Bucharest, March 28, 2025
Photo: basilica.ro
The Romanian Orthodox Church has begun the process of canonizing several holy women saints.
The Holy Synod of the Romanian Church gathered yesterday in Bucharest under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, reports the Basilica News Agency.
Among its decisions, the governing body:
approved the initiation of canonization procedures for several Romanian holy women, in preparation for 2026, which has been declared the Solemn Year of Pastoral Care for the Christian Family and the Commemorative Year of Holy Women (Myrrh-bearers, Martyrs, ascetics, wives, and mothers).
The Synodal press release does not mention specific names of women to be canonized.
Regarding next year’s commemoration of holy women, the Church’s news agency writes:
Among the Myrrh-bearers, St. Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles, is widely recognized, while St. Thecla, the Church’s first female martyr, stands out among the martyrs.
Sts. Paraskeva of Iași and Theodora of Sihla are especially honored among venerable women, while Sts. Nonna and Gorgonia are remembered among holy wives.
Following the supreme example of the Virgin Mary, several holy mothers deserve special mention, including St. Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary, and St. Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, as well as the mothers of the Three Holy Hierarchs: Sts. Emmelia, Nonna, and Anthousa.
Thus, the year 2026 highlights both the importance of family ministry and the inspiring models of sanctified women in Orthodox tradition.
Romanian Synod canonizes 16 martyrs, confessors, and ascetics of the 20th-centuryThe Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church formally approved the canonization of more than a dozen martyrs, confessors, and ascetics of the 20th century at its session on July 11–12.
“>Last year, the Romanian Church canonized 16 male martyrs, confessors, and ascetics of the 20th century.
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