Mount Athos

Romanian Bishop consecrates chapel at Lakkoskete on Mount Athos

His Grace Bishop Iustin of Maramureș and Sătmar consecrated on Sunday the chapel of the Meeting of the Lord Cell at Lakkoskete on Mount Athos. Joining the service were clergy accompanying the hierarch on his Athonite pilgrimage, together with the skete’s monastic brotherhood. “The main reason for our pilgrimage, that of the delegation of the…

Apr 28, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Miracles unfold daily during visit, Xenophontos abbot says at Pantocrator Monastery

“I have been living amid miracles continuously during these five days among you,” Archimandrite Alexios, Abbot of Xenophontos Monastery, said on Sunday. The elder took part in the Divine Liturgy on the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, saying the days spent at Pantocrator Monastery, where he brought the Honourable Skull of Saint George, had been…

Apr 28, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Patriarch sends food and books to monks on Mount Athos

A delegation from the Romanian Patriarchate is visiting Mount Athos this week to deliver food supplies and books to Romanian monastic communities on behalf of Patriarch Daniel. The patriarch dispatched 1,450 volumes, consisting of 290 book titles designated for the library of each monastic settlement, in addition to eight tonnes of non-perishable food. The aid…

Apr 24, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Northern Europe Bishop reflects on doubt and faith during Mount Athos pilgrimage

Between April 17 and April 19, Bishop Macarie of Northern Europe made a pilgrimage to Mount Athos, where he reflected on doubt and faith in his sermons. On Bright Friday, he arrived at Lakkoskete, where he officiated the all-night Vigil and the Divine Liturgy on the feast of the Life-Giving Spring. On Bright Saturday and…

Apr 21, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Mount Athos abbot invites faithful to venerate relics of Saint George during Romania pilgrimage

“You will receive joy so long as you turn to Saint George with love,” said Archimandrite Alexios, Abbot of Xenophontos Monastery on Mount Athos. The Athonite abbot highlighted the significance of the forthcoming bringing of the honourable skull of the Holy Great Martyr George the Trophy-bearer to Pantocrator Monastery in Teleorman County, southern Romania, between…

Apr 6, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Athens to host International Symposium honouring Athonite Elder Aimilianos of Simonopetra

The St Maximos the Greek Institute of Vatopedi Monastery and the Ormylia Foundation of Simonopetra Monastery on Mount Athos will organise the International Theological Symposium “In Memory and Honour of Elder Aimilianos of Simonos Petras: A Witness to the Glory of God and a Guide in the Spirit” in Athens from 8–10 May 2026. The…

Mar 16, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

St George relic to be brought from Mount Athos to Romania in April 2026

Pantocrator Monastery in Teleorman County, southern Romania, will again mark its patronal feast in a special way this year, as the honourable skull of the Great Martyr George the Trophy-Bearer will be brought from the Athonite Xenophontos Monastery. The holy relic will be displayed at the Romanian monastery from April 22 to April 28, 2026,…

Feb 10, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Patriarchate donates gilded silver reliquaries to Mount Athos for newly canonized Romanian Saints

The holy relics of Saint Petronius the Prodromite and Saint Dionysius of Vatopedi will be preserved on Mount Athos in gilded silver reliquaries donated by the Romanian Patriarchate. The reliquaries will be delivered to the Cell of Saint George at Colciu and to the Romanian Skete of the Honourable Forerunner (Prodromos Skete) by Athonite monks…

Oct 28, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Two Romanian Athonite elders canonised by Ecumenical Patriarchate

Two Romanian elders from Mount Athos have been added to the synaxarion by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. They are Hieroschemamonk Niphon (Ionescu), the founder of Prodromos Skete, and Venerable Nectarios (Crețu) the Protopsaltis, also known as the Nightingale of Mount Athos. The canonisations were approved during the Holy Synod meeting of the…

Oct 20, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarchate canonises two Romanian Elders from Mount Athos

The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, meeting in Constantinople on August 30–31, the final two days of the church year, decided to canonise two Romanian elders of Mount Athos: hieroschemamonk Dionisie (Ignat) of Colciu and archimandrite Petroniu (Tănase) of Prodromos Skete. The feast day of Saint Dionysius of Vatopedi (the “St. George” Cell, where…

Sep 2, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Dormition Fast begins on Old Calendar: Traditions from Romania’s border communities to Orthodox faithful worldwide

Most Romanian communities around Romania’s borders, as well as Orthodox faithful in other parts of the world, follow the unrevised calendar and are preparing for the Dormition Fast, which begins on Thursday, August 14. Popularly known as “Saint Mary’s Fast,” it is meant to be quite strict, as it culminates with the Dormition of the…

Aug 13, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu