Over 25,000 faithful pray at Romanian Nicula Monastery on Dormition feast
Thousands of pilgrims walked a 7-kilometer procession to the Nicula Monastery for the feast.
More than 25,000 pilgrims took part in the festive Divine Liturgy at the Romanian Nicula Monastery on the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos on August 15, 2026, according to the new calendar. Law enforcement authorities estimated that over 70,000 faithful visited the monastery in the days leading up to the patronal feast, reports Basilica.ro.
Metropolitan Andrei of Cluj, Maramureș, and Sălaj celebrated the solemn divine service. He was co-served by Bishop Nestor of Deva and Hunedoara, Bishop Nectarie of Ireland and Iceland, Archimandrite Dimitrie Cobzaru, Exarch of the Monasteries of the Cluj Archdiocese, and Archimandrite Iustin Mirona, Abbot of Nicula Monastery, along with other clergy of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Metropolitan Andrei offered prayers for rain and for peace during the Divine Liturgy. The hierarch dedicated his homily to the theme of prayer and labor in the Christian family.
"In today's Gospel, Mary symbolizes prayer, and Martha symbolizes labor," Metropolitan Andrei addressed the faithful. "These two symbols complement each other beautifully. Prayer and labor, labor and prayer. These two endeavors — labor and prayer — complement each other with particular harmony in the Christian family." Metropolitan Andrei called on the faithful to become missionaries of Christ through the personal example of their lives.
The faithful and clergy began the celebrations on the eve of the Dormition. On Friday, August 14, thousands of believers took part in the traditional foot procession of approximately 7 kilometers from the city of Gherla to Nicula Monastery.
During the night, the organizers brought out the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God for the veneration of the faithful. The Orthodox priest Luca from Iclod painted this image in 1681. According to historical accounts, the icon miraculously shed tears from February 15 to March 12, 1699.
The President of the Romanian Senate, Mircea Abrudean, civil and military officials, as well as Orthodox youth from Romania and the diaspora, also took part in the solemn divine service. Pilgrims in traditional Romanian attire performed festive hymns together with well-known folk musicians.
As the UOJ reported, thousands of faithful took part in the divine service at Anninsky Monastery.
