Patriarch Daniel blesses reliquary for newly canonised nuns of Văratec Monastery

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church blessed on Monday the reliquary that will house the relics of the newly canonised Venerable Mothers Nazaria, Olympias, and Elizabeth (Safta) Brâncoveanu of Văratec Monastery. The service took place at the historic St. George Chapel of the Patriarchal Residence in Bucharest.

The silver reliquary was crafted by the Pasărea Monastery’s chasing workshop, part of the Romanian Patriarchate’s workshops, and is adorned with icons of the three saints and scenes from their lives.

Among those attending the blessing were Archimandrite Dionisie Constantin, Patriarchal Coordinating Counsellor and Director of the Workshops of the Biblical and Orthodox Mission Institute of the Romanian Patriarchate, Stavrophore Abbess Iosefina Giosanu of Văratec Monastery, accompanied by members of the sisterhood, as well as other clergy.

Patriarch Daniel spoke about the lives of the three saints, emphasising the monastery’s hesychast character.

“These nuns were all hesychasts, especially Nazaria and Olympias, who had great hesychast spiritual fathers: St. Paisius of Neamț and St. Joseph of Văratec. St. Nazaria was also guided by St. Basil of…