Local proclamation of Saint Maria Brâncoveanu: Churches she supported receive reliquary icons

The local proclamation of Saint Maria Brâncoveanu’s canonisation took place on Sunday at the New St George Church in Bucharest. Churches founded or supported by the saint received icons containing a fragment of her holy relics. These included the St Nicholas “Dintr-o Zi” Church in Bucharest, the monasteries of Hurezi, Surpatele and Dintr-un Lemn in Vâlcea County, Berivoi Monastery in Brașov County and Viforâta Monastery in Dâmbovița County. An assembly of hierarchs celebrated the Divine Liturgy, comprising Archbishop Casian of the Lower Danube; Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishops Varlaam of Ploiești and Paisie of Sinaia; Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova of the Archdiocese of Bucharest; and Assistant Bishop Ilarion of Făgăraș of the Archdiocese of Sibiu. Synodal Tomos The official act proclaiming the canonisation was presented to the faithful by His Eminence Archbishop Casian of the Lower Danube. “Saint Maria Brâncoveanu endured imprisonment, contempt, hunger and deprivation, but she did not fall into despair; rather, she was strengthened through prayer and hope in God,” the proclamation tomos states. The document recounts the numerous trials Saint Maria Brâncoveanu endured following the martyrdom of her husband and sons in 1714. “It was only in 1716 that Lady Maria was able to return to Wallachia, with the help of Prince John Mavrocordatos. Secretly and with great devotion, she brought the relics of the Brâncoveanu Martyrs from the island of Halki, where several devout Christians had buried them, and placed them in the New St George Church in Bucharest, their foundation. Above the tomb, she placed a vigil lamp which continues to burn to this day in memory of the Holy Martyr Prince.” Among other provisions, the tomos states: “So that the devotion of right-believing Christians may increase through the veneration of and prayerful appeals to Saint Maria Brâncoveanu, she shall also become the patron saint of new or restored churches.” A model of faith, patience and generosity Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești then presented the message of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, entitled “Saint Maria Brâncoveanu – a model of faith, patience and generosity”. “In the life of this holy woman, we see the luminous image of a faithful wife and mother, a model of martyr-like patience in suffering and an example of generous love towards the Church and the people. Thus, in Saint Maria Brâncoveanu we see that her love for God strengthened her to bear an incomparable sorrow with faith, becoming a foundation of hope for her daughters and sons-in-law,” His Beatitude emphasised. The Patriarch of Romania highlighted the saint’s care for the Christian education of the 11 children God had blessed her with. “Together with her husband, she brought highly accomplished teachers and scholars to the princely court, men who taught at the renowned princely academy attached to St Sava Monastery, so that their sons and daughters could acquire knowledge of the classical languages and a profound secular and theological education.” Saint Maria Brâncoveanu The saint, the wife of Prince-Martyr Constantine Brâncoveanu of Wallachia, was born in the second half of the 17th century into the family of Postelnic Neagu of Negoești and was a granddaughter of Prince Antonie Vodă of Popești. After the martyrdom of her husband and their four sons in Constantinople, she endured imprisonment and exile. Secretly and with great devotion, she later retrieved the relics of the Brâncoveanu Martyrs from the island of Halki, where several devout Christians had buried them, and placed them in the New St George Church in Bucharest, the church they had founded. In the final years of her life, Princess Maria Brâncoveanu withdrew to Surpatele Monastery, which she had founded, where she spent long periods in prayer, fasting and almsgiving. From there, she often travelled to Dintr-un Lemn Monastery to pray before its wonderworking icon of the Mother of God. The path travelled by Saint Maria Brâncoveanu became known among the people as the “Lady’s Road” or the “Road of Tears”, as it was said to have been marked by the tears she shed in grief for the loss of her sons and her husband. She reposed in the Lord in December 1729 and was buried with honour at the New St George Church in Bucharest. Saint Maria Brâncoveanu was canonised in 2025, alongside 15 other Romanian holy women. Her feast day was set for 16 August, the same day the Church commemorates her husband, their four sons, and counsellor Ianache. More pictures are available in our Photo gallery section . Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu