Representatives of local Orthodox Churches and of other Christian communities to the European institutions, diplomats, members of the European Parliament, members and friends of the Romanian community in Brussels gathered at St Nicholas Church in the capital of Belgium to offer prayers for the success of the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council on Wednesday evening, Jan. 30, 2019.
The special service during which faithful asked for God’s help and enlightenment for ‘our leaders as they take up the responsibility of these new duties, to act for the benefit of all the people of the European Union’ was led by Rev. Sorin Șelaru, director of the Representation of the Romanian Patriarchate to the European Institutions.
Those present prayed so that the actions of those in charge with EU’s rotating presidency may be pleasing to God and in accordance with the Gospel.
‘Grant them profound and lasting peace.’
‘Speak to their hearts good things concerning your Church and all your people that through the faithful conduct of their duties we may live peaceful and serene lives in all piety and holiness,’ the litany read.
‘Sustain the good in their goodness; make the wicked good through Your goodness.’
‘Remember, Lord, the people here present and those 11 who are absent with good cause. Have mercy on them and on us according to the multitude of Your mercy.’
At the end of the service, Fr Sorin Șelaru stressed that ‘we bring prayers of gratitude for the goodwill bestowed upon the Romanian people, now, when, for the first time in history, Romania takes over the presidency of the European Union.’
‘Our grateful thoughts also go to the ones who strived for our country to become a part of this European family, having therewith in mind the founding fathers of the EU,’ Fr. Șelaru added Jan. 30.
Referring to the ambitious priorities announced by the Romanian Presidency, focused especially on securing and strengthening cohesion within the European family, Rev. Șelaru underscored that, in striving to achieve all these goals, EU leaders should always have the human being at the center of their concerns
‘The human being, is not just an object of a certain market or a number in a global consumerist equation, but a brother or a sister, a son or a daughter, a mother or a father, a relative, a friend or a neighbour – from near or far, a person with gifts and needs, a rational and sensitive subject, who needs to be bolstered and helped,’ the head of the Romanian Patriarchate’s representation in Brussels concluded.
Photography courtesy of romorth.eu
