Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanians still await official recognition of Romanian Language Day in Ukraine

The Romanian community in Ukraine is still awaiting the establishment of a Romanian Language Day in Ukraine, which would be comparable to the acknowledgement of Ukrainian Language Day in Romania on November 9, as enshrined by Romania’s Law 213/2018. The initiative for a Romanian Language Day in Ukraine came from the “Bessarabia” National-Cultural Association of…

Oct 30, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Ministry of Family applauds Romanian Orthodox Church’s 2026 theme honouring Christian family and holy women

The Ministry of Family, Youth, and Equal Opportunities has welcomed the decision by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church to designate 2026 as the “Solemn Year of Pastoral Care for the Christian Family” and the “Commemorative Year of Holy Women” celebrating myrrh-bearing women, female martyrs, nuns, wives, and mothers. The Romanian Orthodox Synod’s…

Oct 30, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop Makary of Glavinitsa celebrates Divine Liturgy at St. Theophano Basarab’s Cave Church in Bulgaria

On Monday, His Grace Bishop Makary of Glavinitsa, Auxiliary Bishop to Metropolitan Naum of Ruse of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the cave church founded by St. Theophano Basarab near the Bulgarian city of Ruse. Joining him were Father Ivan Ginel Aurelian, representing His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania; Father Kiril…

Oct 30, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Ukrainian Orthodox Vicariate opens St. John Chrysostom Bible Study Center in Lugoj

The blessing service for the new Bible study center, dedicated to St. John Chrysostom, was held in mid-October. Fr. Petru Rosoca, dean of Lugoj, led the service, which several Ukrainian and Romanian Orthodox priests joined. This center was established at the request of the faithful who attended the Orthodox Joy Camp for Adults in late…

Oct 30, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop Sofian visits Bucharest’s Roua Center, plans support program for Romanian women in Diaspora

On Monday, His Grace Bishop Sofian of Brașov, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Germany, Austria, and Luxembourg, visited one of the Roua Centers in Bucharest, where pregnant women and large families receive comprehensive support services. “I did this intending to initiate similar actions in our Archdiocese, creating institutional frameworks through which we can help…

Oct 30, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Greece’s OXI Day celebrated by Greek community in Bucharest, honouring WWII heroes

Greece’s OXI Day, considered the second national day of the Greek people, was celebrated on Sunday at the “Annunciation” Church of the Greek community in Bucharest. On this occasion, Fr. Ioan Moldoveanu, the parish priest, led a Te Deum service and commemorated the heroes who fell defending their homeland in World War II. Among those…

Oct 30, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Nicolae celebrates patronal feast of Middletown monastery, emphasizes call to holiness and spiritual renewal

His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of the Americas celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Saturday for the patronal feast of the Romanian Monastery “Saint Demetrius the New” in Middletown, New York. On this occasion, the Romanian Metropolitan of the Americas spoke about the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in each individual’s personal life.…

Oct 30, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Church proclaims canonization of Saint Macarius Protopsaltes, Father of Romanian Chanting

The canonization of Saint Macarius Protopsaltes was proclaimed on Sunday following the Divine Liturgy celebrated for the Feast of Saint Demetrius the New. His Grace Varlaam of Ploiești, Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop and Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, read the Synodal Tomos of Canonization. After the proclamation, the troparion of Saint…

Oct 29, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Church music combined with prayer contributes to spiritual health

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel emphasized the powerful role of church music in fostering spiritual well-being as the 16th edition of the National Church Music Festival-Competition Praise the Lord! took place this year, aligning with the theme of pastoral care for the sick and a commemorative year dedicated to healer saints. The festival held last Saturday…

Oct 29, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

2024 St. Demetrius celebrations: Patriarch Daniel reflects on healing and resurrection, as Bucharest temporarily houses St Lazarus relic

Healing and resurrection took centre stage in the sermon delivered Sunday by Patriarch Daniel to thousands of pilgrims gathered in Bucharest for the feast of St. Demetrius the New and to venerate the honoured relics of St. Lazarus brought from Cyprus. Patriarch Daniel was joined in service by the Archbishop of Cyprus and other hierarchs.…

Oct 28, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Basilica Media Centre marks 17 years with on-scene coverage of St Demetrius the New Feast

This Sunday marked 17 years since the founding of the Basilica Media Centre, the press branch of the Romanian Patriarchate. Journalists from all five of its components were celebrating by bringing live coverage of the annual feast of St. Demetrius the New, the patron saint of Bucharest. Founded on October 27, 2007, Basilica Media Centre…

Oct 28, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu