Accademia di Romania in Rome hosts Thursday, February 12, from 5:00 p.mthe “Perfum of Romanian Holiness on Athos” conference, an event dedicated to the presence and legacy of Romanian monasticism on Mount Athos. The initiative belongs to the Association “Together for Athos”, in collaboration with the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy and the Accademia di Romania, and aims to bring recently canonized spiritual figures to the fore.
Romanian saints of Athos, brought to the attention of the Italian public
The meeting will take place in the conference room of the Accademia di Romania in Rome, in Piazza Josè de San Martin, 1, and will present the life and work of four Romanian monks canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. It is about Dionysius Ignatius from Colciu, Petroniu Tanase from Prodrome, Nectaria Cretu Protopsaltis and Niphon Ionescuthe founder of the Prodromu Hermitage, personalities described as “living models of contemporary Romanian holiness”.
The four Athonite saints join sixteen other confessors and Romanian spiritual fathers of the 20th century, canonized in 2025 by the Romanian Orthodox Church. This approach took place in the centenary year of the Romanian Patriarchatecontext in which the spiritual memory of the communist period takes on a special significance. “Holiness does not belong to the distant past, but to recent history“, emphasize the organizers of the event.
Academic interventions and Byzantine music
The conference will be opened by Oana Boșca Mălin, deputy director of the Accademia di Romania in Rome and coordinator of cultural programs, who will welcome the participants. Then the following speakers will take the floor, who will highlight and deepen certain historical and spiritual aspects related to the presence of the Romanian monastic community on Mount Athos: His Eminence Siluanthe Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Italy (Father Dionisie Ignat, an authentic example of Romanian monasticism); Giuseppe Sergio Balsamàpresident of the “Together for Athos” Association (Dionysius and Petronio: the spiritual power of contemporary ascetics); Armando Santarelliwriter (The presence of Romanian monks on Athos). The meeting will be moderated by Adrian German.
The meeting will be completed by a concert by the Polyphonic Choir “Holy Roman Melody” of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate in Italy. The event is supported by State Secretariat for Religions of the Government of Romaniaof Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italyof Embassy of Romania next to the Holy See and of Romanian Academy in Romeaccording to the information provided by the organizers.
► “Together for Athos” Association organizes the 19th International Study Conference on the Culture and Spirituality of the Holy Mountain
Here is the complete press release in Italian:
Thursday 12 February 2026. 5.00 pm, at the Romanian Academy in Rome – Jose de San Martin Square, 1, the Association “Together for Athos” premoves the Conference from its title
“The scent of Romanian sanctity at Athos”
“The scent of Romanian sanctity at Athos” is the theme chosen for the Conference, promoted and organized byAssociation “Together for Athos” chaired by Giuseppe Sergio Balsamà, in collaboration with the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy and the Romanian Academy.
The meeting, which will be held in Rome Thursday 12 February next – at 5.00 pm – at the Conference Hall of the Academy of Romania, Piazza Josè de San Martin,1, aims to present the figures of the four Holy Romanian monks who lived on Athos, and recently canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew: Dionisie Ignat of Colciu, Petroniu Tănase of Prodromu, Nectarie Cretu the Protopsaltis and Niphon Ionescu, founder of the Skiti of Prodromu.
These four Saints Aghioriti are added to the other sixteen, who lived in the communist era, confessors and spiritual fathers of the 20th century, canonized by the Romanian Orthodox Church, in 2025, that is, in the year in which the centenary of the institution of the Romanian Patriarchate was celebrated.
After the greeting from the Deputy Director of the Romanian Academy and coordinator of the cultural programs Oana Boșca Mălin, the following speakers will speak and highlight and delve into some historical and spiritual aspects linked to the presence of the Romanian monastic community on Mount Athos: SE Siluan, Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy (Father Dionisie Ignat, an authentic example of Romanian monasticism); Giuseppe Sergio BalsamàPresident of the “Together for Athos” Association (Dionysia and Petronius: the spiritual power of contemporary ascetics”); Armando Santarelli, Writer(The presence of Romanian monks on Athos” ). The meeting will be moderated by Adrian Gherman.
On this occasion the Holy Roman Polyphonic Choir il Melode of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese.
For the occasion, the event received the patronage of State Secretariat for Worship of the Romanian Governmentdell’Romanian Orthodox Episcopate in Italy, dell’Romanian Embassy to the Holy See and of theRomanian Academy in Rome.
Per further information call the number 338 – 8728763 or send an email to one of the following email addresses: (email protected), giuseppebalsama(email protected) or consult the website: http://www.insiemeperathos.org or facebook.com/insiemeperathosonlus.
