Hesychast Saints

Local proclamation of Saint Mavra of Ceahlău’s canonisation held at Durău Monastery

“We give thanks to God for this great gift that He has bestowed upon Moldavia,” said Metropolitan Teofan of Moldavia and Bukovina on Monday, May 4, at the local proclamation of the canonisation of Saint Mavra of Ceahlău. His Eminence also expressed gratitude to Patriarch Daniel of Romania, who blessed the proposal for the canonisation…

May 12, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel remembers four hesychast saints he knew, founders of Romania’s Patriarchate

During the opening of the Autumn Pastoral-Missionary Conference of the Archdiocese of Bucharest on Tuesday, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel remembered four great hesychast elders and confessors of the 20th century — Saint Cleopas Ilie, Saint Paisius Olaru, Saint Dumitru Stăniloae, and Saint Sofian of Antim — all of whom he personally knew. The Patriarch said…

Nov 15, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch: Autocephaly and the patriarchal rank are not mere historical facts — they are the very life of the Church in Romania

“Autocephaly and the patriarchal rank are not mere historical facts — they are the very life of the Church in Romania,” said His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, on Monday, after concelebrating the Divine Liturgy with His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel at the Outdoor Altar of the Patriarchal Cathedral. The service was attended by hierarchs of…

Oct 28, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel blesses reliquary of Saint Dumitru Stăniloae ahead of local canonization at Cernica Monastery

Patriarch Daniel of Romania blessed on Thursday the reliquary that will house the relics of the Confessor Priest Saint Dumitru Stăniloae. On Saturday, Cernica Monastery will host the ceremonies marking the local proclamation of the saint’s canonization. “This beautiful reliquary, adorned in silver and gilded scenes, shows the devotion and esteem of our Church’s faithful…

Oct 3, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Probable first cell of St. Paisius Velichkovsky discovered on Holy Mount Athos

A small stone hut believed to be the first monastic habitation of St. Paisius Velichkovsky during his time on the Holy Mount Athos was recently discovered by a group of monks who were cutting back the thickets of the monastery forest. The monks invited Sergei Shumilo, Director of the International Institute of the Athonite Legacy,…

Dec 16, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel offers remedy for secularisation during Bucharest monastic synaxis

During the annual assembly of the superiors of all monasteries within the Archdiocese of Bucharest, which took place last Thursday at the Patriarchal Palace, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel shared his thoughts on prayer, hesychasm, and the antidote to secularisation. The most concise and intense prayer “The first duty of a monk or nun is to…

Nov 28, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

St Gregory Palamas relics arrive in Bucharest: We are called to be co-workers with God, says Patriarch Daniel

The relics of St. Gregory Palamas arrived on Monday on the Patriarchate’s Hill for the festivities of St. Demetrius the New, the patron saint of Bucharest. St Gregory’s relics were placed for veneration in an outdoor baldachin next to the other relics usually kept in the Patriarchal Cathedral. “All these saints are calling us to…

Oct 24, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

St Gregory Palamas’ relics are arriving to Bucharest for St Demetrius the New 2022 festivities

The relics of the prominent Hesychast Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, will be brought to Bucharest for this year’s festivities of St Demetrius the New. The honourable relics of Saint Gregory Palamas will be brought from Greece by a delegation arriving on Monday, October 24, for the ‘Way of the Saints’ procession. The delegation…

Oct 20, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Iași: 20,000 people process with relics of Saints Paraskeva and Paisius

Tens of thousands of Romanian Orthodox faithful came out for a procession with the relics of two of the most beloved Romanian saints through the streets of Iași on Sunday evening. The feast of St. Paraskeva, October 14, is traditionally one of the most significant religious events in Romania, drawing pilgrims from throughout Romania and…

Oct 12, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

The life of the Church Fathers promotes peace in souls and society: Patriarch Daniel’s message to Bose Int’l Conference

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel sent a message to the participants of the 28th International Inter-Christian Conference on Orthodox Spirituality, held on September 6-9, 2022, at Bose Monastery in Italy. His Beatitude expressed his appreciation to the organizers, who have been promoting Orthodox spirituality and patristic theology for almost three decades. “In today’s world, dominated by…

Sep 23, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel explains why the Hesychasts were the most sought-after spiritual fathers and what is a prayerful reason

After investing thirteen priests from the Archdiocese of Bucharest as spiritual fathers, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel explained why today people need more than ever prayerful priests. “Prayer that enables the mind to descend into the heart brings us peace and sets the praying reason in opposition to the rebellious reason,” Patriarch Daniel said during a…

Aug 18, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu