Historic Consecration of Iconography at Romania’s National Cathedral Set for Oct. 26
Pat. Bartholomew and Pat. Daniel to officiate service marking a new spiritual milestone; over 10,000 expected to attend in person, with the majority gathering in the square outside the cathedral.
BUCHAREST — On Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, the iconography of the National Cathedral in Bucharest will be solemnly consecrated in a major event of national and ecclesiastical significance. The service will be led by Pat. Bartholomew of Constantinople and Pat. Daniel of Romania, together with a large assembly of hierarchs, clergy, and faithful.
The People’s Salvation Cathedral, the largest Orthodox church in the world, will become the seat of the Romanian Orthodox Church. It is located right behind the country's Palace of Parliament, standing 164 feet taller than the governmental building. The cathedral itself was consecrated in 2018.
According to Basilica News Agency, the day’s events will begin with the Divine Liturgy celebrated inside the National Cathedral by a specially designated assembly: three hierarchs from Bucharest, 67 priests from across the Romanian Patriarchate, and 12 deacons. This marks a significant expansion from the 2018 altar consecration, during which only hierarchs concelebrated.
At 10:15 a.m., the two patriarchs will arrive at the Cathedral. The iconography consecration service will follow, with 65 hierarchs, 70 priests, and 12 deacons participating. The service will conclude with the formal reading of the Act of Consecration.
Due to space limitations, only 2,500 official guests will be allowed inside the Cathedral. An estimated 8,000 organized pilgrims will attend from dioceses across Romania, gathered in the esplanade in front of the Cathedral to follow the service on large screens. Additional viewing areas will be set up across the street for the general public.
After the services concludes at 12:30 p.m., veneration of the Holy Altar will begin in stages: first for official guests, then for organized pilgrim groups. The wider public will be granted access starting after 8 p.m. the same evening. Veneration will continue day and night through Oct. 31.
The following day, Monday, Oct. 27, the feast of Saint Demetrius the New, Patron of Bucharest, will be marked by a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 9 a.m. at the outdoor altar of the historic Patriarchal Cathedral. The service will again be led by Pat. Bartholomew and Pat. Daniel, with participation from all invited Orthodox hierarchs and a limited number of priests and deacons.
These events represent a profound moment in the life of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the faithful across the country, celebrating both the spiritual legacy of the Church and the National Cathedral's role as a unifying symbol of Romanian Orthodoxy.
Previously, UOJ reported that Pat. Daniel of Romania consecrated the reliquary which now houses the relics of the recently canonized St. Dumitru Stăniloae.
