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Orașul Iași a găzduit un eveniment religios important, pelerinajul anual pentru Sfânta Parascheva. Mii de pelerini au venit, chiar și pe vreme rea, pentru a se ruga la catedrala metropolitană . Sfânta Parascheva este foarte respectată în România și Moldova, iar relicvele sale atrag mulți vizitatori în fiecare an.

Translation

The city of Iași hosted an important religious event, the annual pilgrimage for Saint Parascheva. Thousands of pilgrims attended, even in bad weather, to pray at the metropolitan cathedral. Saint Parascheva is highly revered in Romania and Moldova, and her relics attract many visitors each year.

Exercise: Text comprehension

Question 1: Where did the pilgrimage for Saint Parascheva take place?

The pilgrimage took place in Iași.

Question 2: What did the pilgrims do at the cathedral?

The pilgrims prayed at the cathedral.

Exercise: Vocabulary

- hosted

(n.) - pilgrimage

(m.) - pilgrim

- metropolitan

(f.) - relics

(m.) - visitors

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▌13/10/2024

The city of Iași in Romania has been at the centre of a significant religious event as tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered for the annual pilgrimage to honour Saint Parascheva, whose relics are housed at the Metropolitan Cathedral. Despite inclement weather, with rain and cold temperatures, the faithful lined up for over six kilometres in heavy queues, underscoring the profound spiritual significance of this occasion.

Saint Parascheva, celebrated by Romanian Orthodox believers on 14 October each year, has become a revered figure, especially in Moldova. Known as the "Protectress of the Poor," Parascheva's relics were brought to Romania nearly 400 years ago in 1641 by Moldavian ruler Vasile Lupu as a token for settling Constantinople's patriarchal debts.

The event has transformed Iași into one of Europe's largest pilgrimage centres and illustrates the enduring reverence for Parascheva across Orthodox communities, including those in Greece, Bulgaria, Russia, and Serbia. Participants, some of whom travel from diaspora communities—and even as far as the UK—express a strong, spiritual draw to return year after year.

Thousands Gather in Iași for Saint Parascheva Pilgrimage Thousands Gather in Iași for Saint Parascheva Pilgrimage (Illustration)

This year's pilgrimage holds additional devotion opportunities with the inclusion of the relics of Saint Pantelimon, brought from Mount Athos. Both saints are cherished for their assistance to those suffering physically and spiritually.

The pilgrimage tradition persisted even during the restrictive communist era in Romania and has only grown in magnitude since, consistently drawing in excess of 100,000 visitors annually. For many, like Luciana from Bacău, attending has become a deeply personal tradition.

The pilgrimage culminated in a radiant procession through Iași's streets, headed by over 50 clergy members carrying the holy relics. Within this atmosphere of unity and devotion, participants reported feeling a sense of looming tranquility and collective harmony, describing it as an uplifting experience that transcends everyday grievances.

The relics remain on display under a floral canopy in the cathedral's courtyard until 15 October, providing an ongoing focal point for worship and reflection during this spiritually significant time.

Info: "Romanian Learner News" is a service from "Let's Learn Romanian", a language school dedicated to teaching Romanian. We offer a variety of online courses, making it convenient for learners to access Romanian lessons from anywhere.

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