Easter 2020

Romanian priest lights Easter candles at tombs of WWI soldiers: I chanted ‘Christ is risen’ being surrounded by heroes

As a token of love and honour for those who sacrificed their lives during the First World War, the Romanian priest in Munster, Germany, went to the memorial cemetery in Dülmen with Easter candles and prayed for the souls of the departed. ‘This year, on the second day of Easter, I went together with our parish’s…

Apr 27, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

The Week in Pictures: April 13 -19, 2020

More than 260 million people marked Easter Sunday, with worshippers asked to stay at home to avoid coronavirus spread.  While many watched services online or on television, some sidestepped virus fears to attend churches on the most important date in the Orthodox calendar. Here is our selection of photos from the Orthodox world taken between…

Apr 22, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: The marks of the Lord’s passion in His glorified body highlight the mystical connection between the Cross and the Resurrection

During the Agape Vespers on Easter Sunday, also known as the Second Resurrection, Patriarch Daniel spoke about the characteristics of the Saviour’s risen body stressing that the marks of His Passion remained in his glorified body. The Patriarch of Romania explained why the risen Lord passed through the locked doors to meet his disciples. ‘He…

Apr 21, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel at Easter Vigil: The crucified and risen Christ is the Healer and Liberator of humankind

Patriarch Daniel, April 19, 2020: ‘Christ’s Resurrection today is for us as always a source of light and peace, a source of joy, but also a source of spiritual power to fight the hardships of life, including to fight with the disease, the fear of death, and suffering, with everything that severely befalls us and…

Apr 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Prince Charles sends Paschal greetings to Romanians for Easter: Hristos a-nviat! (VIDEO)

The Prince of Wales has sent a video message for the Romanians, who celebrate Orthodox Easter. In it, he evokes the current health crisis and expresses the wish to travel again to Romania and also to meet again with members of the Romanian community in the United Kingdom. The message was recorded on Friday at…

Apr 19, 2020Ștefana Totorcea

We have the unique opportunity to do good and to consolidate parent-child relationships, Bessarabia Metropolitan says in Easter Message

In his pastoral letter on Holy Pascha 2020, the Metropolitan of Bessarabia urged Orthodox Christians to profess Christ’s Resurrection and to take advantage of the home isolation period to consolidate their family relationships, but also to do mercy, thus showing solidarity with those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. ‘It may be hard and uncomfortable for…

Apr 18, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel’s Easter Message 2020: The Lord’s Resurrection is a source of light and hope in our struggle with life’s difficulties

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel sent a video message for Easter in which he encourages the faithful to stay in communion of prayer. He asks for the Lord’s blessing over the doctors, carers and state leaders, whishing Romania and the world good health, hope and peace. The video and full text of his message: The feast…

Apr 17, 2020Ștefana Totorcea

Romanian Patriarchate reaches agreement with Ministry of Internal Affairs for distribution of consecrated Easter bread and Holy Fire to believers

The Romanian Orthodox Church Wednesday reached an agreement with the Ministry of Internal Affairs to allow church volunteers to distribute consecrated bread (Paști) and Holy Fire to believers on Easter night. The first form of the agreement signed on Tuesday was later amended by the two parts as epidemiologists expect the coronavirus pandemic to reach…

Apr 16, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel’s Easter Encyclical: Love has conquered death

In this year’s pastoral encyclical for Holy Pascha, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel highlights the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection noting that the faith in the resurrection ‘helps us not to lose our hope in the face of life’s hardships.’ ‘Let us ask more insistently for the help of the crucified and risen Christ, Who knows our…

Apr 14, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu