationwide choir on Sunday teaming up for a communal singalong in honour of the Mother of God. The church singers found a way to record one of the most famous hymns of all, singing it individually, on their phones. Then the videos were combined into a virtual cell phone…

Apr 6, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Clergy tour Bucharest with relics of Saint Demetrios the New to halt the coronavirus pandemic: Video

The holy relics of Saint Demetrios the New were taken out of the Patriarchal Cathedral and driven on the streets of Bucharest in a procession of cars on Sunday to halt the coronavirus pandemic. The restricted procession of three cars was led by the patriarchal auxiliary bishop Varlaam of Ploiesti. The holy relics and icon…

Apr 6, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian hieromonk from Scotland on the current medical crisis: This is something we have all done

‘I just want to say a few words to hopefully help you stay sane through all of this. This feels like one of the main challenges of the moment’, said Father Serafim Aldea from a monastery located on Isle of Mull in Scotland. ‘It’s amazing how many messages are being forwarded in al sort of…

Apr 2, 2020Sorin Ioniţe

Bulgarian Metropolitan of Lovech blesses city from overlooking heights

While a number of hierarchs have been blessing their respective cities and provinces from above on plane and helicopter rides, His Eminence Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech, one of the most authoritative hierarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, took to the rocky heights overlooking the city to pray for and bless his city and flock. On…

Apr 2, 2020Sorin Ioniţe

Retired Bishop Daniil gives sermon to the very revered walls: Forgive us, who were and still are only “whitewashed walls”

Retired Bishop Daniil of Dacia Felix gave a notable sermon on Sunday addressing ‘the Very Reverend Walls, the Reverend Chant Stands and Chairs in our Orthodox churches.’ Speaking to the church objects and walls, the retired bishop Daniil Stoenescu said that illness and the inability to cross the threshold of churches these days are a…

Apr 2, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

The Week in Pictures: March 23 – 29, 2020

Although believers don’t have access to divine services, clergy still offer prayers and hope that things will soon come back to normal. Here is our selection of pictures taken last week throughout the Orthodox world during coronavirus outbreak.  Follow us on Twitter: @BasilicaNews Follow us on Instagram: @basilica.ro We would gladly include one of your…

Apr 2, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Putna Monastery pins hopes on patron saints to rid Romania of coronavirus

The monks of Putna Monastery pray for a miracle from the monastery’s patron saints to rescue Romania from the coronavirus outbreak. Carrying relics and icons, the monks walked around the outside of the monastery’s main church on Sunday, praying the coronavirus away. The procession was organized as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the…

Mar 31, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu