Regardless of their coding or noncoding nature, RNAs transcribed in the nucleus spend part of their life in the close environment of the chromatin, intervening in chromatin-associated processes. However, the impact that these nuclear RNAs play in different aspects of DNA replication and genomic stability is poorly understood. We recently found that RNAs are implicated in the initiation of DNA replication. ORC1, the pioneering subunit of the human Origin Recognition Complex, interacts with RNAs transcribed from genes with origins in their transcription start sites. By interacting with the IDR of ORC1, RNA regulates its phosphorylation and chromatin release, which is required for optimal activation of replication origins. We have further explored the association of RNAs with the chromatin and their relationship with genomic stability, identifying a new class of repetitive long noncoding RNAs that are enriched at replication forks. The association of these lncRNAs has a negative effect on the efficiency and speed of DNA synthesis. I will elaborate on our new research findings, revealing distinct noncoding functions of RNA within chromatin, dynamically coordinating transcription and replication in human cells.