Romanian Church reports growth of diaspora in 2025

The Church Council of the Romanian Patriarchate. Photo: basilica.ro

The Church Council of the Romanian Patriarchate. Photo: basilica.ro

On February 4, 2026, in Bucharest, a meeting of the National Church Council was held under the chairmanship of Patriarch Daniel of Romania, at which the Church Primate presented a report on the activities of the Romanian Patriarchate for 2025. As reported by the orthodoxianewsagency website, the report addressed, in particular, the growth of church life in the Romanian diaspora.

According to Patriarch Daniel, in 2025, Romanian Orthodox communities abroad performed almost five times more baptisms than funerals, which testifies to the growth in the number of believers and active missionary work. He also noted the increase in the number of parishes in the diaspora and important hierarchical appointments, including the election of the first Romanian bishop for Ireland and Iceland, as well as the first archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Along with this, the report summarized the results of the jubilee year dedicated to the centenary of the Romanian Patriarchate. Among the key events mentioned were the canonization of sixteen Romanian saints and confessors of the 20th century, the establishment of new church holidays, and the consecration of icons and mosaics of the National Cathedral in Bucharest with the participation of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Special attention was given to the Church's social and educational activities. In 2025, charitable assistance was provided to about 280 thousand people, pilgrimages were organized with the participation of around 15 thousand believers, and a large-scale program to support youth and prevent school dropouts was launched, implemented by the Patriarchate with European funding.

As the UOJ reported, the Romanian Church transferred a mobile hospital to Odesa military medics.

UOC's Sign Church damaged in Kherson air strike

In Kherson, Russian airstrikes shatter windows and damage the façade of the UOC’s Church of the Sign.

Yelensky: Not recognizing OCU means indirectly denying Ukrainian statehood

Viktor Yelensky believes that Local Churches that do not recognize the OCU thereby indirectly fail to recognize Ukrainian statehood as well.

UOC Lavra priest urges believers to accept hardships with gratitude

Archpriest Heorhiy Boyko at the prayer vigil near the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra recalled the sufferings of Great Martyr George the Victorious.

UOC honors patron saint of Kherson land

A Divine service was held at the Holy Spirit Cathedral of Kherson on feast day of St. Barsanuphius of Kherson.

Nativity of John the Baptist Church of UOC damaged by shelling in Kharkiv

A church of the Kharkiv Eparchy (UOC) was damaged during another shelling.

Patriarch Bartholomew not to concelebrate with Bulgarian Church Primate

The Ecumenical Patriarch will attend the service at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia as a guest.