Maria Rusu and her husband traveled all night from Cluj to Bucharest to visit Romania’s new national cathedral, the largest Orthodox Christian church in the world. Since its opening on Sunday, many Romanians have flocked to see the cathedral, which took 15 years to build. Rusu, a retired economist, expressed her admiration for the church after waiting in line to enter.
The cathedral will serve as the seat of the Romanian Orthodox Church, replacing a much smaller cathedral built in the 1600s. The mosaic iconography was consecrated during a ceremony attended by prominent Orthodox leaders. Plans for a national cathedral date back over a century, but earlier efforts were hindered by historical events like wars and communist rule.
On a daily basis, up to 40,000 visitors are expected at the cathedral, which can hold 5,000 people inside and many more outside. Built behind the parliament building, the cathedral has cost about 270 million euros, mostly funded by taxpayers, raising some criticism. The Orthodox Church remains a significant institution in Romania.
With information from Reuters
