Offenbach am Main, Germany, June 17, 2026
Photo: basilica.ro
A new Romanian Orthodox church has been consecrated for the Romanian diaspora in Offenbach am Main, Germany.
The church, dedicated to the Feast of Romanian Saints, was consecrated on Sunday, June 14, in a rite celebrated by three metropolitans: Andrei of Cluj, Maramureș and Sălaj; Iosif of Western and Southern Europe; and Serafim of Germany, Central and Northern Europe, joined by Auxiliary Bishop Sofian Brașoveanul of the Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxembourg, reports the Basilica News Agency.
Among those present was Nicolae Barac, one of the church’s founding benefactors, aged 97, who recalled the early days of the community and the difficulties faced by Romanians in Offenbach am Main in the parish’s first years.
In his homily, Met. Andrei spoke of the missionary calling of Romanians living abroad: “Christ the Lord calls you, the Romanians active abroad, to be missionaries for the whole world,” he said.
Photo: Mitropolia Clujului, Maramureșului și Sălajului
Met. Serafim praised the work of the Romanian community in Offenbach, which this year marks 51 years since its founding.
Following the Divine Liturgy, the parish’s children and young people performed a cultural and artistic program, accompanied by a pan flute recital by performer Oana Lianu.
The parish was established in 1975 at the initiative of a group of Romanian emigrants who petitioned the Romanian Patriarchate to appoint young theologian Tudor Alexandru—then a doctoral student in theology at Heidelberg—as their priest. Fr. Ștefan Anghel has served as parish priest since 1995 and also holds the role of Protopope of Central-West Germany and Luxembourg.
The community purchased a plot of land in 2002, on which an industrial building was converted into the Church of St. Nicholas, itself awaiting consecration in the near future. In 2014, a second industrial building was acquired and transformed into the newly consecrated church dedicated to all Romanian saints. Between 2022 and 2026, it was painted and furnished for Orthodox worship with support from the Department for Romanians Everywhere.
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