Saint Parascheva celebration in Iași draws one of Romania’s largest pilgrimages

Thousands of people are gathered and praying over the relics of Saint Parascheva in Iași, eastern Romania, in what is one of the largest pilgrimages in the eastern European nation.

The annual pilgrimage, which spans over eight days, is set to last until the saint’s feast day on 14 October.

Thousands were in attendance on the first day of their pilgrimage in the capital of the Moldavia region, lining up in queues that stretched for kilometres.

Dressed in raincoats and umbrellas, many pilgrims said they were ready to endure for as long as necessary.

"I am all right. It rained, it was cold, but we endured", said Elena Săbiuță, one of the pilgrims. The trip was worth it, she also said, "especially when I witnessed the moment they brought the relic out".

Pilgrimage set to last until Tuesday

Last week, Romanian Orthodox priests took out the reliquary of the Saint from the cathedral and placed it on a canopy, where it will remain until Thursday.

Orthodox Christians from Iași gather at the cathedral every year around this date to pray before the saint's relics, which they believe have miraculous powers.

"It is a great joy to be on this journey. When the day of the Saint approaches, we feel a calling, a joy", said one of the faithful who travelled from Brăila, south-east Romania. "I don't know how to explain it. Something inexplicable," she said.

As part of its celebrations, the courtyard of the metropolis and the city centre are adorned with colourful flowers.

This year's theme is the "Symphony of the Lily", says Ion Buștei, a volunteer for the decorations. "We have some lilies with special flowers and a fragrance that we will enjoy together".

Some 58,000 chrysanthemums have been prepared to beautify the city of Iași, local officials said. The flowers come in yellow, white, maroon, or pink.

The story of St Parascheva spans hundreds of years, with her relics believed to have helped many.

According to Father Lucian Apopei, Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of Iași, her holy relics have travelled throughout several countries for almost a millennium.

"We are talking about Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, and then finally arriving here in Iași in 1641", said Fr Apopei.

In 1955, the members of the Romanian Orthodox Church's Holy Synod voted to canonise St Parascheva the Venerable, also setting 14 October as her feast day.

Around 300,000 people saw the relics last year, and the Church anticipates that this year's visitors will match that number.