Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Archdiocese of Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Coat of arms
Location
Country	United Kingdom
Territory	Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Metropolitan	Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe
Headquarters	Enfield, London, England
Information
Denomination	Romanian Orthodox Church
Sui iuris church	Eastern Orthodox Church
Rite	Byzantine Rite
Established	2024 (as a diocese); elevated to archdiocese in 2024
Cathedral	St George the Great Martyr Archdiocesan Cathedral (Enfield)
Current leadership
Parent church	Romanian Orthodox Church
Bishop	Atanasie (Rusnac)
Website
roarch.org.uk

The Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Romanian Orthodox Church serving Romanian Orthodox communities in the United Kingdom. It forms part of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe. ^[1]

The archdiocese is headquartered in Enfield, London, and is led by Archbishop Atanasie (Rusnac).

History

In February 2024, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church approved the establishment of a Romanian Orthodox diocese for Great Britain and Northern Ireland as part of a broader reorganization of ecclesiastical jurisdictions serving Romanian Orthodox communities in Western Europe. ^[2]

The decision reflected the size and pastoral needs of the Romanian Orthodox diaspora in the United Kingdom, one of the largest Romanian communities outside Romania. ^[3]

On 12 July 2024, the diocese was elevated to the rank of archdiocese and placed under the jurisdiction of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe. ^[4]

On 25 October 2024, the Holy Synod elected Bishop Atanasie of Bogdania as the first Archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. His enthronement took place on 10 May 2025 at the archdiocesan cathedral in Enfield, London. ^[5]

Organization

The archdiocese oversees Romanian Orthodox parishes and missions throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Its administrative and pastoral activity is coordinated through archdiocesan offices based in Enfield, London.

Cathedral

The archdiocesan seat is the St George the Great Martyr Archdiocesan Cathedral in Enfield, London, which serves as the principal place of worship and administrative center of the archdiocese.

Leadership

Archbishop Atanasie (Rusnac), born Tudor Rusnac on 17 January 1982 in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, was ordained to the episcopate in 2018 and previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy prior to his election as archbishop in 2024. ^[6]

See also

• Romanian Orthodox Church
• Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe
• Eastern Orthodoxy in the United Kingdom

References

1. "Romanian Orthodox Church establishes dioceses for Romanians in UK and Ireland". Orthodox Times. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
2. "Romanian Orthodox Church establishes Diocese of Great Britain". OrthoChristian. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
3. "Romanian community in the United Kingdom". Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
4. "Holy Synod elevates Romanian Diocese of Great Britain to archdiocese". OrthoChristian. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
5. "Bishop Atanasie elected first Romanian Orthodox Archbishop for the UK and Northern Ireland". Basilica News Agency. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
6. "Bishop Atanasie elected first Romanian Orthodox Archbishop for the UK and Northern Ireland". Basilica News Agency. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2026.