Diaspora

Romanian Orthodox parish in Italy receives church building in Catholic donation

The Romanian Orthodox parish of Saint John the Baptist in Savona, Italy, has received its own church building through a donation from a local Catholic community, in what the clergy described as a historic moment for the parish. The deed of donation was signed on Monday by Father Domenico Vittorini, representing the Ligurian Augustinian community,…

Apr 24, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian sacred art exhibition in Italy raises funds for parish social home

A charity exhibition of Romanian sacred art inaugurated last weekend at Palazzo Chigi drew senior Romanian officials and art lovers, with proceeds aimed at supporting the renovation of a parish-run social centre. The exhibition, hosted in Ariccia near Rome, seeks to raise funds for Saint George House, a social home built by the Romanian Orthodox…

Apr 22, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian language courses in Italian schools open for 2026-27 enrolment

Romanian pupils in Italy will be able to take part in Romanian Language, Culture and Civilisation (RLCC) courses during the 2026–2027 school year under a programme aimed at preserving language and identity in the diaspora. Parents can enrol their children until May 8 by submitting a request to their school’s administration, asking that the school…

Apr 22, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox church consecrated near Paris, seen as ‘new window to heaven’

A Romanian Orthodox church in Clichy, in the Paris metropolitan area, was consecrated on Saturday by an assembly of bishops led by Metropolitan Iosif Pop, who described the place of worship as “a new window to heaven.” The “Descent of the Holy Spirit” Church was purchased in 2022 by parish priest Aurel Grigoraș using personal…

Apr 21, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Italian law students visit Romanian Orthodox parish as part of comparative religion course

Students from the Faculty of Law at the University of Trento visited the Romanian Orthodox Parish “Saint Mark the Evangelist” in the city on Monday. According to the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy, third- and fourth-year law students attended the visit as part of a Comparative Ecclesiastical Law course. Parish priest Ioan Lupășteanu presented the…

Apr 21, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

1904 consecration document found in church tower during Vienna renovations

A consecration charter and other documents dating back to 1904 have been discovered at the base of a cross atop one of the towers of the Romanian church “Saint Anthony” in Vienna during renovation works. The discovery was made by Fr Ioan Moga and his wife Patricia, together with representatives of the company restoring the…

Apr 20, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox parish in Vienna marks 120 years with multi-church ceremony

The “Holy Resurrection” Parish, Vienna’s first Romanian Orthodox liturgical community, celebrated its 120th anniversary on Bright Tuesday with a ceremony attended by leaders from various Christian Churches. Among those present were His Eminence Metropolitan Serafim of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Germany, Central and Northern Europe; Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria (Ecumenical Patriarchate); Armenian Bishop Tiran Petrosyan;…

Apr 16, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox parish in Verona partners with food bank to support vulnerable

The Romanian Orthodox Parish Verona 2 in Italy has formed a partnership with the local food bank to assist socially vulnerable members of its community. Through this collaboration, the parish will function as a distribution centre for essential food supplies. The partnership with Banco Alimentare—one of Italy’s largest charitable networks—will enable the collection and redistribution of…

Apr 16, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Bishop holds first liturgy at English-language parish in Dublin

Bishop Nectarie of Ireland and Iceland officiated on Bright Tuesday for the first time at the English-language parish “Saint Brendan the Navigator and Saint Joseph the New of Partoș” in Dublin. In his sermon, the bishop explained the Gospel passage of the Road to Emmaus, highlighting that although Christ set the disciples’ hearts aflame through…

Apr 16, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox priests bring Easter light to inmates in Italian prisons

Romanian Orthodox clergy and faithful in Italy visited inmates at two Italian prisons on Bright Tuesday, causing tears to flow for several detainees. The Romanian Orthodox parishes of Fonte Nuova, Monterotondo, Roma 3, and Marcellina in Italy’s Lazio region visited the Rebibbia Nuovo Complesso penitentiary in Rome. Visit to Rome’s largest prison The visit required complex…

Apr 16, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian ambassador thanks Patriarchate for sending priest to serve diaspora in Tunisia at Easter

His Excellency Valentin Ciprian Muntean, Romania’s ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia, expressed his gratitude on Tuesday to the Romanian Patriarchate for temporarily assigning a Romanian priest to serve during Easter alongside Metropolitan Meletios of Carthage and North Africa (Patriarchate of Alexandria) and local Orthodox clergy. “I place great importance on Romanian spirituality, and I…

Apr 15, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu