Vienna, November 12, 2026
Photo: mitropolia-ro.de
More than 1,200 faithful filled St. Anthony’s Romanian Orthodox Church in Vienna on Sunday, November 8, for the consecration of its new altar, a milestone that capped 12 years of work, sacrifice, and spiritual growth for the parish.
His Eminence Metropolitan Serafim of Germany, Central and Northern Europe led the consecration service, joined by a council of priests and a deacon, including from Serbian and Constantinople Patriarchates. Some 300 parishioners received Holy Communion at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, the parish reports.
In his address, Metropolitan Serafim spoke about the spiritual meaning of the altar, stressing the deep link between the church’s altar and the heart of every believer, both of which are called to become dwelling places of Divine grace.
Photo: mitropolia-ro.de
The white cloth covering the new Holy Table was woven a century ago by the sisters of the St. Antonius institution.
St. Anthony’s was built 133 years ago and first consecrated in 1893 as a Roman Catholic church. It became a Romanian Orthodox parish church in 2014. Over the past 12 years, the community has installed an iconostasis, continued Byzantine-style interior iconography by Gabriel-Toma Chituc, and renovated the facade and towers in 2026, an investment of more than €400,000 (about $465,000) funded mainly by parishioners’ donations.
After the service, the faithful could enter and venerate in the newly consecrated altar, and the celebration continued with a festive fraternal meal prepared by parish volunteers.
Forty daily Divine Liturgies will be served on the new altar.
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