Romanian Saints

First Liturgy honouring newly canonised Bessarabian Hieromartyr Alexander Baltaga held in Călărași

The Holy Hieromartyr Alexander (Baltaga) of Bessarabia was commemorated on Friday for the first time since the local proclamation of his canonisation, in the “Saint Nicholas” Church in Călărași, the Republic of Moldova — the parish where the saint served for 54 years. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia,…

Aug 11, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel honours Saints Paisius and Cleopas of Sihăstria as pillars of 20th century monasticism

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church marked the local proclamation of the canonisation of Saints Paisius Olaru and Cleopas Ilie on Thursday with a deeply spiritual tribute, calling them “two pillars of light between the mountains and heaven.” In a pastoral message occasioned by the celebrations at Sihăstria Monastery, the Patriarch of…

Aug 8, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Chișinău to hold local canonization ceremony for Bessarabian Saints Heraclius and Alexander on August 3

The local proclamation of the canonisation of Saints Heraclius and Alexander of Bessarabia will take place on August 3 in Chișinău, the Metropolis of Bessarabia has announced. The solemn event will follow the hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated at the “Holy Apostles Peter and Paul” Church in the capital of the Republic of Moldova. The local…

Jul 25, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Disciple of Saints and heir to the legacy of Romanian Patriarchs: Patriarch Daniel turns 74

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel has celebrated his birthday on Tuesday. Exactly 74 years ago, in the village of Dobrești, Timiș County, western Romania, Dan-Ilie was born—the third child in the family of schoolteachers Alexie and Stela Ciobotea. His Beatitude once shared that he learned the value of work and faith from his parents, despite being…

Jul 22, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Petru urges deeper faith on Sunday of All Romanian Saints: “Holiness is also our calling”

“Today is a call to deepen our awareness that the Church does not belong only to those present, but also to those who lived in the right faith, who struggled and were sanctified on the land of this nation,” said Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia on Sunday. “We owe to all the Romanian saints the inheritance…

Jun 26, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Faith endured among Romanians through deep-rooted Orthodox tradition, nearly 200 Saints canonized

On the second Sunday after Pentecost, when all Romanian Saints are remembered, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church emphasized the spiritual unity of all Romanian saints—whether canonized or not—and explained why faith has endured so deeply among Romanians. First, the Patriarch noted that the Romanian people were Christianized gradually, together with their…

Jun 23, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Sihăstria Monastery invites faithful at local canonization of Saints Paisius and Cleopas

The local canonization of Saints Paisius and Cleopas will take place on August 7 at Sihăstria Monastery, Neamț County, during a series of festivities dedicated to local saints. The events will begin on August 5 with the commemoration of Saint John Jacob of Neamț. The relics of the two venerable elders were exhumed in late…

Jun 20, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

The Holy Spirit, the most precious gift of Christ for us: Pentecost Encyclical by Romanian bishops in Western & Southern Europe

“The Holy Spirit is the most precious Gift that Christ the Lord offers us—after His Resurrection and Ascension into heaven—and the source of all gifts,” declare the members of the Metropolitan Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe in their Pentecost Pastoral Letter. The Romanian hierarchs affirm that the presence of…

Jun 6, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Young Romanian Orthodox in America gather in New York for camp honoring 20th-century confessors

The Romanian Orthodox Youth in the Americas (ROYA) Camp took place at St. Demetrius Monastery in New York State, bringing together dozens of young people under the theme “The Saints of the Prisons.” In the context of the Commemorative Year dedicated to Romanian Orthodox spiritual fathers and confessors of the 20th century, forty Orthodox youth…

Jun 3, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Saint Constantine Brâncoveanu relics brought to Văratec Monastery in historic reunion with his descendant Safta

“It felt like a family reunion,” said the Abbess of Văratec Monastery on Monday upon receiving the relics of Saint Constantine Brâncoveanu, the prince-martyr of Wallachia. Fr. Emil Nedelea-Cărămizaru from Saint George the New Church in Bucharest brought the holy relics for a spiritual visit and was reverently welcomed by over 300 monastic sisters from…

May 27, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Sihăstria Monastery hosts exhumation of Saints Paisius and Cleopas relics in view of local canonization

The relics of Saints Paisius (Olaru) and Cleopas (Ilie) of Sihăstria were exhumed on Monday and placed in specially crafted reliquaries. The special exhumation service was officiated by Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia and Assistant Bishop Nichifor of Botoșani from the Archdiocese of Iași. The personal belongings of the two revered monks, preserved in their…

Apr 28, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu