Saint Anthimos Monastery

80 years since Romania’s ‘Burning Bush’ hesychast movement began

The Library of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church has marked 80 years since the official launch of the “Burning Bush” spiritual movement at Antim Monastery in Bucharest, commemorating the anniversary in a social media post. In a petition addressed to Patriarch Nicodim and dated 12 February 1946, several Christian lay intellectuals requested…

Feb 19, 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

Vigil service for Saint Sofian of Antim. Bishop Varlaam: God has blessed us with a Saint from our times

On Monday evening, His Grace Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești officiated the all-night vigil for Saint Sofian the Confessor of Antim, ahead of the local proclamation of his canonisation. In his homily, Bishop Varlaam emphasised the joy of honouring “a saint from our own days,” known personally to many faithful in Bucharest and beyond.…

Sep 16, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel blesses reliquary ahead of local canonisation ceremony of Saint Sofian of Antim

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel blessed on Saturday the reliquary that will hold the relics of Saint Sofian of St Anthimos Monastery. The blessing service was officiated in the historic Chapel of Saint George the Great Martyr of the Patriarchal Residence, three days before the local proclamation of the canonisation of Saint Sofian the Confessor. On…

Sep 15, 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

Georgian Embassy in Bucharest celebrates National Day, highlights religious and cultural ties with Romania

The Embassy of Georgia in Bucharest hosted a reception on Tuesday to mark Georgia’s National Day, celebrated annually on May 26. Her Excellency Tamar Beruchashvili, Ambassador of Georgia to Romania, hosted the event. Among the attendees were representatives of the Presidential Administration, Government, and Parliament of Romania, as well as diplomats, business leaders, and cultural…

Jun 11, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romania’s Central Bank issues commemorative coin for the 375th anniversary of Saint Anthimos the Iberian’s birth

The National Bank of Romania (BNR) launched a commemorative gold coin on Monday to mark the 375th anniversary of the birth of Saint Anthimos the Iberian, an emblematic cultural personality of Georgian origin who served as Metropolitan of Wallachia between 1708 and 1716. Coin Design and Features The obverse of the coin features a detailed…

Mar 3, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Georgian Ambassador attends St Anthimos Monastery patronal feast: Georgia and Romania have a common saint

Her Excellency Tamar Beruchashvili, Georgia’s Ambassador to Romania, attended the patronal feast of St Anthimos Monastery in Bucharest last Sunday. The ambassador posted photos on her X.com profile. “I attended the Sunday service at the historic St Anthimos Monastery in Bucharest dedicated to All Saints Day.” pic.twitter.com/gbDrzTLmuY — Tamar Beruchashvili – თამარ ბერუჩაშვილი (@tberuch) June…

Jul 3, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Speaker of Georgian Parliament visits St Anthimos Monastery in Bucharest

As part of his official visit to Romania, the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, visited St Anthimos Monastery in Bucharest on Wednesday, when the Romanian Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of St Anthimos the Iberian. Patriarchal auxiliary Bishop Varlaam Ploieșteanul and Abbot Vicentiu Oboroceanu welcomed the delegation, including the Ambassador of Georgia…

Sep 27, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Outgoing Georgian Ambassador Nikoloz Nikolozishvili presented with patriarchal order of Saint Anthimos the Iberian

The Order of Saint Anthimos the Iberian was handed to His Excellency Nikoloz Nikolozishvili, the outgoing ambassador of Georgia to Bucharest, by the patriarchal auxiliary bishop Varlaam of Ploiesti. As a sign of recognition for fostering solid ties between the Romanian and Georgian peoples, the order was given on behalf of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel.…

Nov 1, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu

Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste honoured at Bucharest Monastery: “Martyrdom means love and its perpetuation”

The Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste were honoured at Bucharest’s St Anthimos Monastery, where particles of their relics, donated by Patriarch Nicodemus of Jerusalem 139 years ago, are displayed for veneration. The festal Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts was celebrated by the monastery’s abbot Protosyncellus Vicențiu Oboroceanu. During his sermon, the abbot referred to the…

Mar 15, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu