Bucharest, February 4, 2025
Photo: Trinitas TV
The Romanian Orthodox Church is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its status as a Patriarchate throughout 2025, and the main events were held yesterday and today in Bucharest, including the proclamation of 20th-century saints.
The festivities began with the celebration of Vespers at the Patriarchal Cathedral last night and continued this morning with a procession with the relics of the cathedral’s patron saints: the Holy Apostle Andrew, Protector of Romania, Sts. Constantine and Helena, St. Demetrius the New, Protector of Bucharest, and St. Nektarios of Aegina, reports the Basilica News Agency.
“This is the communion of the saints, a true, but mysterious and profound meeting. This is actually the Church—the communion of Christ, the saints and the faithful in prayer!” emphasized His Grace Bishop Paisie of Sinai, who led the procession.
The placing of the relics in a canopy at the cathedral was followed by the Divine Liturgy, celebrated by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania and a host of Romanian Orthodox hierarchs and clergy. The day’s services were broadcast live by the Church’s Trinitas TV:
Following the Liturgy, the canonization of 16 martyrs, confessors, and ascetics of the 20th century was liturgically proclaimed and celebrated. The Synod resolved to canonize them at its session 
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.
“>in July, and their formal proclamation was specifically timed to the 100th anniversary celebrations.
According to tradition, the final memorial parastas for the saints was served last night after Vespers. And following today’s Liturgy, the Synodal Tomos for the proclamation of the saints was read by Patriarchal Vicar Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești, Secretary of the Holy Synod.
Photo: basilica.ro
“These people pleasing to God lived lives crowned with prayers, fasting, repentance, humility, and love, reaching perfection. Some of them paid with their lives for their confession of faith, being crowned with glorious martyrs’ crowns. Others lived a continuous, bloodless martyrdom, enduring imprisonment, torture, and countless humiliations, and after their release were continued to be persecuted by the godless,” states the Synodal text.
“Neither affliction, nor distress, nor hunger, nor lack of clothing, nor danger separated them from the love of Christ, in all these things proving themselves more than conquerors through Christ Who loved them.”
After reading the Synodal act, icons of the new saints were presented, and the Tronos Psaltic Group sang their troparia.
Pat. Daniel emphasized that the 16 saints are “the most precious fruit that our Church has brought forth in these 100 years, because through them is shown, more intensely, the mysterious work of the grace of the Holy Spirit in the Romanian Orthodox Church.”
“The Romanian Patriarchate’s Centenary is therefore a moment of holy joy and gratitude for all Romanian Orthodoxy. Looking back, we see not only a rich history, but also a profound spiritual heritage, left by our predecessors—patriarchs, hierarchs, priests, monks, and lay faithful, who defended and transmitted the Orthodox faith throughout time,” His Beatitude concluded.
Then, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of Western and Southern Europe celebrated a Te Deum Service for the anniversary of the Romanian Patriarchate.
***
The 16 newly canonized saints are:
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Elder Sofian (Boghiu)Sofian (Boghiu), Elder
“>Archimandrite Sofian Boghiu, abbot of St. Anthimos Monastery in Bucharest, with the title Venerable Confessor Sofian of St. Anthimos Monastery, commemorated on September 16;
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Fr. Dumitru StaniloaeStaniloae, Fr. Dumitru
“>Fr. Dumitru Stăniloae, theology professor in Sibiu and Bucharest, with the title the Holy Confessor Priest Dumitru Stăniloae, commemorated on October 4;
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Romania: Relics of newly canonized St. Constantin Sârbu uncoveredThe relics of the holy Hieromartyr Constantin Sârbu were uncovered yesterday during a special service held at the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Bucharest.
“>Fr. Constantin Sârbu, with the title Hieromartyr Constantine Sârbu, commemorated on October 23;
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Hieromonk Arsenie (Boca)Arsenie (Boca), Hieromonk
“>Protosinghel Arsenie Boca, with the title Venerable Confessor Arsenie of Prislop, commemorated on November 28;
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Fr. Ilie Lăcătușu: The Man of GodFr. Ilie was a priest who was sanctified not in the middle of the wilderness, but amidst communist persecution, enduring with humility and without compromise the humiliations of prison life.
“>Fr. Ilie Lăcătușu, with the title the Confessor Priest Ilie Lăcătușu, commemorated on July 22;
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My Spiritual Father Paisie the HermitFew monks and confessors are able to successfully combine the labors of a hermit with ministry as a spiritual father, solitude with an abundance of spiritual children, love for God with love for neighbor, hidden tears with pain of heart for disciples.
“>Hieroschemamonk Paisie Olaru, confessor of Sihăstria Monastery, with the title Venerable Paisie of Sihăstria, commemorated on December 2;
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Archimandrite Cleopa (Ilie)Cleopa (Ilie), Archimandrite
“>Archimandrite Cleopa Ilie, abbot of Sihăstria Monastery, with the title Venerable Cleopa of Sihăstria, commemorated on December 2;
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Romanian Synod to consider canonization of disciples of Elder Arsenie (Boca)The hierarchs of Transylvania proposed Elder Arsenie himself for canonization in 2019. At their session this week at Râmeț Monastery in Valea Mănăstirii, the hierarchs examined the proposals for the canonization of Elders Dometie (Manolache) from Râmeț and Serafim (Popescu) from Sâmbăta de Sus.
“>Archimandrite Dometie Manolache, with the title Venerable Dometie the Merciful of Râmeț, commemorated on July 6;
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Romanian Synod to consider canonization of disciples of Elder Arsenie (Boca)The hierarchs of Transylvania proposed Elder Arsenie himself for canonization in 2019. At their session this week at Râmeț Monastery in Valea Mănăstirii, the hierarchs examined the proposals for the canonization of Elders Dometie (Manolache) from Râmeț and Serafim (Popescu) from Sâmbăta de Sus.
“>Archimandrite Serafim Popescu, abbot of Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery, with the title Venerable Serafim the Long-Suffering of Sâmbăta de Sus, commemorated on December 20;
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Martyr of Romanian communism recommended to Holy Synod for canonizationYet another name of the 20th-century martyrs and confessors to be considered for canonization by the Romanian Holy Synod in 2025 has been revealed.
“>Fr. Liviu Galaction Munteanu, theology professor in Cluj-Napoca, with the title the Hieromartyr Liviu Galaction of Cluj, commemorated on March 8;
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Archimandrite Gherasim (Iscu), Hesychast of the Communist DungeonsAnd then I saw a miracle. I saw how a half-dead priest, standing on the threshold of death, beckoned for two prisoners. Leaning on their backs, he slowly walked past my bunk, sat down on the edge of the bunk of the man who had tortured him, and started stroking his head.
“>Archimandrite Gherasim Iscu, abbot of Tismana Monastery, with the title Venerable Martyr Gherasim of Tismana, commemorated on December 26;
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Romanian Metropolis proposing several monastics for canonizationDuring the meeting, the hierarchs approved the liturgical texts that will form the services for Fr. Gherasim (Iscu), Fr. Visarion (Toia), and Fr. Ioan of Horezu, who are being proposed for canonization.
“>Archimandrite Visarion Toia, abbot of Lainici Monastery, with the title Venerable Martyr Visarion of Lainici, commemorated on November 10;
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Romanian Synod to consider canonization of two 20th-century priestsThe hierarchs of the Metropolis of Banat gathered on Saturday, September 25, and after examining the relevant information, resolved to send the files for Fr. Calistrat and Fr. Ilarion on for examination by the Holy Synod of the entire Romanian Church.
“>Protosinghel Calistrat Bobu, confessor at Timișeni Monastery and Vasiova Monastery, with the title Venerable Calistrat of Timișeni and Vasiova, commemorated on May 10;
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Romanian Synod to consider canonization of two 20th-century priestsThe hierarchs of the Metropolis of Banat gathered on Saturday, September 25, and after examining the relevant information, resolved to send the files for Fr. Calistrat and Fr. Ilarion on for examination by the Holy Synod of the entire Romanian Church.
“>Fr. Ilarion Felea, theology professor in Arad, with the title the Hieromartyr Ilarion Felea, commemorated on September 18;
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Romanian Church canonizes father of Romanian chanting, proposes gulag confessor for canonizationThe Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church added a new saint to its liturgical calendar yesterday, and blessed the process for the canonization of another venerated elder.
“>Protosinghel Iraclie Flocea, exarch of the monasteries of the Archdiocese of Chișinău, with the title Venerable Iraclie of Bessarabia, commemorated on August 3;
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Bessarabian hieromartyr killed by Soviets to be canonized in 2025Yet another name of the 20th-century martyrs and confessors to be canonized by the Romanian Holy Synod in 2025 has been revealed.
“>Archpriest Alexandru Baltăga, with the title the Hieromartyr Alexandru of Bessarabia, commemorated on August 8
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