female saints

Digital Matericon: Women Saints of June

As part of the Romanian Orthodox Church’s Commemorative Year of Holy Women in the Calendar, Basilica.ro continues its Digital Matericon series, a monthly project dedicated to presenting the lives and spiritual legacy of women saints venerated throughout the Christian world. The June edition brings together a diverse assembly of holy women—from martyrs of the early…

Jun 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Digital Matericon: Women Saints of February (II)

Digital Matericon: Women Saints of February (II) continues our monthly series dedicated to the lives of women saints commemorated throughout the Church year, highlighting a remarkable group of holy women remembered in the second half of February. This instalment presents the spiritual portraits of Saint Scholastica, Saint Theodora the Empress, Saint Priscilla, Saint Mariamne, Saint…

Feb 12, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Relics of St Elizabeth exhumed at Pasărea Monastery, bishop praises her example

“The face of Schema-nun Elisabeta (Lazăr) shines like the example and life of the hermits of old. She urges each of us to value time and dedicate as much of it as possible to the Lord,” said Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova from the Archdiocese of Bucharest, on Friday, January 16, at Pasărea Monastery in…

Jan 21, 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

Relics of Saint Eulogia of Samurcășești exhumed, Bishop calls her an example of service

Venerable Evloghia Țârlea is, for the nuns of this monastery and for nuns throughout the Orthodox Church—especially within the Romanian Orthodox Church—“an example of service,” Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova said last Thursday as the relics of St Eulogia were exhumed at Samurcășești-Ciorogârla Monastery in Ilfov County. The saint, canonised last year by the Holy…

Jan 20, 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

16 saintly women to be canonized by Romanian Patriarchate, Patriarch Daniel announces

The Romanian Patriarchate will canonize 16 female saints in 2026, as part of the Commemorative Year of Holy Women in the Church Calendar, according to announcements made by Patriarch Daniel on Monday evening during the working session of the Metropolitan Synod of the Metropolis of Muntenia and Dobruja. A similar number of saints—16—were proclaimed during…

Jul 1, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Small Digital Matericon: Romanian Women Who Loved God (I)

In anticipation of the year 2026, declared the Commemorative Year of Holy Women in the Calendar by the Romanian Patriarchate, we turn our attention to several notable figures of Romanian women who lived their lives with deep faith and dedication to God, becoming models of holiness. These women, through their virtuous lives, left a lasting…

Jun 12, 2025Aurelian 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

Holy Synod canonises Saint Theophano Basarab, first known Romanian nun

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church announced on Thursday the canonization of Venerable Theopahno Basarab from Albotina monastery (Vidin), a contemporary with St. Gregory Palamas and disciple of St. Theodosius the Hesychast. She is the first Romanian nun known in history. The day of celebration will be October 28, when the Saint is…

Feb 18, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu