{"id":562454,"date":"2026-03-12T16:58:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T14:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=562454"},"modified":"2026-03-12T16:58:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T14:58:02","slug":"relics-saint-philotimia-ramet-exhumed-romania","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/en\/relics-saint-philotimia-ramet-exhumed-romania\/","title":{"rendered":"A new spiritual jewel: Relics of Venerable Philotimia of R\u00e2me\u021b, mother of St Dometius the Merciful, unearthed"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cToday, a new spiritual jewel enters the sacred treasury of R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery: the honourable relics of Venerable Philotimia,\u201d said Archbishop Irineu of Alba Iulia. \u201cThey will be venerated alongside those of Gelasius of R\u00e2me\u021b and Dometius the Merciful of R\u00e2me\u021b.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The archbishop made the remarks at R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery on Thursday during the exhumation of the relics of Saint Philotimia, the mother of St Dometius the Merciful of R\u00e2me\u021b<\/a>, who was also canonised by the Romanian Orthodox Church in 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom Venerable Philotimia, we learn to persevere in the struggle of life and to be kind and gracious to those around us. From her we also learn to accept patiently the pains, hardships and trials that come upon us, with the certainty that only on the narrow path of the Cross can we reach the Kingdom of the Holy Trinity,\u201d the archbishop said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow the spirit of St Philotimia, who rejoices together with the angels, says to the nuns here, with the words of Paul the Apostle: \u2018Follow my example.\u2019 And now her gentle soul tells all of us faithful, with the Apostle Peter: \u2018Be holy in all your conduct; live the days of your earthly life in the fear of God.\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The exhumation began in the early hours of the morning following the Divine Liturgy and was carried out in accordance with the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church’s guidelines and regulations, under the supervision of specialists in medicine and anthropology.<\/p>\n

Relics of St Philotimia Placed Beside Those of Her Son at R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery<\/h2>\n
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The relics of the saint will be permanently placed for veneration in the main church of the R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery, alongside those of her son, according to the flesh, St. Dometius the Merciful. Photo: Basilica.ro \/ Raluca Ene<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Following the exhumation, the relics were carried in procession to the church of R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery, where the liturgical rite concluded.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday we experienced moments of great joy at R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery, because the family of the Saints of R\u00e2me\u021b has been enriched with another saint, Venerable Philotimia, the mother of Dometius the Merciful of R\u00e2me\u021b,\u201d Fr Oliviu Botoi, cultural adviser of the Archdiocese of Alba Iulia, told Radio Re\u00eentregirea.<\/p>\n

The relics will be permanently placed for veneration in the main church of R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery, beside those of the saint\u2019s son, St Dometius the Merciful of R\u00e2me\u021b.<\/p>\n

Saintly Discretion<\/h2>\n
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“She spent it in a discretion specific to feminine holiness,” said diocesan counsellor Oliviu Botoi (photo above, right). Photo: Basilica.ro \/ Raluca Ene<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fr Oliviu Botoi recalled that the first part of the Venerable Philotimia’s life was closely connected with her family, whom she cared for with great responsibility as the mother of 12 children. She raised and educated them in the fear of God, many of them later becoming servants of the Church.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was a mother whose soul endured many sufferings, especially after the early passing of several of the children she had given birth to,\u201d the adviser said.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe also went through an illness and suffering from which God raised and miraculously healed her. In the second part of her life, after she was widowed, she drew closer to holy things and dedicated herself entirely to prayer and ascetic struggle at R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery, together with her son, Saint Dometius the Merciful of R\u00e2me\u021b, and her daughter, nun Eudoxia.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cShe lived in prayer and ascetic labour, but with a discretion characteristic of feminine holiness, until 1989, when she fell asleep in the Lord,\u201d added the cultural adviser of the Archdiocese of Alba Iulia.<\/p>\n

Patient and Prayerful<\/h2>\n
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Abbess Apolinaria holds the icon of the newly-glorified saint Philotimia of R\u00e2me\u021b. Photo: Basilica.ro \/ Raluca Ene<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stavrophore Apolinaria Barb, abbess of R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery, personally knew the saint.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe had a radiant countenance that reflected kindness, gentleness, love and compassion for the monastery\u2019s community and for all those around her. Since old age no longer allowed her to perform the monastery\u2019s obediences, she prayed constantly in her cell, repeating \u2018Lord Jesus\u2019 or other short prayers flowing from a heart full of gentleness and goodness,\u201d Abbess Apolinaria Barb said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The abbess also recalled that Saint Dometius the Merciful of R\u00e2me\u021b, the saint\u2019s son, praised his mother in a letter written in 1959, comparing her to a martyr.<\/p>\n

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The relics of St. Philotimia of R\u00e2me\u021b were exhumed on Thursday, March 12, 2026, and carried in procession to the large church of the R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery, where they will be permanently placed for veneration. Photo: Basilica.ro \/ Raluca Ene<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cFor us, the community of R\u00e2me\u021b Monastery, sister Philotimia was a model of a mother and monastic\u2014full of patience, faith in God, devotion and love,\u201d Abbess Apolinaria Barb added.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could say that both parents of Dometius the Merciful of R\u00e2me\u021b were very merciful people, even though they did not possess great material wealth. Their greatest treasure was faith and hope in the Good God and the Mother of God, which overcame all the trials of life.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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