A group of master’s students enrolled at the Chișinău extension of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Bucharest visited the Patriarchal Palace on Wednesday.
The students were welcomed by Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Paisie of Sinaia, who encouraged the young people from Bessarabia to become creators of unity.
“I urge you, therefore, to preserve and cultivate your connection to the authentic values of the Orthodox Church, to sound and balanced theology, and to the spiritual tradition that has produced saints, martyrs, and spiritual fathers,” said Bishop Paisie.
“Let us strive to be bridges of communion, to be creators of unity and guardians of our Christian and Romanian dignity.”
He continued: “I encourage you to maintain fraternal ties with your brothers and sisters in the country, to cultivate spiritual friendships, and to remember that unity is not merely a political or cultural aspiration—it is a Gospel commandment: ‘That they all may be one…’ (John 17:21), as Christ prayed.”
A Time for Learning and Hope
Bishop Paisie emphasized that the visit to Bucharest is more than an academic trip:
“Your visit is not merely an academic event or a cultural journey—it is more than a symbolic gesture. It is proof that beyond man-made borders and ecclesiastical jurisdictions, there exists a unity of faith, language, and soul that binds us and strengthens us.”
“We know that some of you come from different jurisdictions, with complex realities, at times influenced by foreign historical and geopolitical contexts. This is not a reason for judgment but a moment for knowledge, prayer, and hope. Because the Church of Christ is not built through division, but through communion based on love and truth.”
He quoted St. Cyprian of Carthage: “He who does not have the Church as Mother cannot have God as Father.”
“This motherhood of the Church calls us to unity, faithfulness, and pure service,” the bishop concluded.
Educational Visit in Bucharest
The master’s students are on a study trip in the Romanian capital. Their itinerary includes visits to the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, as well as to the St Anthimos, Radu Vodă, and Cernica Monasteries.
They will also tour the National Cathedral, the Parliament Palace, and the Rectorate of the University of Bucharest.
The “Patriarch Justinian” Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Bucharest launched in 2023 a Master’s extension program titled “Pastoral Care and Liturgical Life” in Chișinău and Rome.
Through these new extensions, more young people from Romanian communities near the country’s borders (Republic of Moldova) and in the diaspora (such as Italy and other Western European countries) now have access to Orthodox theological studies and the liturgical life of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
The faculty has been fulfilling its educational mission beyond Romania’s borders since 2017 when it opened its first extension in Rome for pastoral theology.
Check out our Photo gallery section for more pictures.
Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
