Patriarch Daniel

Patriarch Daniel’s name day: Religious freedom is the freedom to seek eternal life

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel celebrated his name day last Thursday, on the feast day of the Holy Prophet Daniel, holding a festive moment at the Europa Christiana Hall of the Patriarchate’s Palace. His Beatitude spoke about the service of the Church as a loving response to God’s unique calling. The Patriarch also stressed that religious…

Dec 22, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

On name day, Romanian Patriarch turns his thoughts to refugees and exiles; calls Prophet Daniel and Three Holy Youths their protectors

During a doxology at the Patriarchal Cathedral last Thursday, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel turned his thoughts to refugees and exiles, stressing that the Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Youths are their patron saints. Prayers of thanksgiving were offered during a short service attended by members of the staff of the Romanian Patriarchate and the…

Dec 22, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel’s Christmas Encyclical 2020: full text

Please find below the full text of the pastoral letter of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania on the feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ 2020: † DANIEL By God’s Grace, Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Muntenia and Dobrudja, Locum tenens of the throne of Caesarea of Cappadocia and Patriarch of the…

Dec 15, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel invests new spiritual fathers with ‘apostolic power to remit sins’

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel invested seven priests from the Archdiocese of Bucharest with ‘the apostolic power’ to retain and remit sins during a special ceremony held at St George’s Chapel at the patriarchal residence on Thursday, December 10, 2020. “The Holy Apostles received from the Saviour Jesus Christ, on the day of His Resurrection, the…

Dec 11, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel says spiritual guidance is a holy work of balance, which avoids extremes

Patriarch Daniel invested six new spiritual fathers during a blessing service held at the Chapel of St George at the patriarchal residence on Wednesday, December 9, 2020. “This holy work is a work of balance. A good spiritual father avoids extremes; he avoids relativism or laxity and exaggerated rigour,” said the Patriarch. “If we say,…

Dec 11, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Saint Nicholas is a symbol of generosity and a friend of children: Patriarch Daniel

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel Sunday said that Saint Nicholas is a symbol of generosity and a friend of children. “Saint Nicholas is a helper of orphans, of the sick, of people in difficulty, but especially he is a friend of children.” The Patriarch said that during this period, children often confuse Saint Nick with Santa…

Dec 7, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel casts ballot in 2020 Romania legislative election

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel cast his ballot Sunday to elect a new bicameral parliament for the next four years. The Patriarch voted at his local polling station at Ienachita Vacarescu School in Bucharest. After voting, the Patriarch offered prayer cards to those present at the polling station. Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu

Dec 6, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

22 years since the death of Elder Cleopa Ilie

Elder Cleopa Ilie passed away on 2 December 1998. Considered by many people a unique “Avva” of the Romanian spirituality, as inspiringly Rev. Prof Dr. Dumitru Staniloae called him, Elder Cleopa was born in Suliţa commune, Botoşani county, on a spring day. His parents, Alexandru and Ana Ilie, called him Constantin, and he was the fifth child…

Dec 2, 2020Gheorghe Anghel

Patriarch of Romania: We have never received something as a gift in our history. Everything was obtained through sacrifice

‘The union of Romanians in a single national unitary state was accomplished after centuries of suffering, many spiritual and material sacrifices, sacrifices of human lives,’ Patriarch Daniel stressed during a Te Deum service at the Patriarchal Cathedral celebrating Romania’s National Day on Tuesday. The Patriarch underlined that Romania’s Great Union was not a random event,…

Dec 1, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel offers prayers for rest of Patriarch Irinej’s soul

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel officiated a memorial service at St George’s Chapel of his patriarchal residence for the rest of the soul of Serbian Patriarch Irinej on Sunday. “The way in which he led the Serbian Orthodox Church strengthened its major role in the life of Serbian society, thus, contributing to the rapprochement of the…

Nov 23, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

A wise and peaceful spiritual shepherd – Patriarch Irinej of Serbia

Message of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, at the funerals of Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Belgrade, 22 November 2020. Your Eminence Hriszostom, Metropolitan of Dabar-Bosnia, Locum-tenens to the Patriarch, Beloved members of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, The news of the departure from this world…

Nov 22, 2020Gheorghe Anghel