Patriarch Daniel: St. Parascheva shows that it is not old age that brings holiness, but the fervent desire to love Godtranslated

"In Saint Pious Parascheva, we greatly admire how a 25 or 27-year-old young woman reached spiritual perfection, holiness, in this world," said Patriarch Daniel on Wednesday. "The parable of her life shows us that it is not old age that brings holiness, but every man's fervent desire to love God and fulfill His will in his life."

In the teaching speech delivered at the "St. George" Chapel of the Patriarchal Residence, His Beatitude narrated the life of the saint, spoke about the wonderful discovery of her relics and about their successive moves, as well as about bringing the relics to Bucharest during the Second World War.

Saint honored by the peoples Remembering that in the saint's homeland half of the population at the time was made up of Vlachs, His Beatitude said that it is not excluded that she was of Vlach origin.

"Regardless of what origin she was, the important thing is that Saint Pious Parascheva gathers the Orthodox peoples in prayer. She is honored with great piety," added the Patriarch of Romania.

His Beatitude recounted the experience he had during a pilgrimage to the saint's homeland, where he listened to a woman's testimony about...