Saint Magdalena of Mălainița commemorated in Orthodox calendar

Saint Magdalena of Mălainița, born on November 22, 1895, in the village of Șciubic, is commemorated in the Orthodox calendar. Born to a Serbian father, Milenko Ilić, and a Romanian mother, Milca, she demonstrated a deep devotion to prayer and the Church from a young age.

After being widowed during the First World War, she became a vital figure in her community. During the Bulgarian occupation between 1915 and 1918, when local priests were arrested or killed, she maintained religious services and served as a linguistic bridge between Romanian and Serbian speakers. Her dedication led bishops to grant her permission to enter the altar, a rare occurrence for women during that era.