hesychasm

Patriarch Daniel: The Transfiguration shows humanity’s destiny is heaven, not the grave

“This feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord shows that human beings were not created for the grave, but for heaven,” His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church emphasised on Thursday. The Patriarch participated in the Divine Liturgy celebrated for the Feast of the Transfiguration at the historic St George Chapel of the…

Aug 7, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

At first New Zealand liturgy, Bishop Iachint calls Transfiguration a path to spiritual renewal

“To see Christ in the light of His divinity, we too must ascend a Mount Tabor,” Assistant Bishop Iachint of the Pacific of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand said on Thursday at his first Divine Liturgy celebrated in New Zealand. Addressing the faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Parish of the Dormition…

Aug 7, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Hermit Saints to adorn National Cathedral’s underground chapel, creating ‘monastic cell atmosphere’

The underground chapel of Romania’s National Cathedral will feature numerous Romanian monastic saints, including hermits who lived and prayed in caves. On Wednesday, Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Paisie of Sinaia said the chapel “will create the atmosphere of a monastic cell.” Speaking at the National Cathedral Chapel on the feast of St. John Jacob the New…

Aug 7, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox Church adds ‘Burning Bush’ Mother of God icon to liturgical calendar

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church has added the Icon of the Mother of God “The Burning Bush” to the Church’s liturgical calendar, establishing 4 September as its annual feast day. The decision was adopted during the Synod’s meeting on 2 July. The feast was set for 4 September because the Church also…

Jul 8, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Relics of Saint Gregory Palamas carried in procession through the streets of Thessaloniki

The relics of Gregory Palamas were carried in procession through the streets of Thessaloniki on the second Sunday of Great Lent, which in the Orthodox Church is dedicated to the saint who defended hesychast spirituality. The religious procession took place on Sunday at the Metropolitan Cathedral in the historic Greek city, where the relics of…

Mar 11, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Saint Sofian remembered as confessor, hesychast and iconographer at local canonization ceremony

The Romanian Orthodox Church celebrated on Tuesday the local proclamation of the canonization of Saint Sofian of Antim, a confessor of the faith during communist persecution, a hesychast spiritual father, and iconographer. On this occasion, Patriarch Daniel addressed the faithful with a special message, recalling the life and legacy of the new saint, whom Saint…

Sep 18, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox theologian Andrei Scrima remembered 25 years after his passing

This year marks 25 years since the repose of Archimandrite Andrei Scrima, a leading figure of the Romanian Hesychast movement “The Burning Bush”. Biographical landmarks Father Andrei Scrima was born in 1925 in Gheorgheni, Harghita County. He studied philosophy, mathematics and theology in Bucharest. Between 1957 and 1959, he was a doctoral student in Benares,…

Aug 20, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Transfiguration reveals the Church’s radiant icon, Patriarch Daniel says

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania explained on Wednesday that the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord represents “the radiant icon of every church.” Speaking at the end of the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the historic Chapel of Saint George the Trophy-bearer at the Patriarchal Residence, the Patriarch of Romania said that “according to…

Aug 7, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian hesychast and anti-Communist Confessor Fr. Benedict Ghiuș remembered 35 years after his passing

Archimandrite Benedict Ghiuș, one of the founders of the “Burning Bush” Hesychast Movement, humbly reposed in the Lord on June 12, 1990. Born Vasile Ghiuș in 1904 in Domnești, Vrancea County, he studied at the Faculty of Theology in Cernăuți and later earned his doctorate in Strasbourg, France. In 1934, he embraced monastic life at…

Jun 12, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian children from Belgium discover monastic life and prayer at “Little Hesychast” Camp in Switzerland

Children from the Romanian Orthodox Parish in Antwerp, Belgium, took part last week in the “Little Hesychast” Camp, organized at the “Protection of the Mother of God” Monastery in Switzerland. The camp’s main goal was to bring children and teenagers closer to monastic life and help them learn the Jesus Prayer. The children attended the…

Apr 15, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Jesus healed many, but only called some ‘son’

On the second Sunday of Lent, Patriarch Daniel of Romania spoke at the historic Chapel of St. George within the Patriarchal Residence about the healing grace of Jesus Christ, as revealed in the Gospel account of the Paralytic’s Healing in Capernaum. “Jesus healed many sick people, but not all were called ‘son.’ However, to this…

Mar 18, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu