Mt. Athos, November 20, 2025
A delegation from the Romanian Patriarchate joined Athonite monks this week at Vatopedi Monastery on Mt. Athos for the first celebration of the feast of the Uncovering of the Relics of St. Dionisie (Ignat) of Kolitsou.
The relics of St. Dionisie were unearthed on Mt. Athos on November 17, 2022.
The Romanian delegation was led by His Grace Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești, Patriarchal Vicar. He was received by Vatopedi abbot Archimandrite Ephraim, who welcomed the Romanian guests and spoke of the spiritual legacy of St. Dionisie.
“This Elder Dionisie was a simple man, a man who was not seen, a humble man, but he was a friend of God. Therefore, today it’s a great joy that our monastery has decided to honor this event, which is an honor for your homeland, for your country, it’s an honor for the Holy Mountain and for the entire Church,” the abbot said.
Fr. Ephraim noted Romania’s contribution to Mount Athos, saying: “We rejoice in the presence of Your Grace, we rejoice because Vatopedi Monastery has always had ties with the Romanian people, as evidenced by these Romanian cells that we have, which we are trying to help. We cannot forget the benefactions of the Romanian brothers, the Romanian voivodes, who are benefactors not only of Vatopedi Monastery, but of the entire Holy Mountain.”
Bishop Varlaam conveyed Patriarch Daniel’s gratitude for Vatopedi Monastery’s contribution to St. Dionisie’s canonization by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
“I too am overwhelmed by this spiritual joy to be the delegate of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel at this first Vigil service dedicated to St. Dionisie the Vatopedian,” he said. “Therefore, as delegate of the Patriarch of Romania, I bring from His Beatitude a paternal word of blessing and gratitude, because the testimonies of the monks of Vatopedi Monastery about the holiness of the life of Venerable Dionisie, as was also the testimony of your reverence a few minutes ago, counted very much in the economy of this canonization process by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.”
The relics of St. Dionisie were placed in the church of Vatopedi Monastery for veneration by monks and pilgrims. His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol from Cyprus and Bp. Varlaam served in the celebration.
The Romanian Patriarchal chanting group Tronos chanted the left choir responses, while Fr. Damascene of New Skete and his disciples chanted in the right choir.
Elder Dionisie (Ignat), who lived at the Holy Cell of St. George at Kolitsou under Vatopedi Monastery, and Hieromonk Petroniu (Tănase) of Prodromu Skete, which belongs to the Great Lavra Monastery, were canonized together by the Patriarchate of Constantinople at its Holy Synod session of August 30-31, 2025, at the proposal of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
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