Patriarch Daniel of Romania blessed on Thursday the reliquary containing the holy relics of Saint Maria Brâncoveanu and her sons, Ștefan and Matei.
The blessing service was held in the historic Chapel of Saint George the Great Martyr at the Patriarchal Residence.
During the ceremony, Patriarch Daniel described Saint Maria Brâncoveanu as “one of the most beautiful icons of Romanian dignity and spirituality,” highlighting her devotion as a wife, mother and Christian.
He recalled that she was the mother of eleven children—four sons and seven daughters—and emphasized the dedication with which she raised and educated them in the Christian faith.
The Patriarch also praised her generosity and concern for those in need, noting that she discreetly performed numerous acts of charity and assisted many people facing hardship.
Saint Maria, he added, expressed her love for God and the Church through the foundation and support of places of worship. In addition to churches in Romania, she provided assistance to churches and monasteries on Mount Athos, as well as in Alexandria and Jerusalem, particularly in areas where Christians lived under Ottoman rule.
Patriarch Daniel also presented Saint Maria Brâncoveanu as an example of “martyr-like patience,” stressing that she endured profound suffering without losing her faith or hope in God.
“She suffered greatly and experienced the martyrdom of her husband and sons as a heavy cross, but with hope in God’s help,” the Patriarch said.
During the final years of her life, Saint Maria withdrew to Surpatele Monastery. From there, she frequently travelled to Dintr-un Lemn Monastery to pray before its wonderworking icon of the Mother of God.
The route she followed, sometimes at night while carrying lamps, became known as the “Lady’s Road” or the “Road of Tears.”
Saint Maria Brâncoveanu was canonized last year together with 15 other Romanian holy women. The local proclamation of her canonization is scheduled to take place on Sunday at the New Saint George Church in Bucharest.
During the exhumation of Saint Maria’s relics, the relics of her sons Ștefan and Matei were also discovered. The two sons were canonized in 1992 together with Saint Constantine Brâncoveanu, their brothers and the family adviser Ianache.
Fr. Emil Nedelea Cărămizaru, parish priest of New Saint George Church, attended the blessing and described the occasion as “a moment of emotion and spiritual joy” for the parish community.
The new reliquary, which will house the holy relics, was commissioned by the New Saint George Parish and crafted by the workshops of the Romanian Patriarchate.
Source: Basilica.ro / Photo credit: Ziarul Lumina / Luigi Ivanciu
