Three Bessarabians have been canonized by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The decision was taken at a working meeting of the Holy Synod, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, IPN reports.

According to a press release of the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia, the canonization of 16 Romanian saints, three of whom are Bessarabians, was one of the main decisions of the Holy Synod.

The three Bessarabian are Saint Pious Confessor Sofian of Antim – Archimandrite Sofian Boghiu, abbot of the Antim Monastery in Bucharest, who will be honored on September 16; Saint Pious Iraclius of Bessarabia – Proto-Single Priest Iraclie Flocea, exarch of the monasteries of the Archdiocese of Chisinau, who will be honored on August 3, and Holy Martyr Priest Alexander of Bessarabia – Archpriest Alexandru Baltaga, who will be honored on August 8.

The official proclamation of the new saints will take place next year, on the occasion of the centenary of the recognition of the status of Patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the centenary of the establishment of the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia.