7,000 akathists of St Demetrius the New distributed in Romanian prisons

The blessing of St Demetrius the New was brought to prisons throughout the Archdiocese of Bucharest on 13–14 July 2026 during a pilgrimage with a vestment that once covered the saint’s relics. At the same time, 7,000 copies of the saint’s Akathist were distributed to inmates and prison staff.

On 13 July, the vestment and prayer books were brought to the three prisons in and around Bucharest—Rahova, Jilava and Jilava Prison Hospital. The initiative continued the next day in Prahova County.

The programme’s coordinator, Fr Ciprian Ioniță, Patriarchal Counsellor for the Social-Philanthropic Sector of the Patriarchal Administration, told Trinitas TV that the initiative is being carried out in partnership with the National Administration of Penitentiaries.

Hope for those in difficult circumstances Fr. Ciprian Ioniță visited, between July 13-14, 2026, the penitentiaries in Bucharest and in Prahova County, to distribute, in collaboration with the National Penitentiary Administration, 7,000 Akathists of St. Demetrius the New. Photo: Rahova Penitentiary “We thought it would be a great joy both for prison staff and for those deprived of their liberty that, during these days…