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May 28, 2024

Patriarchate of Romania Proposes Four New Saints for Canonization by the Ecumenical Patriarchate

 
 
The Synod of the Metropolis of Muntenia and Dobruja met on May 20th 2024 at the Patriarchal Residence in Bucharest, on which occasion Patriarch Daniel announced that the founders of the Romanian Skete of the Honorable Forerunner (Prodromou) on Mount Athos are proposed to be canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate: Nektarios the Protopsaltis and Nephon of Prodromou.

The most important item on the agenda of the meeting was the approval of the liturgical texts that will accompany the canonization proposal of Venerable Nektarios the Protopsaltis to the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

"This Nektarios the Protopsaltis, or Nektarios the Vlach, was one of the greatest Romanian hesychasts who lived on Holy Mount Athos," explained Patriarch Daniel.

"He is generally known and appreciated not only by Romanians from Athos, but also by other residents of other ethnicities, and we also saw receptivity from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, because they also said that he was a great chanter, and he was called The Nightingale of Holy Mount Athos."

His Beatitude reported that, following discussions within the Liturgical Commission for Canonization of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the decision was reached to prepare the canonization of four Athonite fathers of Romanian origin. In addition to Nektarios the Protopsaltis (+ 1903) there will be Venerable Nephon (+ 1901) who founded the Romanian Skete of the Forerunner, as well as Fathers Dionisie Ignat (+ 2004) and Petroniu Tănase (+ 2011).

The silver reliquary for the relics of the Venerable Dionisie Ignat is ready, and the one for the Venerable Petroniu Tănase is in the works, the Patriarch of Romania also announced.

The Metropolitan Synod announced the liturgical texts dedicated to the Venerable Nektarios the Protopsaltis and those dedicated to Venerable Nephon of Prodromou will also be discussed at a later date.