On the evening of April 30, 2025, a delegation from Venice arrived at Pantocrator Monastery in Drăgănești-Vlașca, Teleorman County, bringing with them the holy relics of Saint Empress Helena, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great. This marks the first time in history that her complete relics have been brought to Romania.
The relics were welcomed by Bishop of Alexandria and Teleorman, alongside Archimandrite Serafim Baciu, Vicar of the Diocese, Archimandrite Sebastian Serdaru, Abbot of Pantocrator Monastery, the monastic brotherhood, and a large crowd of faithful pilgrims who gathered to venerate the saint.
The event coincides with the monastery’s spring feast day, dedicated to the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, celebrated this year on May 4.
A Historic and Spiritual Celebration
A special service was held at the monastery’s outdoor altar, presided over by Bishop Galaction and concelebrated by a group of priests and deacons. In his homily, Bishop Galaction emphasized the spiritual significance of the relics’ arrival:
“Bringing the relics of Saint Empress Helena to Romania during the Patriarchate’s centennial year and the monastery’s feast is a profound spiritual joy — a moment when each of us meets God through His saints.”
He also offered thanks to His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel for blessing and supporting the initiative, and expressed deep appreciation to His Excellency Francesco Moraglia, the Patriarch of Venice, for his openness and goodwill in facilitating this historic transfer.
The Centennial Year of the Romanian Patriarchate
“Today, we live a historic moment. After more than eight centuries in Venice, the relics of the mother of Emperor Constantine leave Italy for the second time to be among the Romanian people. For the Venetian Church, this pilgrimage is a gift of prayer, dialogue, and spiritual unity.”
The Saints: Living Witnesses
Archimandrite Sebastian Serdaru, the abbot, highlighted the presence of saints as living intercessors, not just historical figures:
“Saints like Empress Helena and Mary Magdalene, the monastery’s protector, share a deep spiritual bond — both were courageous women who dedicated their lives to Christ with zeal and faith. Their example calls us to love truth, the Church, and Christ with the same fervor.”
Archimandrite Serafim Baciu, diocesan vicar, also noted that the presence of the relics is not merely ceremonial, but a true blessing for the faithful:
“For years now, on the feast of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, our monastery has welcomed relics of great saints. This year, we were gifted something unique — the relics of Saint Helena, a luminous figure of early Christianity. Her presence invites us not just to bow in veneration, but to enter a mysterious dialogue with God through her intercession.”
Source: ziarullumina.ro
