Romania to Welcome Right Hand of St. Basil the Great

ALEXANDRIA, ROMANIA — Orthodox faithful in Romania will have their first opportunity to venerate the right hand of St. Basil the Great when the revered relic is brought to the Diocesan Cathedral of St. Alexander in Alexandria from Aug. 28 through Sept. 2.

The visit will coincide with the cathedral's patronal feast and the 30th anniversary of the Diocese of Alexandria and Teleorman. Bp. Nicodemus of Skopelos, auxiliary bishop of the Metropolis of Chalkida, Istiaia, and Northern Sporades of the Church of Greece, will bring the silver reliquary containing the relic from Greece. On Sept. 1, he is scheduled to concelebrate the Divine Liturgy with Metr. Teofan of Moldavia and Bukovina and Bp. Sebastian of Slatina and Romanați.

According to the Church of Greece, the relic was originally preserved in the treasury of the Metropolis of Nicomedia and was rescued in 1921 during the evacuation of the Orthodox Christian population from Asia Minor. It was transported aboard the military vessel Kilkis before being transferred to the warship Averof and later entrusted to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece in October 1922, together with other sacred treasures.

The saint's right hand is housed in a silver reliquary bearing the date 1849 and is normally kept in the Chapel of the Holy Synod Hall in Athens. Its visit to Romania marks the first time the relic will be available for public veneration in the country.

Previously, the UOJ reported that pilgrims waited hours to venerate St. Paisios' tomb.