“Queen Marie of Romania Corner” unveiled in New York

New York, NY – On September 22, 2026, Romanian President Nicușor Dan inaugurated “The Queen Marie of Romania Corner” at the intersection of Third Avenue and East 38th Street in Manhattan. The dedication marked one hundred years since Queen Marie’s historic visit to the United States.

For the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, this is a special event because it honors Queen Marie, the mother of Princess Ileana of Romania, who later became Mother Abbess Alexandra. Born in Bucharest in 1909, Ileana accompanied her mother and sisters on visits to wounded soldiers during the First World War. She would later continue her mother’s example of caring for those in need. During the Second World War, she established a hospital near Bran Castle, which she had inherited from Queen Marie.

After leaving Romania with her family under the Communist regime, Princess Ileana eventually settled in the United States. She traveled across the country speaking about her experiences and the suffering caused by Communism. In 1961, she entered the Monastery of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God in Bussy, France, to discern her calling to monastic life. During visits to America, she also spent…