Thousands of pilgrims gathered in Bucharest on Sunday 26th October 2025 to witness the consecration of religious paintings inside the world’s largest Orthodox Christian church.
The People’s Salvation Cathedral, known as the National Cathedral, was opened after 15 years of construction.
At its highest point, the cathedral stood more than 125 metres tall and had space for 5,000 worshippers, according to Associated Press (AP).
The vast interior has frescoes and mosaics depicting saints and icons, stretching across 17,800 square metres.
The project was first proposed in 1881 during the reign of King Carol I, but construction only began in 2010, because of two world wars and the decades of communist rule, which sought to suppress religion.
The altar was consecrated in 2018, and the cathedral has so far cost around €270 million (£229 million). The majority of the funding came from public money, according to AP.
Sunday’s opening service was attended by President Nicusor Dan and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, while thousands of worshippers watched the ceremony from outside on large TV screens.
Romania is one of the most devout nations in the European Union, with about 85 per cent of its population identifying as religious.
However, some citizens criticised the use of public funds on the project, arguing the money could have been spent on schools or hospitals.
Some parts of the cathedral remain unfinished, but officials described the consecration as a major moment for the country’s Orthodox community.