His Grace Bishop Justin of Maramureș and Sătmar welcomed a delegation from ACT Alliance and the World Council of Churches at the diocesan centre in Baia Mare last week.
The delegation visited Hungary, Ukraine and Romania on 14-18 March, focusing on humanitarian needs and church response.
The Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar is one of the Romanian Orthodox Church’s most involved institutions in alleviating the humanitarian crisis. Its jurisdiction includes two border crossing points to Ukraine at Sighetul Marmației, in Maramureș county, and Halmeu, in Satu Mare county.
His Grace Bishop Justin explained to the delegation that the Romanian Orthodox Church is very dynamically and actively involved in the reception and in taking Christian care of all those crossing the border into Romania, whether they stay or transition freely on the way to western countries. The Ukrainian refugees are provided with medicines, food, clothes, accommodation or guidance to destinations.
An important facet of care at these crossing points comes from priests and volunteers who show love, warmth and generosity.
Petrova Monastery is hosting more than 50 mothers with children for an indefinite period, providing accommodation, meals and other care.
Through collaboration with the educational authorities and institutions, children are also given the opportunity to attend school and learn in their native language within the Ukrainian communities in the area.
Bishop Justin stressed that the Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar is the intermediary between the dioceses and associations abroad that provide material support, taking care of the reception and distribution of aid both in the country and across the border to war-affected areas.
To date, the Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar has provided refugees with various types of support amounting to almost €200,000. At the level of the whole Romanian Orthodox Church, almost 4 million Euros have been spent to alleviate this humanitarian crisis.
Immediately after the beginning of the military conflict in Ukraine, the Romanian Orthodox Church was at the side of the refugees who came to Romania and the Republic of Moldova, offering them food and material aid, spiritual assistance, transport services and accommodation.
Dioceses in the country and abroad, together with NGOs of the Church, have been mobilized in this regard. Support initiatives for refugees are coordinated through the “Help with Joy” platform, where people can offer material aid or sign up as volunteers.
Photography courtesy of the Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar
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