†) St. Jer. Dionysius, bishop of the White Fortress – Ismail; St. Mc. Sophia (Wisdom) and her daughters: Pistis (Faith), Elpis (Hope) and Agapi (Love)translated

Orthodox calendar, September 17 St. Dionysius, Bishop of the White Fortress – Ismail Bishop Dionisie represents one of the most prominent Bessarabian ecclesiastical personalities of the first half of the last century, being one of the fighters for the realization of the Romanian unitary national state.

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church decided on his canonization in the year in which it was 100 years since his election as bishop.

Dimitrie, after his baptismal name, the future Bishop Dionisie was born in 1868, in the village of Badar in the Republic of Moldova.

At only 15 years old, on November 28, 1883, he entered the community of the Suruceni monastery, near Chisinau.

He went through all the stages of monastic life becoming, in turn, a rasofor in 1890, a monk in 1899, receiving the name Dionisie, hierodeacon in 1900 and hieromonk in 1904.

Distinguishing himself through a chosen life, in 1908 he was elected abbot of the Suruceni monastery.

In an article published in Lumina Newspaper, Bishop Veniamin of South Bessarabia states that "the young abbot had an important role in affirming the Romanian identity, in knowing the history of the Church in Bessarabia and in achieving...