Romania Opens World’s Largest Orthodox Cathedral in Bucharest

Maria Rusu and her husband traveled all night from their hometown of Cluj in western Romania to the capital, Bucharest, to see the nearly completed national cathedral, now recognized as the world’s largest Orthodox Christian church. This landmark recently opened its doors to the public after 15 years of construction, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from Romania and around the globe.

“We came specifically to see the church and walk inside to the altar,” shared Rusu, a retired 72-year-old economist, after waiting in line for hours. “Romania deserves it.” The new cathedral will serve as the seat of the Romanian Orthodox Church, which previously operated out of a smaller cathedral dating back to the mid-1600s.

The cathedral’s mosaic iconography was consecrated in a ceremony led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, representing the spiritual head of the world’s Orthodox Christians, alongside Romanian Patriarch Daniel. The idea of constructing a national cathedral dates back over a century, with plans often halted by historical events like two world wars and the era of communist rule in the country.

“Achieving what hadn’t been possible in 126 years was accomplished in the past 15 years,” noted priest Adrian Agachi, a representative from the Romanian Patriarchate. The church is anticipating a daily footfall of up to 40,000 pilgrims, expecting hundreds of thousands to visit the altar throughout the week.

Standing at 127 meters (417 feet) tall, the cathedral can accommodate 5,000 people inside and tens of thousands on the esplanade. It is located behind the parliament building, which symbolizes a significant urban redevelopment under communism, where entire neighborhoods were razed.

The project has attracted some criticism due to its cost of around 270 million euros ($315 million), mainly funded by public sources. However, the Romanian Orthodox Church remains one of the most trusted institutions in this socially conservative nation, where approximately 85% of the 19 million citizens identify as Orthodox.

This new cathedral represents a pivotal moment for the Romanian Orthodox Church and its faithful, offering a symbol of hope, resilience, and national pride amid historical challenges.