Holy Pascha

Saint Callinicus of Cernica hailed as witness to Resurrection at monastery in southern Romania

“Saint Callinicus is also a witness of the Resurrection. He passed to the Lord on the very day of Easter; therefore, he is a witness to the unending light of the Kingdom of God,” Metropolitan Irineu of Oltenia said at Frăsinei Monastery in Vâlcea County, which honoured the saint as its founder. “Saint Callinicus of…

Apr 16, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian, Serbian Orthodox faithful hold joint Easter procession in Vrsac

Romanian Orthodox faithful in Vršac, Serbia, joined Serbian Orthodox believers in a traditional Easter night procession, highlighting inter-Orthodox unity. The evening began within the Romanian community at the Episcopal Cathedral “Ascension of the Lord,” where Bishop Ieronim of Dacia Felix officiated the ceremony of receiving the Holy Fire. Clergy from across the diocese concelebrated, alongside…

Apr 15, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

(†) Holy Pascha; Saint Pachomius of Gledin; St. Martin the Confessor the Pope of Rome; Martyr Thomais

Orthodox Calendar April 14 Saint Pachomius of Gledin He was born in 1674, in Gledin village, Bistriţa-Năsăud region. Having been brought up by parents obedient to God, he became a true follower of Christ and because the Orthodox faith was persecuted in Transylvania he left his parents’ house and went to Moldavia, to Neamţ Monastery,…

Apr 14, 2026basilica.ro

Patriarch Daniel says apostles’ mission is ‘a mandate for the whole world’ at Pascha Agape Vespers

“The sending of the Lord’s disciples is a holy mission. It is not about ordination for a parish, but about a missionary mandate for the whole world,” Patriarch Daniel of Romania said on Sunday during the Agape Vespers service of the first day of Holy Pascha, at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. The Romanian Patriarch…

Apr 13, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

(†) Holy Pascha: The Resurrection of Our Lord

Orthodox Calendar, April 20 Holy Pascha: The Resurrection of Our Lord Enjoy ye all the feast of faith; receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. (Sermon of Saint John Chrysostom, read at Paschal Matins) The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the center of the Christian faith. Saint Paul says that if Christ…

Apr 12, 2026basilica.ro

Romanian Orthodox Synod consecrates Holy Chrism for 23rd time in historic Holy Thursday Liturgy

On Holy Thursday, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church consecrated the Holy Chrism for the 23rd time during the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the outdoor altar of the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. The event was part of a broader series of celebrations marking the Centennial of the Romanian Patriarchate. The consecration of Holy…

Apr 18, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Easter message from Metropolitan Nicolae: Live as those freed from death and Hades through Christ

“As we proclaim the Resurrection of the Lord in these days, we ought to reflect with understanding upon the blessings revealed to us in the Resurrection Hymn,” wrote Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of the Americas in his Easter Pastoral Letter. “Let us live as those who have been freed from death and…

Apr 15, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel’s Easter Pastoral Letter 2025: The light and joy of Christ’s resurrection offer meaning to universal history

In his pastoral letter for Holy Pascha 2025, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, proclaimed the Resurrection of Christ as the cornerstone of Christian faith and the foundation of hope for all humanity. Addressing clergy and faithful, the Patriarch described Holy Pascha as the “Feast of Feasts,” underscoring its significance as…

Apr 14, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Arad Archbishop reflects on “the dawn of a new beginning for the world” in his Easter pastoral letter

The Archbishop of Arad writes in his Easter Pastoral Letter about the exapostilaria—paschal hymns that recall the new beginning brought to the world through the Resurrection of Christ: “The cycle of the eleven Resurrection Gospels is read during Matins, constantly reminding us of the dawn of a new beginning for the world. Within the same…

Apr 14, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Resurrection icon to be installed at Romania’s National Cathedral by Pascha; Main Dome Cross to follow in April

During Great Lent, artists of the Romanian National Cathedral are working on scenes depicting the Passion of the Lord. The icon of the Resurrection is scheduled to be installed around Holy Pascha. Meanwhile, construction teams are completing the upper levels of the cathedral to allow the dismantling of the current crane and the installation of…

Mar 21, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

When does Great Lent begin in 2025?

In less than a month, Orthodox Christians will begin Great Lent, the most significant and strictest fasting period of the year, leading up to Holy Pascha. Sunday, February 9, marks the start of the Triodion period, which includes a three-week liturgical preparation ahead of Lent. The first day of Great Lent 2025 falls on Monday,…

Feb 6, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu