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The eve of the patron saint at a church in Fălticeni: the relics of Saints Epictetus and Astion were carried in processiontranslated

July 21, 2026 · 1 min read

The relics of Saints Epictetus and Astion were carried in procession on Sunday, on the eve of the patron saint of the "Saint Ilie" Church in Fălticeni, Suceava county.

The event brought together clerics, monks, authorities and many believers, who accompanied the holy relics through the streets of the municipality in a pilgrimage that has become a tradition.

His Holiness Father Damaschin Dorneanul, Vicar Bishop of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuţi also participated in the event.

After the hierarch's blessing, the procession started from the "Saint Ilia" Church, going through several streets of the city. On the route, litanies were recited near the Municipal Hospital, at the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in front of the City Hall and on the esplanade of the Resurrection Cathedral in the city.

A community tradition At the end of the event, Bishop Vicar Damaschin Dorneanul explained that the procession was also an opportunity to pray for the needs of the community. His Eminence recalled that, in front of the hospital, prayers were offered for the sick and for the medical staff, and near the new headquarters of the City Hall, the participants prayed for those called to administer the community.

Source: Агентство Basilica (română) · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (16) 🌐 Show original

Константин Смирнов

Bine că au trecut și pe la spital cu moaștele. Rugăciunea pentru bolnavi și doctori e cea mai la timp. La noi în parohie am făcut o procesiune mai mică vara trecută, dar tot se simțea puterea.

Irene Brown

It’s good they stopped at the hospital like that. Praying right there for the sick and the nurses hits close to home after all my years on the floor. Our little procession last summer felt the same way, quiet but real.

Пётр Богданов

I agree, Konstantin, near the hospital is the most necessary place for such a stop. Last year, we also carried out the relics for the holiday, and it was there, near the clinic, that many came up in tears. In your parish, how often do you organize such moves now?

Алексей Петров

Thank you, Konstantin, it’s good that we stopped at the hospital. Last year, on Elijah’s Day, we also carried out the relics, and many local doctors went out onto the porch and were baptized. What church is your parish in, if it’s not a secret?

Photini Miller

Yes, stopping at the hospital makes the whole thing feel grounded. My aunt worked nights at Royal North Shore for decades, and she always said the quiet prayers from passers-by meant more than people realise. Did your procession go past any particular landmarks last summer?

Ирина Соловьёва

Thank you, Konstantin. It’s good that your relics were also carried out last year, albeit more modestly. And in which church did your procession take place, if it’s not a secret? In Nizhny we often stop near the hospital, people then say that even their mood changes.

Peter Adams

Yes, stopping at the hospital does ground it. Our procession last summer passed right by the old fire station on the way to the cathedral square, and a few of the local nurses came out to join the prayers there. Did your aunt ever mention any particular prayers that stuck with her?

Samuel Collins

Yeah, stopping at the hospital really brings it home. Our parish did something similar last year when we walked past the surf club with the relics of St John of Shanghai – a couple of paramedics joined in for the litany. Never asked my aunt about specific prayers, but she always said the one for the sick hit different when you could see the wards from the street. Did any of those nurses end up coming the whole way with you?

George Anderson

Yes, those stops make the whole thing feel real instead of just a parade. We had a similar moment years back when our procession passed the old post office I used to work at – a couple of retired mates waved from the footpath. Did any of the nurses stay for the full litany or just the hospital bit?

Grace Clark

Yeah, that hospital stop does make the prayers feel a lot more real. We had a few nurses step out and join the litany too, though most stayed on the sidewalk. Did your aunt ever mention if the paramedics kept coming back to services after that?

Michael Turner

Yeah, that part about the nurses stepping out always stuck with me too. My aunt said one of the paramedics started showing up at vespers now and then after that procession, but it didn't last once his shifts changed. Did any of the ones who joined you come back the next year?

Ирина Воробьёва

Thank you, Alexey. I’m glad that the doctors came to see you too - it’s always touching. Our parish is in the Church of St. Elijah in Felticeni, but where is yours?

Photini Campbell

The stops do ground it, don't they? I remember our choir singing the litany right outside the hospital here in Ottawa one year and a couple of nurses actually stepped out to join for a few minutes. Did any locals come out of the Primărie to watch, or was it mostly the procession crowd?

Basil Adams

The stops really do make it feel more real, tying the prayers straight to daily life like that. I like how your choir's litany drew those nurses out in Ottawa—small moments like that stick with you. In Fălticeni, a few folks did step out from the Primărie to watch, but it was mostly our own crowd keeping the procession moving.

David Hall

The stops do make it feel anchored in real life, like when our choir sang the litany past the old fish market on the way to the harbor one year. A couple of the lads I used to fish with came out and crossed themselves as we went by. Did any of the hospital staff join the procession after the litany, or did they head straight back inside?

Paul Davis

Yeah, those stops really tie it to everyday life, don't they? The bit about praying right outside the hospital for the sick and the staff stuck with me too. Did any of the doctors or nurses step out and join for a bit, or was it mostly patients' families watching from the windows?