The representatives of the branches of the Association of Romanian Orthodox Christian Students (ASCOR) were welcomed Sunday at the Patriarchate’s Palace by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel who congratulated them for the Association’s 30th anniversary ‘of existence and activity, of service to the Church and the country.’
The Patriarch praised the organization for its presence in the life of the Church and ‘the testimony it brings among students, in various university centres.’
‘This profession of faith in the public space in word and deed, through prayer and action, is vital.’
‘ASCOR unites young people who want to pray together, to sing together, to listen to spiritual lectures together, to participate in spiritual and humanitarian, philanthropic activities, which indicate Christ’s humble and merciful love for people,’ the Romanian Patriarch said July 19.
His Beatitude appreciated the fact that the Association of Romanian Orthodox Christian Students (ASCOR) emphasized from the beginning the participation in divine services and the organization of spiritual lectures during Great Lent.
The Patriarch reminded the young people of the words of the Holy Fathers who say that “pure love is born of prayer” and that “God is a worker in the soul of the person who prays.”
The gifts offered by the Patriarch to the ASCOR members included books on Philokalic prayer and a collection of Supplicatory canons and Akathists for the days of the week.
Fourteen representatives from across country, one for each branch, were in Bucharest, between July 17 and July 19, for the ASCOR National Conference.
On June 14, the organization celebrated its 30th anniversary. Most of the projects planned for the anniversary have been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Association of Orthodox Christian Students in Romania was founded on June 14, 1990, in Bucharest with the blessing of the Holy Synod, at the initiative of students and doctoral students from different faculties.
ASCOR has a national character, with branches in all university centres including Sibiu, Craiova, Alba-Iulia, Oradea, Timișoara, Baia-Mare, Iași, Suceava, Bacău, Galați, Constanța, Tulcea etc.
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
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