Romanian Church holds glorification rite for new saints

The glorification rite for the new saints of the Romanian Church at Văratec Monastery. Photo: Basilica.ro

At Romania’s Văratec Monastery, ten Orthodox hierarchs of the Romanian Church performed the rite of glorification of the new saints – Venerable Nazaria, Olimpiada and Elisabeta. This was reported by Basilica.ro.

On Sunday, August 16, 2026, clergy and numerous pilgrims gathered at the monastery for the Divine Liturgy. Following the Liturgy, Bishop Nectarie, vicar bishop of the Archdiocese of Iași, read the Synodal Tomos on the canonization of the three holy women. The clergy then presented the faithful with a new icon of the newly glorified saints and sang their troparion and kontakion for the first time.

Metropolitan Teofan of Moldavia and Bukovina read a message from Patriarch Daniel of Romania. In his address, the Primate emphasized that the canonization of Venerable Nazaria, Olimpiada and Elisabeta, together with thirteen other Romanian holy women, is a powerful testimony to God’s grace at work among the Romanian people. The Patriarch also noted that through their spiritual lives, these holy women enlightened the souls of both monastics and laypeople, showing them the path to salvation in Christ.

During the festive service, the hierarchs presented particles of the saints’ relics to the Domnița Bălașa Church in Bucharest. The relics were received by the church rector and patriarchal adviser, Fr Ștefan Ababei. Venerable Elisabeta, known in secular life as Safta Brâncoveanu, was herself one of the founders of this Bucharest church.

The abbess of Văratec Monastery, Mother Iosefina Giosanu, said that generations of nuns had built up this spiritual tradition through prayer and obedience over nearly 240 years since the monastery’s foundation. She explained that Venerable Nazaria brought the hesychast tradition to the monastery, Olimpiada fostered the beauty of its liturgical life, while Elisabeta transformed prayer into works of mercy.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Romanian Church had canonized 16 holy women, including Venerable Nazaria, Olimpiada and Elisabeta. The faithful will commemorate the three venerable women annually on August 17.

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