During a meeting with Romanians from Vienna last Friday, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel expressed his joy that national identity is preserved in the diaspora through ‘the rich activity’ carried out by parishes.
‘We are happy that you maintain a connection with Romania and you want to better know the spirituality and history of our Church,’ His Beatitude said June 21.
The pilgrims from the Resurrection of the Lord Parish in Vienna had a chance to recall the moment of the consecration of their church by Patriarch Daniel, which took place ten years ago.
On their church’s 10th anniversary, Fr Nicolae Dura organized a pilgrimage to several holy places in Romania and received the blessing of the Patriarch.
‘We congratulate you for encouraging pilgrimages as a pastoral method of intensifying spiritual life and the communion among parish members,’ Patriarch Daniel said.
‘These pilgrimages to churches and monasteries are an ancient Christian tradition in the early centuries of Christianity.’
At the end of the meeting, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel wished the pilgrims ‘many years blessed and much help from God.’
Photography courtesy of Lumina Newspaper / Luigi Ivanciu
