Dorinel Preotescu News
With the blessing of His Eminence Atanasie, Archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, between 15 and 21 February 2026, the ‘Saint Brendan the Navigator’ Pilgrimage Centre organized its first international pilgrimage to Italy. Responding to this call were 27 faithful from the Romanian Orthodox Parish of ‘Saint Macarius the Great’ in Leeds, accompanied by their parish priest, Father Petru Ciprian Nedelcu, together with his family.
This was a truly distinctive pilgrimage, not only because of the intensity of the program and the richness of the holy sites visited, but also because, for the first time, so many families with children took part together. The youngest pilgrim, only three years old, journeyed patiently and serenely through each stage of the trip, becoming a quiet symbol of joy and devotion.
Our first days led us through Rome, the city of the Apostles and Martyrs. We began with a visit to the Vatican Museums, after which we visited the magnificent Basilica of Saint Peter, built over the tomb of the Holy Apostle Peter. We also visited the imposing Castel Sant’Angelo, associated with the miraculous apparition of Saint Michael the Archangel during the pontificate of Saint Gregory the Great (590–603), when the plague afflicting Rome ended. A deeply moving moment was our visit to the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. In the Chapel of the Relics, we venerated fragments of the Holy Cross, the Titulus Crucis bearing the inscription ‘INRI’, a nail of the Crucifixion, thorns from the Crown of Thorns, a fragment from the cross of the Good Thief, and a portion of the finger of the Holy Apostle Thomas. According to tradition, these precious relics were brought to Rome in the fourth century by Saint Helena, mother of Saint Constantine the Great.
We then ascended the Scala Santa on our knees, believed to be the 28 steps the Saviour climbed in the Praetorium of Pontius Pilate. These were brought to Rome by Saint Helena and are today covered with wood for protection. At their summit stands the chapel of the Sancta Sanctorum, where the Acheropita icon, considered ‘not made by human hands’, is preserved. Holy Tradition holds that the icon was begun by Saint Luke the Evangelist and miraculously completed by angels. It is regarded as one of the oldest depictions of Christ in the West.
At the Basilica of Saint John in Lateran, the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, we venerated the heads of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, preserved in the ciborium above the main altar. A particularly striking experience was descending through time at the Basilica of Saint Clement, whose three superimposed levels, Roman, early Christian, and medieval, bear witness to the continuity of the faith. Here we venerated the tomb of Saint Cyril, Apostle to the Slavs, and the relics of Saint Ignatius the God-bearer. At the Basilica of Santa Francesca Romana, we saw the stone that, according to tradition, bears the imprints of the Holy Apostle Peter’s knees, a testimony of prayer and sacrifice.
Our journey then continued to Bari, where in the crypt of the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, we venerated the tomb of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker and chanted the Akathist at the very place where his holy relics rest. We also visited the Cathedral of Saint Sabinus and its museum.
In Naples, at the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, we honoured the relics of Saint Januarius of Naples, the great wonderworker, commemorated in the Orthodox Church on April 21 each year. In Pozzuoli, we visited the Flavian Amphitheatre, a site of martyrdom during the persecutions of Diocletian, as well as the harbour where the ship of the Holy Apostle Paul stopped on his journey to Rome (Acts 28:11–16).
In Amalfi, we visited the cathedral, which houses the tomb and part of the relics of Saint Apostle Andrew.
Our final stop was the Cathedral of Salerno, where the tomb and a part of the relics of Saint Apostle and Evangelist Matthew are preserved. We also had the joy of venerating the saint’s right hand, as well as the relics of local Holy Martyrs, Antius, Fortunatus, Felix, and Caius, confessors of the faith in times of persecution.
Several of the participating faithful have also shared their reflections on the journey:
‘We would like to congratulate the Pilgrimage Centre on the initiative of organizing this journey to Italy. For our family, the experience was a true blessing, especially because we were able to take part together with our children, following in the footsteps of saints for whom we have a particular devotion. A truly special moment for us was our visit to the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, where the relics of Saint Nicholas are enshrined. Our daughter bears his name, and encountering this holy place was profoundly moving, filled with gratitude and genuine spiritual emotion. It is a memory we will always cherish. The programme was excellent, despite the intensity of the schedule. We deeply appreciated the patience, dedication, and clear explanations offered throughout the journey. Each site was presented in a way that was accessible to everyone, so that we might not only visit, but also understand and experience each moment more deeply. Although it was undoubtedly a logistical challenge, everything was managed with responsibility and care. We felt safe, well-guided, and truly spiritually accompanied. If such pilgrimages will be organized again, we will gladly choose to participate. It was a valuable experience, which we confidently recommend to other families as well’.
‘I would like to thank the organizers for this unforgettable experience, which succeeded in harmoniously combining the spiritual and the cultural dimensions. For me, the pilgrimage was not only a journey of prayer and inner peace, but also a genuine exploration of history and architecture. I tried, as far as I was able, to absorb and understand the history of these places. It was an experience that enriched not only my soul, but also my perspective on the cultural heritage of which we are all a part’.
‘For a long time, I had wished to participate, together with my family, in such a pilgrimage, and the experience exceeded our expectations. From the very beginning, we embraced the understanding that we were not on a simple family holiday, but on a pilgrimage. This perspective helped us to live each day with greater attentiveness and gratitude. The organizers succeeded in harmoniously blending the spiritual journey with the cultural and culinary ones. It was a complete experience suitable for both adults and children. We thank the ‘Saint Brendan the Navigator’ Pilgrimage Centre for the inspiration to organize this pilgrimage during the children’s school holiday. It was a wonderful opportunity to spend meaningful time within our larger parish family’.
For information and registration regarding future pilgrimages, please contact:
- 📞 +44 7918 441934
- ✉️ pelerinaje.athos@roarch.org.uk
Contact: Hierodeacon Damian