The Cathedral of Saint Paraskeva (Catedrala Sfânta Parascheva), also known as Union Cathedral (Catedrala Unirii), is a large Romanian Orthodox cathedral near the center of Focșani. Dedicated to Saint Paraskeva and the Life-Giving Spring, it was built in the early 21st century to provide the city with a monumental place of worship for major religious services and celebrations.
The project began in 2002, supported by the Archdiocese of Buzău and Vrancea, local authorities, and donations from worshippers. Patriarch Teoctist blessed the foundation stone in 2004, but construction progressed slowly because of funding difficulties and interruptions. Religious services were initially held in a temporary wooden chapel and later in the cathedral’s basement while work continued on the main building. The structure gradually took shape during the following decade, with the large central dome and smaller towers installed in 2014 and completed externally in 2015. After further work on the exterior and interior, the cathedral was blessed and opened for worship on October 14, 2019, the feast day of Saint Paraskeva.
The cathedral follows the architectural forms of traditional Romanian Orthodox churches on a much larger scale, with a cruciform plan, projecting apses, and a tall central dome accompanied by smaller towers. The exterior is characterized by pale walls, arched windows, decorative stonework, and a monumental entrance with columns inspired by the Brâncovenesc style. Its spacious interior is arranged around a broad nave, with side apses designed to accommodate large congregations. The furnishings include carved wooden choir stalls and an iconostasis separating the nave from the sanctuary, while religious paintings and icons form part of the interior decoration.
The cathedral is used for regular services and major Orthodox celebrations, with its large interior also accommodating gatherings of clergy from across the Archdiocese of Buzău and Vrancea.
