Thousands of pilgrims queue in Iasi, Romania, to pray at relics of St. Parascheva

Around 25,000 pilgrims from Romania and abroad spent the night queuing at the cathedral in Iasi, waiting to pray at the relics of the Saint Parascheva, who is celebrated every year on October 14. As many as 130,000 pilgrims have already worshiped the saint in the days before the official Orthodox holiday. The remaining pilgrims formed a 3-kilometer queue outside the cathedral in the Northern city of Iasi. Pilgrims will be offered traditional food, including the Romanian dish 'sarmale' – stuffed cabbage rolls. Authorities prepared as many as 65,000 sarmale for the occasion. The entire Romanian Patriarchy celebrates and worships St. Parascheva, but she is particularly seen as the protector of Romania's Moldavia region. Saint Parascheva lived in the first half of the 11th century and was born at Epivata, nowadays Boiados in Bulgaria. Her entire body preserved and wrapped, placed in a casket with a glass top, is on display at the Iasi church, where people from all over Romania come and pray for miracles. Saint Parascheva is considered the Protector of Moldavia and Bucovina and Christians believe in the miraculous powers of the relics. The saint's relics were brought to Iasi in 1641, during the reign of the ruler Vasile Lupu. editor@romania-insider.com