Strada Mănăstirilor, Neamț County, Romania, April 29, 2025
Yet more relics have been solemnly uncovered in the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Last July, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox canonized 16 martyrs, confessors, and ascetics of the 20th century. Since then, the relics of several of them have been uncovered in preparation for the local celebrations of their canonizations. The relics of St. Serafim (Popescu) the Long-Suffering of Sâmbăta de Sus were just uncovered on Saturday.
And now the Romanian Church has unearthed the relics of perhaps its most beloved 20th-century elders: St. Cleopa (Ilie) and his spiritual father St. Paisie (Olaru) of Sihăstria, reports Doxologia.
The rite was led by His Grace Bishop Nichifor of Botoșani and His Grace Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia, with a host of clerics. The relics of the great saints were carefully removed from their resting place, cleaned of soil, and reverently placed in new wooden coffins.
The items preserved in their tombs were also placed in specially prepared boxes. The relics of Sts. Cleopa and Paisie were then carried to the church of Sihăstria Monastery, where the service was concluded with the singing of their troparia.
In his speech given on this occasion, Bp. Nichifor emphasized that the uncovering of the relics of Sts. Paisie and Cleopa represents a continuation of God’s blessing, begun through their proclamation as saints, and that this event will remain a day of spiritual consolation for all those present.
He also noted that a Heavenly fragrance filled the cemetery when their relics were unearthed:
Frs. Paisie and Cleopa were fathers of blessing, and with blessing we too have begun this endeavor. A blessing that has its beginning in the Synodal blessing, of the proclamation as saints of the two great fathers. We began this rite, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Teofan, to proceed and bring to light their remains, remains that have become partakers together with the soul of God’s grace, which they sought through prayer and through struggle.
This day will remain for us not just a historic day, but a day marked in our souls, a day in which we all saw how God works on earth even in the days of our weakness. A day of consolation because, as you all saw—the earth was damp and water had surrounded the remains and coffins of the two fathers. And when we took them out of the ground, the entire cemetery was filled with sweet fragrance.
This joy needs to be received in our hearts, an honorable joy, to testify as we do in church: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from Thee, the Father of lights, and to Thee do we send up glory...” This glory the two fathers have testified to and received, sanctifying themselves and becoming bearers of this glory. We all testify to this glory and I thank all of you who came with devotion and honor together with us at this moment. I also thank all those who have been and are alongside the fathers of this monastery. I thank Father Abbot Arsenie and this community, which has a strong heritage, a heritage that means both blessing and the call to follow these struggles and this holy life. May the Good Lord help us, having this strengthening in our hearts, to return home stronger and to testify to what we have seen with our own eyes: remains taken from the grave, which we have discovered to be holy relics bearing sweet fragrance and bearing grace! Be blessed!
Their relics will soon be placed in new reliquaries that are currently being prepared.
Photo: ortodox.md
The official proclamation of the canonization of the two saints is to be celebrated in a solemn setting, on August 7, the feast day of St. Theodora of Sihla, the patron saint of the new church of Sihăstria Monastery.
In December, the relics of St. Constantin Sârbu were uncovered, followed by the relics of St. Calistrat of Timișeni and Vasiova and St. Dometie of Râmeț in March, and the relics of St. Serafim (Popescu) the Long-Suffering of Sâmbăta de Sus in late April.
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