The general proclamation of the canonisation of the 16 Romanian holy women took place on Friday, February 6, at the Patriarchal Cathedral.
The solemn ceremony was held towards the end of the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Patriarch Daniel of Romania, together with the members of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
The official act of proclamation of the canonisation was read by Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiesti, the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod.
The Synodal Tomos
In the Synodal Tomos of proclamation, the holy women are described as “spiritual mothers of the Romanian people”.
“Thus, the faithful people have honoured with great devotion the long-suffering women martyrs, the zealous women monastics, the Christ-loving noble ladies and princesses, the devout mothers and the prayerful women of the people, who lived with humility and unwavering faith, overcoming the trials of their times and shining today like stars that show us the way to Christ, the Sun of righteousness.”
The solemn act states that, through the canonisation of the 16 Romanian holy women, the Church fulfils the exhortation of the Holy Apostle Paul: “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7).
At the end of the document signed by the members of the Holy Synod, the institution of the feast of the Synaxis of the Holy Romanian Women is announced, to be celebrated on the third Sunday after the Resurrection of the Lord.
Following their inclusion among the saints, the 16 Romanian women will be commemorated by the Church on the feast days established by the Holy Synod.
“So that the devotion of Orthodox Christians may increase through the veneration of these holy women and through invoking them in prayer, we further decree that they may also become patron saints of new or renovated churches.”
The icon of the Synaxis of the Holy Romanian Women, as well as the icon and troparion of each of the newly proclaimed saints, were then presented.
Spiritual mothers of the Romanian people
Patriarch Daniel delivered an address entitled “The Romanian Holy Women are models of piety, sacrificial love and confessing courage”.
“The 16 Romanian holy women, canonised in 2025 and proclaimed today in the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, are important spiritual landmarks from the historical past of the Romanian Orthodox Church, showing us, as spiritual mothers of the Romanian people, the path that leads to Christ,” he said.
“They sanctified their lives through humility and love for others, through strong faith and the courage of confession, through patient endurance of trials, through ascetic struggle and prayer,” the Patriarch added.
Holiness within family life
Many of the newly proclaimed saints were wives and mothers, passing on the Christian faith within their own families and bearing fruit in holiness.
“The Holy Princess Maria Brâncoveanu raised eleven children, cultivating in their souls faith in God and the courage to confess Christ,” Patriarch Daniel said.
“Among these holy women, we also have devoted mothers who were simple women of the people and who raised their children in love for God, such as Saint Philothea of Pasărea, the mother of Saint Callinicus of Cernica. She raised four children, two of whom embraced the monastic life at Cernica Monastery,” he recalled.
Patriarch Daniel also highlighted the life of Saint Olympias of Fărcașa, the mother of Saint Petronius of Prodromos Skete and of seven other children.
“She helped the poor, the sick and those in suffering in her village, practising hidden spiritual struggles even in the midst of family life,” he said.
The 16 Romanian holy women were canonised by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church in July 2025.
Source: basilica.ro
Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
