Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church (BOR) on Tuesday said that Saint Parascheva has the gift of gathering the Orthodox nations in prayer and communion.

„Regardless of what origin she was, the important thing is that Saint Parascheva gathers the Orthodox peoples in prayer. It is honoured with great reverence in the Greek Orthodox Church, in the Bulgarian Church, in the Serbian Church, being a permanent call to prayer,” Daniel said at the end of the divine liturgy celebrated at the St. M. Mc. George Chapel of the Patriarchal Residence.

According to the Basilica News Agency of the Romanian Patriarchate, Daniel highlighted the special piety that Saint Parascheva enjoys in Romania, including in the country’s capital city.

„The piety of the Romanian people towards Saint Parascheva is very great, as there are over 500 churches in the Romanian Patriarchate dedicated to Saint Parascheva. Only in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, there are 25 churches that have Parascheva as one of their patron saints. A fact never seen in other cities for 25 churches to be dedicated to the same saint,” said Daniel.

He recounted how the piety of the people of Bucharest for Saint Parascheva was manifested in 1944, when her holy relics were brought to the city

„On October 27, the day of Saint Demetrius the New, the relics of Saint Pious Parascheva were brought from Samurcasesti to the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest and placed for worship in the porch of this historic cathedral, considering that three days will be enough to be displayed for veneration. (…) But so great was the piety of the people of Bucharest for Saint Pious Parascheva in 1944, at the end of the WWI, that instead of three days, they stayed for 17 days! Namely from October 27 to November 13, 1944,” the Patriarch explained.

At the same time, Daniel said that, along with Saint Parascheva, Saint Nicholas is also very popular in Bucharest, both being loved for their gift of mercy.

„The presence of the hand of Saint Nicholas in Bucharest, for centuries, has influenced the piety of the people, so that 40 churches in the city are dedicated to Saint Nicholas, either the first, second or third. So, there are two popular saints, Saint Nicholas and Saint Parascheva. It is very important to remember that both saints had the great gift of mercy, of generosity. Saint Parascheva has in the entire Archdiocese of Bucharest 50 churches placed under its protection,” Daniel added.

On Tuesday morning, on a specially arranged stage on Stefan cel Mare si Sfant Boulevard in Iasi, a group of 27 high prelates led by Teofan, metropolitan bishop of Moldavia and Bukovina, officiated a divine liturgy.

Saint Parascheva of Iasi is celebrated annually on October 14. AGERPRES