Thousands of believers arrive to venerate St. Paraskeva's relics in Romania

The translation of the relics of St. Paraskeva to the canopy at the Cathedral in Iași. Photo: Flaviu Popa / doxologia.ro

On October 8, 2025, celebrations in honor of St. Paraskeva – the heavenly patroness of the Metropolis of Moldavia and Bukovyna of the Romanian Orthodox Church – began in the Romanian city of Iași. From early morning, the traditional ceremony of transferring her relics to a beautifully decorated canopy took place at the cathedral, where pilgrims will have the opportunity to venerate the shrine, Doxologia.ro reports.

St. Paraskeva, who lived in the 11th century, devoted herself to God from her youth and became a symbol of Christian humility and compassion. Her incorrupt relics were transferred from Constantinople to Iași in 1641, and since then they have been kept in the cathedral, drawing tens of thousands of pilgrims from across Romania and abroad every year.

The solemn procession was led by Archbishopric Vicar Nichifor Botoșăneanul. The procession was accompanied by the singing of the Akathist to St. Paraskeva, after which services were held in the cathedral. Despite the cool and rainy weather, thousands of believers stood in long lines waiting for the chance to venerate the holy relics.

Starting October 11, the relics of St. Gregory Palamas, brought from Thessaloniki, Greece, will be placed next to those of St. Paraskeva. The festive events will continue for several days and culminate in a solemn Divine Liturgy on October 14 – the feast day of St. Paraskeva – when Iași becomes the center of the largest pilgrimage in the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Romanian Church glorified two wonderworking icons of the Mother of God.

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