Romfilatelia introduces into circulation on Tuesday, February 4th, this year, an anniversary issue dedicated to an event of major importance in the history of the Romanian Orthodox Church: the elevation of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the rank of Patriarchate. Under the title Centennial Year of the Romanian Patriarchate, the issue consists of a postage stamp, a perforated souvenir sheet, a First Day Cover and a special philatelic folder with a special product in a limited run printing.
Among the events included in the anniversary program dedicated to the Centennial, there are the proclamation of the canonization of several contemporary Romanian saints and the consecration of the National Cathedral.
The year 2025 marks two special moments in the life of the Romanian Orthodox Church: 100 years since its elevation to the rank of Patriarchate (February 4th, 1925) and 140 years since the recognition of its Autocephaly (April 25th, 1885).
In order to promote the Centenary, the Romanian Patriarchate has established an Anniversary Logo with a special visual identity of the historical event, with a special symbolism. The Logo, also presented as the Centennial Seal, is the main sign of the identity of the Centennial of the Romanian Patriarchate. The Centennial Header and the Centennial Patriarchal Cross complete the visual identity of the event.
The icon ‘The Synaxis of All Romanian Saints’ is the icon of the Homage and Commemorative Year 2025. The canonized saints, 16 in number, are great confessors and spiritual fathers of the 20th century.
They are: Venerable Confessor Saint Sofian of Anthimos, Holy Confessor Priest Dumitru Stăniloae, Holy Priest-Martyr Constantin Sârbu, Venerable Confessor Saint Arsenius of Prislop, Holy Confessor Priest Elijah Lăcătușu, Venerable Saint Paisius of Sihăstria, Venerable Saint Cleopas of Sihăstria, Venerable Saint Dometius the Merciful of Râmeț, Venerable Saint Seraphim the Enduring of Sâmbăta de Sus, Holy Priest-Martyr Liviu Galaction of Cluj, Holy Venerable Martyr Gerasimus of Tismana,
Holy Venerable Martyr Bessarion of Lainici, Venerable Saint Callistratus of Timișeni and Vasiova, Holy Priest-Martyr Hilarion Felea, Venerable Saint Heraclius of Bessarabia, Holy Priest-Martyr Alexander of Bessarabia.
The importance of the anniversary moment is presented by His Beatitude Daniel: ‘This anniversary is not only a celebration of the past, but also a call to gratitude to our ancestors and a reflection on the role of our Church in the life of the Romanian people. Throughout the 100 years of its existence, the Romanian Patriarchate has been an unquenchable beacon of faith and national unity, and the Romanian Orthodox confessors and spiritual fathers of the 20th century have been true defenders of the Orthodox faith in the face of ordeals and persecutions’...
The Romanian Patriarchate was founded on February 4th, 1925, in a historical context marked by the Great Union of 1918, which gathered all the historical Romanian provinces into a single unitary State. The national unity achieved by the Great Union of 1918 naturally called for a reorganization of the Romanian Orthodox Church to reflect the new political and territorial reality of Greater Romania.
The postage stamp of the issue with the face value of Lei 25 reproduces a portrait in the patrimony of the Romanian Patriarchate, which shows Metropolitan Primate Nifon Rusailă at the helm of the Romanian Orthodox Church since 1865, belonging to a period of intense efforts of the Church to obtain Autocephaly.
The souvenir sheet reproduces in the image of the postage stamp (face value of Lei 25) the portrait of the first Patriarch of Romania, Miron Cristea (who was the Primate between 1925-1939).
The symbols of the Centennial Year, the façade of the Patriarchal Cathedral as well as 6 medallions-portraits of all Romanian patriarchs from 1925 to the present day complete the overall graphics of the philatelic product.
The First Day Cover depicts, alongside the image of the Icon of the Commemorative Year, the seal symbolizing the Centennial Year of the Romanian Patriarchate and a partial view of the façade of the Patriarchal Cathedral.
The special philatelic folder is created into a limited run printing of 185 pieces and is equipped with the special block of two imperforated stamps of the issue, numbered from 001 to 185 and a postcard.
Romfilatelia thanks His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel for the High Resolution and blessing, as well as Mr. Răzvan Clipici, Patriarchal Advisor and Cultural Director, Painting and Restoration Sector of the Patriarchal Administration, for the documentary support provided to the development of this issue of postage stamps.
