His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel received His Excellency Mr José Antonio Hernández Pérez – Solórzano, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Romania, on a presentation visit at the patriarchal residence on Thursday, January 26, 2023.
The Spanish Ambassador thanked for the opportunity to meet the Patriarch of Romania and highlighted that Romania is a country where the majority of Romanians practice the professed Orthodox faith.
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel appreciated the Ambassador’s intense diplomatic activity and highlighted that the living profession of the Orthodox faith, even during the communist period, is proof that it is part of the identity of the Romanian people and its religious traditions.
The Ambassador emphasized the importance of the mostly Orthodox Romanian community in Spain, which has integrated very well into Spanish society, including by occupying significant public positions in the administration of Spain.
In this integration process, a notable contribution is made by the Romanian Orthodox Church through its Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Spain and Portugal, which, in addition to promoting the identity of Romanian faith and culture, constitutes a central landmark for the manifestation of solidarity within the Romanian community in Spain.
The Patriarch of Romania thanked the Ambassador for the hospitality shown to Romanians residing permanently or temporarily in Spain and for the excellent cooperation of the representatives of the Romanian Patriarchate in Spain with the authorities of the Kingdom of Spain, expressing the hope that this cooperation will continue and develop.
During the meeting, the two interlocutors highlighted the role and importance of promoting dialogue in contemporary society because Europe is now facing a devastating war in Ukraine, both on a human and material level.
Department for External Church Relations of the Romanian Patriarchate
Photography courtesy of Lumina Newspaper / Mihnea Păduraru
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