On Tuesday, the Patriarch of Romania received His Eminence Gianfranco Ghirlanda SJ, a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church from Italy, at the Patriarchal Residence in Bucharest.
During the meeting, various aspects of the positive cooperation between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church—both in Romania and Italy—were discussed.
Romanians in Italy
In this context, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel mentioned the situation of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy, which currently includes over 300 parishes. These communities either own or have built their churches or are hosted in buildings provided by the Roman Catholic Church.
It was also noted that Italy has a good relationship between the state and the Romanian Orthodox Diocese. The diocese has been officially recognized as a religious denomination and has already signed an intesa (agreement) with the Italian Government, pending approval by the Italian Parliament.
Challenges in European society
The conversation also addressed some of the current challenges in European society, particularly the growing trend of secularization—described as a non-aggressive, sometimes attractive form of atheism—which poses a deeper threat to the preservation and affirmation of Christian values.
It was emphasized that although the founders and original values of the European Union were rooted in Christianity, there are now situations in which values being promoted differ from, or even contradict, the Christian faith.
Patriarch Daniel also highlighted the strong academic ties between the churches, including the offering of scholarships and hosting of Romanian Orthodox theologians at Catholic academic institutions in Italy, as well as the joint organization of congresses, symposia, and university events, according to Fr. George Grigoriță, Patriarchal Counsellor, who attended the meeting.
“The Romanian Church, a Bridge Between East and West”
According to the same source, Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda SJ thanked His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel for the invitation to visit Romania and expressed his deep appreciation for Romanian Orthodoxy, which he described as unique due to its Latin heritage.
He emphasized that the Romanian Orthodox Church could serve as a bridge between East and West, facilitating sincere, pragmatic, and open dialogue aimed at unity in Christ.
In this regard, the Patriarch of Romania recalled some early Romanian saints—Saint John Cassian and Saint Dionysius Exiguus—who acted as true bridges between East and West. Due to their Latin origins and Eastern Orthodox faith, they fluently used Latin and Greek and could translate directly from one language to another.
About Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda
Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda, nearly 83 years old, is an Italian national and holds a doctorate in law from La Sapienza University in Rome. He also studied philosophy, theology, and canon law.
He entered the Jesuit Order in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1973. In 2023, Pope Francis elevated him to the rank of cardinal.
Photo: Patriarchal Residence
