2026 Holy Women

Romanian Orthodox diocese in Ireland and Iceland hosts lecture on Romanian holy women in Dublin

The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Ireland and Iceland on Saturday hosted a lecture titled “Holy Women of the Romanian People as Models of Life” at the Diocesan Cathedral of Dublin, delivered by Prof. Dr George Enache. The lecture presented key moments and spiritual landmarks from the lives of Romanian holy women—martyrs, monastics, Christian wives and…

Feb 11, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel says 16 Romanian Holy Women are the spiritual mothers of the nation

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel delivered an official address on Friday morning, 6 February, during the solemn proclamation of the canonisation of 16 Romanian Women Saints, held at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, in the presence of the members of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. In his message, the Patriarch described the newly…

Feb 7, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox Holy Synod designates 2027 Church Year, approves youth summit and new liturgical texts

On Friday, 6 February 2026, the working session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church was held in the “Patriarch Teoctist” Aula Magna of the Patriarchal Palace in Bucharest, under the chairmanship of Patriarch Daniel. The Holy Synod adopted a number of decisions concerning pastoral and missionary activity, including the following: It declared…

Feb 7, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox Church proclaims canonisation of 16 Holy Women in Bucharest ceremony

The general proclamation of the canonisation of the 16 Romanian holy women took place on Friday at the Patriarchal Cathedral. The solemn ceremony was held towards the end of the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Patriarch Daniel, together with the members of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The official act of proclamation of…

Feb 7, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Last memorial service for 16 Romanian Holy Women: Holiness is open to every Christian, Bishop says

Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiesti on Thursday evening officiated the final memorial service for the 16 newly canonised Romanian holy women, stressing that “holiness is accessible to every Christian who desires it and seeks it at any time”. The service was held at the Patriarchal Cathedral and was preceded by Great Vespers. Bishop Varlaam…

Feb 7, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian theologian says mothers of the Three Holy Hierarchs show how families can raise faithful, educated children

Families in which the Three Holy Hierarchs were born show that, “regardless of the challenges one faces and the contexts one must navigate, there are solutions” for raising children who are faithful to the Church and well formed intellectually and socially, said Cosmin Pricop, Dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Patriarch Justinian” at the…

Feb 4, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Digital Matericon: Women Saints of February (I)

This February instalment of Digital Matericon: Women Saints of February is published in the context of the decision of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church to proclaim 2026 as the Commemorative Year of the Holy Women in the life and calendar of the Church. The series seeks to bring before contemporary readers the…

Feb 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox Church to proclaim canonisation of 16 holy women in Bucharest: Schedule

The liturgical events at the Patriarchal Cathedral of “Saints Constantine and Helen” in Bucharest, marking the general proclamation of the canonisation of 16 Romanian holy women, will take place according to the following schedule: On Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 5:00 p.m., at the Patriarchal Cathedral, at the conclusion of Vespers, the final memorial service…

Jan 28, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Digital Matericon: Women Saints of January (II)

This second January instalment of Digital Matericon continues our monthly series dedicated to the women saints commemorated in the Orthodox calendar. Because January contains an especially rich number of holy women—martyrs, monastics, ascetics, mothers, confessors, and “fools for Christ”—the month is presented in two parts, allowing each figure to be remembered with due attention. In…

Jan 21, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Digital Matericon: Women Saints of January (I)

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church has declared the year 2026 the Commemorative Year of the Holy Women in the Church calendar. Accordingly, we invite you to discover each month the faces of holy women—mothers, wives, nuns, and martyrs—who are models of the Christian life from all ages. Saint Emilia, mother of Saint…

Jan 8, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Serafim urges humility over comfort in Christmas message, highlights women’s role in Church and family

In this year’s Christmas pastoral letter, Metropolitan Serafim of Germany invites the faithful to move beyond the material comfort associated with the Nativity feast and to rediscover what he calls “the only new thing under the sun”: the humility of God who becomes Man. In the pastoral message titled “The Christian Woman in the Family,…

Dec 23, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu