{"id":583903,"date":"2026-08-12T12:59:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T09:59:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=583903"},"modified":"2026-08-12T12:59:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T09:59:58","slug":"targoviste-archbishop-name-day-church-footsteps-saints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/en\/targoviste-archbishop-name-day-church-footsteps-saints\/","title":{"rendered":"T\u00e2rgovi\u0219te Archbishop marks name day, says Church journeys through history in footsteps of saints"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe Church journeys through history in the footsteps of the saints, and their fascinating experience and profound embrace of Christian values constitute that wonderful treasure of spirituality which inspires the lives of us all, young and old,\u201d His Eminence Archbishop Nifon of T\u00e2rgovi\u0219te, Honorary Metropolitan and Patriarchal Exarch, said<\/a> on Tuesday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the feast of St Niphon, Patriarch of Constantinople<\/a>, patron saint of the Archdiocese of T\u00e2rgovi\u0219te, His Eminence celebrated the Divine Liturgy together with Archbishop Varsanufie of R\u00e2mnic, Bishops Visarion of Tulcea and Ieronim of Dacia Felix, and Assistant Bishop Teofil of Trotu\u0219 from the Archdiocese of Roman and Bac\u0103u.<\/p>\n

Approximately 20,000 pilgrims attended the service, celebrated near the Archdiocesan Cathedral. They came to venerate the relics of St Niphon and those of St Philothea of Arge\u0219, which had been brought from Curtea de Arge\u0219 Monastery.<\/p>\n

In his sermon, Hon Metropolitan Nifon said that \u201cthe saints shine in the firmament of the Church like beacons of light, truth and righteousness.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey regard the earth as an opportunity to attain heaven. The entire Church has established the saints\u2014these heroes of the faith\u2014as examples to follow, because through their lives and deeds they bear witness to the joy of God\u2019s presence in our lives.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The first saint canonised on Romanian soil<\/h2>\n

His Eminence highlighted the contribution of St Niphon, the first saint to be canonised on the territory of present-day Romania, to Romanian culture and spirituality.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis providential arrival in T\u00e2rgovi\u0219te, at the invitation of Prince Radu the Great, brought about a genuine spiritual renaissance, an unprecedented, powerful, extensive and fruitful renewal, because he restored moral and spiritual life upon the foundation of the Gospel, directing society towards those values which give it strength, stability and nobility.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cHis wisdom enlightened the decisions of Prince Radu the Great, offering him balanced and responsible counsel and showing him that only faith in God can give stability to a country and bring peace and prosperity,\u201d the Honorary Metropolitan added.<\/p>\n

His Eminence also presented volumes recently published by the Archdiocese of T\u00e2rgovi\u0219te’s Publishing House.<\/p>\n

At the conclusion of the service, His Eminence presented the St Niphon Diploma of Excellence and awards to pupils who achieved first place in the national stages of the 2025\u20132026 school Olympiads and competitions, as well as to their supervising teachers.<\/p>\n

Awards were also presented to the four pupils from D\u00e2mbovi\u021ba County who achieved the maximum overall grade of 10 in the Baccalaureate examination, and to several young champions who distinguished themselves in various international competitions.<\/p>\n