Orthodox Church

Young Finns increasingly converting to Orthodoxy, says Finnish abbot

In an interview with Yle.fi, the young abbot of New Valaam Monastery, Archimandrite Mikael Nummela, said that young people between 18 and 30 increasingly convert to Orthodoxy in Finland. The abbot leads weekly discussions with young individuals who are contemplating the vocation of monasticism or converting to Orthodoxy. In recent decades, New Valaam has had…

Apr 16, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Patriarchate publishes bilingual office for receiving converts into the Orthodox Church

The Biblical and Orthodox Mission Institute recently published a bilingual Romanian-English version of the office for receiving heterodox individuals into the Orthodox Church. The publication aids parishes in the Romanian diaspora, where the number of people converting to the Orthodox faith is increasing. The new volume contains the English translation of the 2014 Romanian edition.…

Jul 3, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Census: Orthodoxy is the largest religion in Estonia

Orthodoxy remains the most widespread religion in Estonia, according to data from the 2021 population census. Orthodox Christians currently comprise 16% of the population, reports Statistics Estonia, the country’s official statistics agency. This number has remained unchanged since the 2011 census. The faithful are divided between two jurisdictions: the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Estonian Apostolic Orthodox…

Nov 16, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

It is not enough to know the Creed. We must also pray for the unity of the Church, Patriarch Daniel says

On the seventh Sunday of Pascha, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel spoke about the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, a remembrance that makes the connection between the feast of the Ascension of the Lord and the Descent of the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council taught and testified against the heresy of…

Jun 7, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Ukrainian woman who fled to Romanian Monastery receives Baptism on Holy Saturday

A 42-year-old atheist Ukrainian woman, who took refuge in Varatec Monastery in eastern Romania, converted to Orthodoxy and was baptised on Holy Saturday. Stavrophore Iosefina Giosanu, the abbess of Varatec Monastery, told Doxologia about the event that took place a day before Easter in the Church of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Humuleștii Noi,…

Apr 27, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

The Week in Pictures: October 11 – 17, 2021

The thoughts and prayers of the faithful went towards Saint Parascheva last week, while many pilgrims went to honour her relics in the city of Iași. Please find below our photo selection from last week. Last week’s most-liked Instagram photo:   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Basilica News Agency (@basilica.ro)…

Oct 19, 2021Ștefana Totorcea

Patriarch Daniel on Pentecost: The Church is not founded by human agreement. It is the extension of Christ’s life

The Church is not founded by a human agreement, but it is the extension of the life of Christ in humanity, in those who believe in Him, are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and fulfil the will of God in their lives by co-working…

Jun 22, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

For 13 years, the Basilica News Agency: Profile

In a world assailed by information, Patriarch Daniel saw the presence of the Orthodox Church in the Romanian media landscape as a primary necessity. Less than a month after his enthronement, on October 27, 2007, His Beatitude established the Basilica Media Centre, consisting of five components: Radio Trinitas, Trinitas TV, Lumina publications, Basilica News Agency,…

Jun 16, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

15 churches in Bacau included in new Ecumenical Cultural Route

The Ecumenical Tourist Cultural Route in Bacău County includes the most beautiful places of worship, mostly Orthodox, but also Catholic. The Route was set up at the initiative of the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, a member of a European agreement on cultural routes certified by the Council of Europe. The route is 387…

Apr 13, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

The Orthodox Church will bring its specific contribution to the European common project: Fr. Sorin Șelaru about the “Conference on the Future of Europe”

“The Orthodox Church is ready to be present at every level, open for dialogue, in order to express the needs and hopes of every faithful and to bring its specific contribution to the European common project”, Fr. Sorin Șelaru, Director of the Representation of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the European Institutions, said in the…

Apr 12, 2021Gheorghe Anghel

Patriarch Daniel: The icon is a call to pray with the Saints and foresight of the Kingdom of Heaven

Patriarch Daniel presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral on the Sunday of Orthodoxy. In his sermon, His Beatitude highlighted the three roles of an icon: to profess the truth of the Incarnation of the Son of God; to call Christians to prayer discreetly but insistently, and to offer a “prophetic, anticipated view,…

Mar 23, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu