On October 14, 2025, the whole of Romania looks at Iași, the place where the relics of Saint Cuvioase Parascheva, the protector of Moldova and one of the most beloved holy in the Orthodox calendar. Considered miracles, for many relics are a source of hope and relief in difficult times. Therefore, the pilgrims stay for hours at queues, praying or reflecting, in search of peace and support.
The icon of Saint Parascheva PHOTO PHOTO Prislop Facebook
The dedication of Saint Parascheva of October 14 brings together hundreds of thousands of believers annually, transforming the pilgrimage from Iasi to “The largest religious event in Eastern Europe”. The influence of the saint is also felt in other Orthodox countries in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, where it is revered with the same godliness, on the same date or on different data.
But the holiday does not just mean roads to the scraper and crowds. Beyond the pilgrimage, the event is a journey in living traditions: gestures of mercy, prayers for health and blessing, ancient customs and signs of nature that link people to faith and past.
In the following lines you will discover the universe of Saint Parascheva-as the dream, prayer and pilgrimage are interwoven with the living faith in the power of the aquatist, and how the story of her life has transformed it into a living legend, the protector of Moldova, between history, miracles and signs that still wate the Romanian autumn.
Traditions and customs of Saint Parascheva
Every year, on October 14, Romania pulsates at a special pace. Villages and cities are filled with people who come to honor Saint Parascheva, the protector of Moldova, through a unique mixture of prayer, mercy and gratitude.
The housewives prepare collacs, sarmales and chosen dishes, which they share to the needy “For the soul of the sleeping”. In some places, the collars reach the church, are sanctified and then move on, turning kindness into prayer. Also now, people thank for the fruits of autumn, carefully kept in the rooms, and for the peace of a season calling for peace, view and meditation.
On the eve, the women do general cleaning in the household, a symbolic gesture of purification of the house and the soul, preparing for the grace of the Holy Day, inspired by the prayerful life of Saint Parascheva. Young people who want marriage or children wash their face with clean water in the morning, considered purifying and blessed. Many choose to post before the holiday, praying for protection, health and peace in the family.
In the Romanian villages, the day of the Holy means stopping from work, igniting candles and dividing cages, apples and must – simple, but meaningful gestures, which link people to tradition and divine. The scraper with the relics of Saint Parascheva becomes a source of hope, where prayers rise as a common breath of faith.
Superstitions October 14: Signs of the time
The day of October 14 is not just about visible rituals – it is a day when heaven and earth seem to speak by signs. It is said that the time of Saint Parascheva shows how winter will be: the small rain predicting a gentle season, and the cold and the clear sky announcing a long and harsh winter. In the villages of Moldova, people look at the sky and say: “The saint shakes his niece over the world – as the rain falls, so will the weather.”
According to popular traditions, certain gestures are forbidden to not attract misfortune: do not eat fruits (or just go as an apple), do not wash, do not cook and do not step. Failure to comply with these habits could cause headaches or other troubles.
The fire must burn all day, a symbol of divine light and protection; its extinguishing before sunset is considered a bad sign. The dreams of the night before the feast are seen as premonitory messages, and those who get sick on the day of the Holy Believers say they must repent. At the same time, the big weddings or parties are avoided, because the day is reserved for peace and retreat.
Thus, between the visible traditions and the invisible signs of superstitions, the day of October 14 remains a meeting of man with the divine, a balance between what is seen and what is felt. For the believers, Saint Parascheva is not only an icon – but a living presence that still watches over people.
The icon of Saint Parascheva Photo source Gabriel Cazacu for Adevărul
Dream with Saint Parascheva: meanings and messages
It is said that when St. Parascheva appears in your dream, it is not a simple event. It is not just a game of the subconscious, but a message from a world in which prayers get voice. Many believe that she comes where there is pain, suffering or wandering – like a gentle light that touches the soul in the moments of buying.
For the sick, the dream with Saint Parascheva is a sign of relief, hope and healing. For those pressing mistakes or uneasy, it is the call to return to the path of faith. Sometimes she says nothing, but her mere presence brings peace that only grace can give.
It is also said that when a saint speaks in the dream, his words are not to be ignored. There can be tips, warnings or even blessings for what follows. If St. Parascheva is approaching you, tradition says that there is a good news-successful in a project, unexpected help or healing. And if you see yourself kneeling in front of it, it is a sign that a difficult, health or life problem will soon find its solution.
But, beyond all these meanings, the dream with Saint Parascheva is more than a sign. It’s a meeting. A moment when heaven seems to descend into the soul of man, to remember that he is never alone.
The Acatist of Saint Parascheva: meaning, prayer and power
The thousands of people who are gathering in the row of light and prayer in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iași, come to pray for health, others for forgiveness, and many for the peace of the heart. But beyond tears and hopes, there is an unseen thread that binds these souls – the Acatist of Saint Parascheva, a prayer about faith, grace and miracle.
It is said that the aquatist has a special power, especially when he is spoken on the feast day of the Holy. His lyrics, sung or read in faith, are a mysterious dialogue between the soul of man and heaven. For some, it is comforting in the disease; For others, a light in the middle of the attempt.
Father Gabriel Cazacu, the parish priest of the Cașin Monastery, explained for “Truth” The essence of this prayer: “The Acatist of Saint Parascheva is a synthesis of his life and wonders, a testimony of how the saint has worked in the lives of people throughout the generations. For almost four centuries, it has protected the Fortress of Moldova and the Romanian people. It is a blessing to have the aquatist in the house and to read it to God.”
The believers believe that the aquatist brings healing and protection – many tell that, after reciting the prayer, they felt the pain relief, they received good news or they went through hard times. Others speak of his power to cleanse the soul, to strengthen faith and bring inner peace. Prayer also has another gift: the call to good deeds. As you read the aquatist, the heart opens – and then the thought is naturally heading for those in need. Mercy becomes an extension of prayer, and small gestures become part of a larger miracle.
The secrets of Saint Parascheva’s Acatist: How to bring healing and protection
The Acatist of Saint Parascheva is not only a prayer – it is a song of the soul, a dialogue between man and divinity. Made of condyles and icons, hymns that alternate between praise and demand, he tells the life, sacrifice and miracles of the protector of Moldova.
The first condac begins with a call of faith: “On you, Holy Parascheva, we praise you and humbly raise our prayers, asking for your help and intercession before God.”
Follow the icons, like a cascade of joys and blessings: “Rejoice, chosen among the saints, Parascheva! Rejoice, for you are our defender! Rejoice, that through you is given comfort!”
In these simple and graceful lyrics, the essence of faith is hidden: gratitude, hope and desire of the soul to be close to God. In the end, the believers address requests for health and blessing, invoking the protection of the saint on families and community.
The difference between the aquatist and a mere prayer to Saint Parascheva lies in intensity: if prayer is a whisper of the heart, the aquatist is her song – solemn, vibrant, full of light.
“O, Holy Great Muceniță Parascheva, hear us, those who pray you … Protect this city and all those who worship your holy relics …”
Red faithfully, the aquatist becomes more than a tradition. It is a repeated miracle, a bridge between man and God, between earth and eternity. In a hurried world, in which the prayer seems to be forgotten, the Acatist of Saint Parascheva remains a window to heaven. A moment of silence that heals, a covenant between man and divine, a gentle call to hope and love.
The canopy with the scraps of the relics of Saint Parascheva and of Sf Grigorie Palama in Iași 2025 Doxology
Life of Saint Parascheva: From childhood to legend
Born at the end of the tenth century in Epivat-a village near the Sea Marmara, today Selimpaşa, Turkey-Parascheva came from a wealthy Christian family. But since childhood, he chose the path of humility. He was only 10 years old when he heard the words in the church “Anyone who wants to come after me, to reject themselves, take their cross and follow me.” He decided to give his clothes and goods to the poor. It was the first gesture of a life lived in total dedication.
After the death of the parents, Parascheva left behind the worldly wealth and comfort, heading for the Holy Land. He lived in fasting and prayer in Jerusalem and Jordan’s desert, leading a lifetime. She died in silence, in her native places, but her death was not the end – the powerless body, miraculously discovered, would become the proof of her holiness.
How was Saint Parascheva transform into the protector of Moldova
Every autumn, Iasi turns into a place of living faith. Thousands of pilgrims come to reach the scraper of Saint Parascheva, the woman who gave up everything for God and who, over the centuries, has become the symbol of hope.
It all started in 1641 when the ruler Vasile Lupu brought his relics to Iasi, as gratitude from the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Racla was seated at the church “Holy Three Hierarchs”and then, after the fire of 1888, in the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iasi, where it is still today. The relics remained intact in the middle of the flames-a miracle that strengthened the aura of holiness and which the believers called “The miracle from Iasi”.
Since then, Saint Parascheva is no longer just a figure in history. It has become the protector of Moldova, the symbol of hope and faith, a living presence in the souls of those who pray for health, forgiveness or redemption. Officially canonized by the Romanian Orthodox Church in 1955, Saint Parascheva is celebrated every year on October 14 – the day when Iasi becomes the heart of the Romanian faith.
In front of Racle with his relics, tears, prayers and faith are interwoven in one thought: that of hope and gratitude for the one who, from childhood to eternity, chose to live for others.
Her story, born from a child’s gesture and transformed into a national symbol, continues to inspire today. A life of dedication that became a legend. A saint who, from humility, conquered eternity.
Saint Parascheva 2025: Tradition, faith and pilgrimage
The feast of Saint Parascheva 2025 is not only a moment of prayer, but a return to the authentic values of the Romanian faith. Whether we are talking about the traditions and customs kept with sanctity, about the pilgrimage from Iași, about the significance of dreams or the power of Saint Parascheva, or about the grace story of Cuvioasa, the day of October 14 remains one of hope, gratitude and light.
