The Week in Pictures: May 18 - 24, 2020

The Orthodox world rejoiced over the faithful’s return to the churches after the state of emergency expired and the sanitary rules were relaxed in Romania and many other countries.

Many of our readers thought of June 1 and sent us photos of children. Please find below our selection of pictures featuring the Orthodox life captured between May 18 and 24, 2020.

Pigeons are ever-present on the Patriarchate’s Hill, especially on fine weather. Photo: Protosyncellus Corneliu Andrașco

Even though common worship has restarted, it would be incomplete without continuing prayer at home. One learns this in early childhood. Photo: Onofrei Adriana

Putna Monastery on an overcast morning. Photo: Malina Coroama

The Dobroteasa Parish from Bucharest during common liturgical prayer. Photo: Ionuț Barbu

Woman kneeling in prayer on the front steps of the Orthodox Cathedral in Iași. Photo: Madeleine G. Photography

Blossomed courtyard at St Nicholas Parish in Bucharest’s Balta Albă (“White Pool”) neighbourhood. Photo: Cristina Stoian

Happy to return to church, little Ioan kisses the Holy Cross. Photo: Marinela Pavel

Sunset at Sângeap Basaraba Monastery in Iași county. Photo: Basaraba Monastery

Mărcuța Parish’s New Church. Photo: Alin Horia Mânzat

The faithful from Horodnicu de Sus town, Suceava county, waiting for the funeral convoy to pay their last homage to the reposed Archbishop Pimen. Photo: ADN Studio Photo-Video

Old man praying during vespers service for the patronal feast of the Patriarchal Cathedral. Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu

Two children take refuge from the rain during the patronal feast of the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. Photo: Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene

Happy to participate again to the church’s religious services, a layman brought a flower bouquet for the patronal feast of the Patriarchal Cathedral. Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu

The faithful do not overlook sanitary and social distancing rules. The joy of returning to church is mixed with the fear of infection. Photo: Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene

The “Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen” Church in Brăila waiting for its faithful to participate in the Divine Liturgy. Photo: Facebook / Archdiocese of Lower Danube

Suceava-city priests wore coveralls to carry the coffin of their reposed hierarch, Archbishop Pimen, who sadly fell victim to the Covid-19 disease. Photo: Doxologia / Fr. Silviu Cluci

The faithful brave the rain to safely participate in the Divine Liturgy at “St Anna” Monastery of Rohia. Photo: Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar

The Ambassador of Israel to Romania, David Saranga, at the cave of St Gregory the Decapolite, after a visit to the monasteries of Vâlcea county. Photo: Facebook / David Saranga

The faithful attended the Divine Liturgy at Cotmeana Monastery, which hosts the oldest church bell in the Wallachia region, donated by Master Dragomir in 1385. Photo: Archdiocese of Argeș and Muscel / Cristian Gheorghe

Dan Andrei, one of Basilica.ro’s youngest readers. Photo: Archdeacon Dan Văscu

A mother teaches her child to pray during the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral. Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu

Last week’s most widely appreciated post on our Instagram account:

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*RO: Înaltpreasfințitul Părinte Pimen, Arhiepiscopul Sucevei și Rădăuților, a trecut la cele veșnice miercuri, 20 mai 2020, la ora 00:50, în urma unui al doilea atac de cord. Înaltpreasfinția Sa se afla internat din data de 20 aprilie, la Spitalul „Matei Balş” din Bucureşti, din cauza infectării cu noul coronavirus. Ierarhul avea 90 de ani, fiind cel mai în vârstă membru al Sfântului Sinod al Bisericii Ortodoxe Române. *EN: His Eminence Archbishop Pimen of Suceava and Radauti reposed in the Lord on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, at 00:50, following a second heart attack. His Eminence had been hospitalized since April 20, at the “Matei Balş” Hospital in Bucharest, due to infection with the new coronavirus. The 90-year-old hierarch was the eldest member of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. . . . #ortodox #ortodoxie #ipspimen #bisericaortodoxaromana #sfantulsinod #ierarh #suceava #coronavirus #arhiepiscop #bisericaortodoxa #monahismulortodoxromanesc

A post shared by Basilica News Agency (@basilica.ro) on May 19, 2020 at 7:14pm PDT

We would gladly include one of your photos depicting Orthodox life in our weekly selection. All you have to do is send the picture(s) you have taken to our email address [foto @ basilica.ro] along with a short description. Please mention WIP (Week in Pictures) in the email subject line. Please note that every WIP article will include photos taken in the previous week.