The National Cathedral, consecrated on Sunday. Program of events / 2,500 official guests will be present
National Cathedral Photo: Adi Iacob / Hotnews
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church, accompanied by a council of 65 hierarchs, 70 priests and 12 deacons, will officiate, on Sunday, the Consecration Service of the Cathedral of the Nation, according to “Basilica”, the news agency of the Orthodox Church.
In the Cathedral, during the events, only official guests, in number of 2,500 people, will be present. Another 8,000 people will watch the service on specially installed screens in the square in front of the Cathedral of the Nation. Only organized groups of pilgrims from the country's dioceses are allowed here.
The other faithful who wish to be present will be able to watch the service from the space located opposite, outside the National Cathedral complex, on other screens installed for viewing the service.
Official schedule of events:
The events will start at 7.30 with the Holy Liturgy that will be celebrated in the Cathedral. Then, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Patriarch Daniel of Romania will arrive who will officiate the Consecration Service between 10.30 and 12.30.
- 07:30-10:00 – The performance of the Holy Liturgy, in the National Cathedral, by an officially appointed council, composed of three hierarchs from the Capital, 67 priests delegated by the dioceses of the Romanian Patriarchate and 12 deacons, because at the Consecration of the Cathedral Altar, on November 25, 2018, only hierarchs from the dioceses served, not priests;
- 10:15 – The arrival at the National Cathedral of His Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch, and His Beatitude Father Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church;
- 10:30-12:30 – The Consecration service of the painting of the National Cathedral performed by the two Patriarchs, together with a council of 65 hierarchs, 70 priests and 12 deacons. At the end of the Consecration service of the painting, the Consecration Act will be read.
When access to the Cathedral is allowed
The access of the faithful for worship in the Holy Altar will be done in an organized manner, starting first with official invitations from inside the Cathedral and continuing with the organized groups from the dioceses that attended the service in the Cathedral square space, according to the Basilica.
The rest of the faithful during the day of October 26, 2025 only after 20.00, when it is estimated that the official guests and organized groups from the dioceses will finish the passage through the Holy Altar.
General access will also be allowed on October 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, 2025, including during the night.
What is the correct name of the Cathedral?
The correct name is the National Cathedral, not the Cathedral of the Salvation of the Nation, explained priest Adrian Agachi, bearer of the Romanian Patriarchate, for Agerpres.
“The name Cathedral of the Salvation of the Nation was used especially by the first Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Miron Cristea. Its meaning is not that of a mass salvation, but referred exclusively to the deliverance of the Romanian people from the divisions that had taken place over time. We can think of the fact that, at that time, Metropolitan Primate Miron Cristea, future Patriarch of the Orthodox Church Romanians, he wanted, first of all, to emphasize the fulfillment of the ideal of the unification of the Romanian people, which took place in 1918, and the deliverance of the Romanian people from a troubled period of history.
At the moment, since 2016, this name of the National Cathedral, not the Cathedral of the Salvation of the Nation, has been imposed, precisely to eliminate any kind of misinterpretation given to this expression', said Agachi.
Traffic restrictions
Traffic on Unirii Boulevard, between Unirii Square and Constitution Square, will be blocked on Sunday, October 26, between 00:00 and 22:00 when the events dedicated to the consecration of the National Cathedral will take place. Traffic will also be blocked on 10 important routes around the Parliament and the Cathedral, the Ministry of the Interior announced.
Restricted streets:
- Bd. Unirii, between Piata Unirii and Piata Constituetiei (both directions);
- Calea 13 Septembrie, between Bd. Libertății and Piata Arsenalului (both directions);
- Bd. Libertății, between Splaiul Independentiei and Bd. Regina Maria;
- United Nations Blvd., between Independence Splaiul and Str. Spring;
- Str. Izvor, between United Nations Blvd. and Piata Arsenalului;
- Str. BP Hașdeu, between Splaiul Independentei and Str. Spring;
- Str. Dr. Nicolae Staicovici, between Str. Izvor and Str. Dr. Pasteur;
- Str. Dr. Alexandru Vitzu, between Str. Izvor and Str. Dr. Ion Ghiulamila;
- Str. Mihail Cioranu, between Sos. Panduri and Calea 13 Septembrie;
- Str. Ion Popescu-Gopo, between Piata Arsenalului and Str. Sirens;
- Str. Uranus, between Calea 13 Septembrie and Str. the Sabines.
