saints

Forefeast of the Procession of the Honorable and Lifegiving Cross of the Lord; Righteous Eudocimus of Cappadocia; Righteous Joseph of Arimathea

Saint Eudocimus, a native of Cappadocia (Asia Minor), lived during the ninth century during the reign of Emperor Theophilus (829-842). He was the son of the pious Christians Basil and Eudokia, an illustrious family known to the emperor. They raised their son “in discipline and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6: 4), planting in his…

Jul 31, 2017Iulian Dumitraşcu

Dormition of the Righteous Anna, the Mother of the Most Holy Theotokos; Commemoration of the Holy 165 Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Council; Holy Woman Olympias (Olympiada) the Deaconess of Constantinople; Virginmartyr Eupraxia of Tabenna

Saint Anna was the daughter of the priest Matthan and his wife Mary. She was of the tribe of Levi and the lineage of Aaron. According to Tradition, she died peacefully in Jerusalem at age 79, before the Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos. During the reign of Saint Justinian the Emperor (527-565), a church…

Jul 25, 2017Iulian Dumitraşcu

Martyr Christina of Tyre; Martyr Hermogenes

The Martyr Christina lived during the third century. She was born into a rich family, and her father was governor of Tyre. By the age of 11 the girl was exceptionally beautiful, and many wanted to marry her. Christina’s father, however, envisioned that his daughter should become a pagan priestess. To this end he placed…

Jul 24, 2017Iulian Dumitraşcu

Venerable Simeon of Emessa the Fool-For-Christ; Venerable John the Ascetic and Fool-For-Christ; Prophet Ezekiel; Pious Saints Raphael and Parthenius of old Agapia

The Monks Simeon, Fool-for-Christ, and his Fellow-Ascetic John were Syrians, and they lived in the sixth century at the city of Edessa. From childhood they were bound by close ties of friendship. The older of them, Simeon, was unmarried and lived with his aged mother. John, however, although he was married, lived with his father…

Jul 21, 2017Iulian Dumitraşcu

Holy Sinod canonizes Venerable Paphnutius the Iconographer

During its July 4 meeting, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church decided to glorify Venerable Paphnutius the Iconographer. Venerable Paphnutius, a famous iconographer known by the name of Pârvu Mutul (the Mute), was born in Câmpulung-Muscel on 12 October 1657, being the son of priest Ioan Pârvescu (1623-1702) and of his faithful wife,…

Jul 5, 2017Iulian Dumitraşcu

St. Sampson the Hospitable of Constantinople; St. Joanna the Myrrhbearer

Saint Sampson the Hospitable was the son of rich and illustrious Roman parents. In his youth he received an excellent education, he studied the medical arts, and doctored the sick without charge. After the death of his parents Saint Sampson generously distributed alms and set his slaves free, preparing himself to go into the wilderness.…

Jun 27, 2017Iulian Dumitraşcu

The Annunciation (fish allowed); 5th Sunday of Great Lent

The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the earliest Christian feasts, and was already being celebrated in the fourth century. There is a painting of the Annunciation in the catacomb of Priscilla in Rome dating from the second century. The Council of Toledo in 656 mentions the Feast, and the Council in Trullo in…

Mar 25, 2017Sorin Ioniţe

Patriarch John X of Antioch: St Anthimos represents a loving icon, under which gather the faithful of the Churches in Romania, Georgia and Antioch

On the feast of Saint Anthimos the Ivirite (Iberian), 27 September 2016, His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch, presided over the Divine Liturgy officiated in an outdoor altar, next to the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and Metropolitan John of Rustavi, delegate of His Beatitude Ilia II,…

Oct 4, 2016Aurelian Iftimiu

Decisions of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, 6-7 June 2016

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church met in working session, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, from 6 to 7 June 2016, at the Synodal Hall in the Patriarchal Residence. We mention some of the decisions taken by the hierarchs of the Holy Synod: Canonization of Metropolitan Jacob Putneanul of Moldavia…

Jun 7, 2016Aurelian Iftimiu