The Romanian Patriarchate brings to mind that on 9 March, alongside the remembrance day of the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, the Romanian fighters against the totalitarian communist regime are also commemorated, those who confessed the Orthodox faith against communist atheism.

'On 9 March, we celebrate the remembrance day of the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste and the Day of Commemoration of Anti-Communist Political Prisoners from the 1944 - 1989 period. Each year, on this date, we have the moral duty to remember the Romanians who fought against the totalitarian communist regime, confessing the Orthodox faith against atheism and who were imprisoned in camps and prisons, enduring unimaginable suffering, with some of them even facing death,' the Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate conveyed on Friday.

The year 2026 has been proclaimed the Solemn Year of Christian Family Pastoral Care and the Commemorative Year of the Holy Women in the Calendar - myrrh-bearers, martyrs, nuns, wives and mothers - within the Romanian Patriarchate.

On 6 February, the general proclamation of the canonisation of 16 Romanian Holy Women took place. Among them are Saint Martyr Evloghia of Samurcasesti, who passed away on 19 December 1949 after being brutally beaten by a group of communists for preaching the Christian faith, as well as Saint Confessor Blandina of Iasi who, while in Bessarabia, endured deportation to Siberia for more than 15 years by order of the Soviet communists, the Patriarchate mentioned.

'The Romanian fighters for the faith, shining models of courage, dignity, steadfastness in faith and love of the nation, are remembered by the Church with esteem and devotion at every Holy Liturgy, alongside heroes from all times and places who sacrificed themselves for the defence of the homeland, the freedom, unity and dignity of the Romanian people,' the quoted source underscored. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Popescu; EN - writing by: Rodica State)