November 2, 2025
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 02.11.2025, 13:55
Cathedral. Nearly 200,000 pilgrims have passed through the Altar of the new National Cathedral in Bucharest, the largest in the Orthodox world, over the past week. The cathedral was consecrated on October 26 in a special service held by Patriarch Daniel, the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Plans for a national cathedral date back more than a century, following Romania’s independence, but were repeatedly delayed by two world wars, decades of communist rule and a fragile transition before joining the European Union. The cathedral is 127 meters high, can accommodate 5,000 people inside and tens of thousands on the esplanade. Hidden behind the parliament building, the cathedral has cost around 270 million euros so far, mostly from public funds. In Romania, the Church has considerable influence, remaining one of the most trusted institutions in the country of 19 million people, 85% of whom identify as Orthodox.
Robotics. The 14th edition of ROBOFEST, an event that brings together hundreds of teams of young engineers from over 30 countries, comes to an end today on the Campus of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest. Almost 1,200 robots from all over the world are participating in Robochallenge, a competition that has become an international benchmark for robotics enthusiasts. There are many spectacular events, from sumo wrestling between autonomous robots to speed races, intelligent mazes and demonstrations with humanoid robots. This year’s edition also includes an exhibition area, where technology companies display their innovations, live demonstrations with robotic arms and autonomous robots, as well as educational activities for the general public, free of charge.
Electricity. In Romania, low-income persons and families will also benefit from help with their heating and electricity bills over cold season, said the Minister of Labor, Florin Manole. In a post on social media, he said that applications are submitted to the city halls in the places of residence, and payments will be made starting in December. This is a way of helping families and single people in difficulty and those with few resources, Florin Manole also said. The heating bill supplement is granted between November 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026, and the electricity supplement throughout the course of the year. The aid is granted to families and people living on their own who have no other goods or properties and who earn no more than 275 euros per family member per month or up to around 410 euros per month in the case of people living alone.
Handball. The final men’s handball matches as part of the Carpati Trophy are held today: Georgia versus Ukraine and Romania versus Slovakia, hosted by Baia Mare (north-west). On Saturday, the Romanian side lost to Georgia 30-27 and Slovakia defeated Ukraine 32-31. Georgia are in first place, with 4 points, followed by Romania, with 2 points, Slovakia, with 2 points and Ukraine, also with 2 points. The Carpati Trophy is a training competition for the national men’s handball teams in Central and Eastern Europe ahead of the official season. Romania also hosted an edition of the trophy last January, when it was held in Mioveni (south), with the title being won by Serbia. (CM)
