The relics of Saint Anne from Koutloumousiou Monastery on Mount Athos will be brought to Romania for the first time on Saturday and placed at New St. George Church in central Bucharest, where they will remain for worship until 10 September.

A delegation of five monks from Mount Athos will arrive around 15:00 at Henri Coanda International Airport, after which the reliquary will be taken to the church, the Basilica News Agency reports.

The announcement was made by Father Emil Nedelea Caramizaru, parish priest of New St. George Church, who said the bringing of Saint Anne's relics is dedicated to honouring the Brancoveanu Martyrs and Lady Maria Brancoveanu, patrons and founders of the church. He described the event as 'a historic and deeply spiritual moment everyone is invited to take part in, a gift for the soul.'

The programme of the events (5 - 10 September) is as follows:

* Saturday, 5 September
18:00 - Reception of the reliquary and Athonite delegation; thanksgiving service;
18:30 - Akathist of Saints Joachim and Anne;
19:00 - Vespers.

Sunday, 6 September
8:30 - Akathist of Lady Maria Brancoveanu;
9:00 - Matins;
10:00 - Divine Liturgy;
22:30 - Night vigil dedicated to the arrival of the relics, followed at midnight by the Divine Liturgy.

Monday, 7 September
10:00 - Akathist of the Brancoveanu Martyr Saints;
18:00 - Akathist of the Nativity of the Mother of God;
18:30 - Vespers for the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God.

Tuesday, 8 September
9:00 - Matins;
10:00 - Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God;
18:00 - Vigil for the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne.

Wednesday, 9 September
8:30 - Akathist of Saints Joachim and Anne;
9:00 - Divine Liturgy for their feast day;
17:00 - Sacrament of Holy Unction;
19:00 - Vespers.

Thursday, 10 September
9:00 - Matins;
10:00 - Divine Liturgy;
18:00 - Akathist of Saints Joachim and Anne;
22:00 - Departure of the Athonite delegation with the relics.

The church will remain open daily between 07:00 and 22:00 for veneration. If worshippers are still waiting after 22:00, the church will remain open until the last pilgrim reaches the reliquary.

***

Saint Anne's relics were brought from the Holy Land to Constantinople in 710, where they were venerated in a church dedicated by Emperor Justinian the Great and later restored by Justinian II. Today, several fragments are preserved on Mount Athos: the entire right foot at Koutloumousiou Monastery, part of the left foot at St Anne's Skete, and a hand at Stavronikita Monastery. Other fragments are held by the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Antioch, Kykkos Monastery in Cyprus, and in Bologna, Italy.

Saint Anne, mother of the Mother of God and grandmother of Jesus Christ, is especially revered by families praying for children and for the protection of motherhood. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Florin Marin; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)

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