Romanian Hermit Saints to adorn National Cathedral’s underground chapel, creating ‘monastic cell atmosphere’

The underground chapel of Romania’s National Cathedral will feature numerous Romanian monastic saints, including hermits who lived and prayed in caves. On Wednesday, Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Paisie of Sinaia said the chapel “will create the atmosphere of a monastic cell.”

Speaking at the National Cathedral Chapel on the feast of St. John Jacob the New Chozebite, His Grace explained that the choice of the chapel’s patron saints was deliberate.

“His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel decided that this chapel should be placed under the patronage of St. John Jacob the New Chozebite and St. Daniel the Hesychast, because both saints lived ascetic lives in caves, and the entire concept of this chapel is meant to evoke the atmosphere of prayer, silence, and ascetic life.”

“The iconographic program is inspired by the theme of the cave as the place where man encounters God through prayer and ascetic struggle. The two patron saints of the chapel both lived in caves: St. John Jacob in St. Anne’s Cave in the Choziba Desert, and St. Daniel the Hesychast in the caves near Putna and Voroneț,” the bishop added.

Numerous Romanian saints will be depicted Bishop Paisie said the chapel will…