His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel welcomed Her Excellency Marija Kapitanović, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia in Bucharest, at his patriarchal residence on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.
The Ambassador expressed gratitude for finally getting to visit the Patriarch of Romania, a significant figure in Romanian society, despite the delay caused by the recent coronavirus outbreak.
Her Excellency stated that around 5,000 ethnic Croats live in an old community in Romania dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, who are successfully integrated into Romanian society while retaining their Croatian language and cultural identity.
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel complimented the Croatian Ambassador’s particularly intense diplomatic work and emphasised the country’s ethnic diversity, particularly in Western Romania, which facilitates cultural exchanges and opportunities to promote the skills and characteristics of each community in harmony, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. Cultural and linguistic groups must be recognised, safeguarded, and fostered in this regard.
The relevance and necessity of upholding Christian principles were underlined throughout the discussion, with the Croatian Christian community in Romania, the Romanian Orthodox community in Zagreb, and the small groups of Istro-Romanians in Croatia all playing a part.
Department of External Church Relations of the Romanian Patriarchate
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
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