The Romanian Patriarchate and the Romanian Academy organized Jan. 24 a scientific session on the 158th anniversary of the Union of the Romanian Principalities. The Palace of the Patriarchate hosted the event.
Academician Ionel Valentin Vlad, President of the Romanian Academy, moderated the session.
In opening remarks, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, honorary member of the Romanian Academy, addressed the audience focusing on the important contribution of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the accomplishment of the Union of 1859.
The Patriarch explained that January 24 is celebrated at the Palace of the Patriarchate because it is here that Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza of Moldova was elected Ruler Prince of Wallachia. He said that the hours of the Union on the Hill of the Patriarchate were a time blessed by God, and one should not call the Union of 1859 a Small Union, but the basic Union for the Great Union of Romania in 1918.
His Beatitude urged Romanians not to reduce the national day to a mini-vacation, but to cultivate gratitude for those who supported the Union.
The President of the Romanian Academy took the floor and noted that the Union of the Romanian Principalities represented a huge progress.
Academician Vlad said that this Union had supporters within the European royal houses. He noted that during the same time Germany was unified under Emperor Wilhelm I. It is assumed that Napoleon III suggested the election of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza at Bucharest in order to unite the Romanian Principalities.
Cuza was not only the Prince of the Union but also the Prince of reforms, Acad. Vlad said. Under his reign, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople recognizes the autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church. Not everything was perfect, but the progress was huge during the reign of Cuza, Ionel Valentin Vlad said.
The President of the Romanian Academy ended his speech saying: Lord, bless Romania! Enlighten us and unite us in everything we do!
The scientific session at the Palace of the Patriarchate concluded with the launch of two volumes published by the Basilica Publishing House of the Romanian Patriarchate.
The event was attended by the members of the Standing Church National Council, members of the Standing Archdiocesan Council of Bucharest, professors and students of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology and of the Theological Seminary in Bucharest, priests from Bucharest and other guests.
Photo credit: Basilica.ro
