Basilica News Agency

18/09/2025

Saint of the Day 🤍

18/09/2025

From photography 📸 to iconography 🖼️: St Hilarion of Optina

🗓️ September 18

He is one of the great spiritual fathers of Optina, known for his life of prayer and humility. Born on the night of Pascha, he felt the monastic calling from a young age. After years of searching, he entered Optina Monastery in 1839, becoming a disciple of the venerable Leonid and Macarius. For more than two decades, he served as the helper in the elder Macarius’s cell, learning obedience, work, and patience. In 1863, he was appointed head of the skete, guiding the community with discernment and gentleness. In 1872, he received the great schema and passed to the Lord a year later.

18/09/2025

Saint Hilarion, pray for us! 🙏

18/09/2025

🔴 The local proclamation of the canonization of Saint Sofian took place on Tuesday at Antim Monastery in Bucharest.

On this occasion, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at an outdoor altar arranged in the courtyard of the monastery.

The service was led by Archbishop Casian of the Lower Danube, together with Metropolitan Silouan of Byblos, Botris and dependencies (Patriarchate of Antioch), Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia, Bishop Qais of Erzurum (Patriarchate of Antioch), Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishops Varlaam of Ploiești and Paisie of Sinaia, and Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova of the Archdiocese of Bucharest.

Read more ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/2tw5hynd

18/09/2025

From photography 📸 to iconography 🖼️: Holy Priest-Martyr Hilarion Felea

🗓️ September 18

He was one of the great Romanian theologians and preachers of the 20th century. He was born on March 21, 1903, in Valea Bradului, Hunedoara County, and pursued theological studies in Sibiu, Cluj, and Bucharest, obtaining his doctorate with the thesis Repentance in 1939. He served as a priest in Arad and as a professor at the Theological Academy, where he taught dogmatics, morals, and mysticism, also serving for a time as rector. He published numerous theological works, the most renowned being Toward Tabor. He was a tireless preacher, drawing many intellectuals to the Church through his sermons. During the communist regime, he was arrested several times, tried, and sentenced to years of imprisonment. He reposed in the Lord as a martyr in Aiud Prison, on September 18, 1961.

18/09/2025

🔴 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 Cleopas once referred to as “the Apostle of Bucharest.”

The Patriarch highlighted Saint Sofian’s witness in prisons, his role as a guide in the Burning Bush movement, and his gift for sacred art that adorned more than 25 churches in Romania and abroad.

Patriarch Daniel’s message was read out by his patriarchal auxiliary bishop Varlaam of Ploiesti, and presented Saint Sofian as “a chosen vessel of the grace of the Holy Spirit” and underlined that his canonization, together with other confessors of the 20th century, is a spiritual inheritance that must be carried forward to future generations.

Please find below the full text of Patriarch Daniel’s message for the local canonization of Saint Sofian of Antim.

🔗 https://tinyurl.com/268rkx2y

18/09/2025

Orthodox Calendar September 18

Holy Priest-Martyr Hilarion Felea; St. Eumenes, Bishop of Gortyna; Martyr Ariadne of Phrygia ➡ https://tinyurl.com/5b9x2su4

17/09/2025

From photography 📸 to iconography 🖼️: St Dionysius, Bishop of Cetatea Albă and Ismail

🗓️ September 17

Dimitrie, by his baptismal name, was born in 1868 in the village of Badar, today the Republic of Moldova, and at only 15 years old, he joined the monastic community of Suruceni Monastery. In 1908, he became abbot, and in 1918, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Chișinău and Hotin. In 1934, he was elected Bishop of Cetatea Albă and Ismail, serving until 1940. After seeking refuge in the country, he shepherded the Diocese of Argeș, later returning to Suruceni, where he reposed in the Lord in 1943. His body was found incorrupt in 2018 during the consolidation works at the monastery.

17/09/2025

Did you know that the relics of St Sofian remain for veneration at Antim Monastery in Bucharest, where the local proclamation of his canonization took place on Tuesday, September 16?

ℹ️ Who was St Sofian of Antim?

St Sofian was born on October 7, 1912, in Cuconeștii Vechi, Bălți County, and passed away on September 14, 2002, at Antim Monastery in Bucharest.

Venerable Sofian became a monk at Rughi Monastery, Soroca County, in 1926, at the age of 14. He then studied at the Choir School of Dobrușa Monastery, the Monastic Seminary at Cernica Monastery (1932–1940), the Academy of Fine Arts in Bucharest (1940–1945), and the Faculty of Theology in Bucharest (1942–1946).

He was tonsured a monk at Dobrușa Monastery under the name Sofian (1937), ordained hierodeacon in 1939, and later hieromonk in 1945 for Antim Monastery in Bucharest, which he led as abbot between 1950–1955 and again in his final years.

In 1958, he was arrested in the “Burning Bush” case and sentenced to 15 years in prison (released in 1964). He reposed in the Lord in 2002 and was buried at Căldărușani Monastery.

Saint Sofian of Antim is the first Orthodox saint canonized who lived in the 21st century.

⚜️ The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church canonized him in 2024, with his feast day on September 16, alongside 15 other confessors of the last century. The general proclamation of the canonization of all 16 saints took place on February 4 at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Romanian Patriarchate.

17/09/2025

Romanian 🇷🇴 Saint of the Day 🙏

17/09/2025

🇬🇧 What other examples of holy mothers 🤰 do you know?

🇪🇸 ¿Qué otros ejemplos de madres 🤰 santas conoces?

17/09/2025