Romanian President Nicușor Dan sent a congratulatory message to Patriarch Daniel on Tuesday, marking the 18th anniversary of his enthronement as Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
President Dan underlined that “the 18th anniversary of your enthronement as Patriarch, in the Centennial Year of the Romanian Patriarchate, is the most fitting occasion to celebrate a fruitful ministry and to recognise the important role that the Romanian Orthodox Church plays in our society, by strengthening faith, hope, and trust.”
“I especially appreciate Your Beatitude’s support for young people and education. The Church’s involvement in supporting schools, promoting culture, and preserving the spiritual heritage of Orthodoxy contributes to building a society based on reconciliation, solidarity, and charity,” the President’s message read.
The message was presented by Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești after a Doxology officiated in the “Europa Christiana” Hall of the Patriarchal Palace.
In his full address, President Dan praised the Church’s role in maintaining moral values, offering solidarity during the pandemic, war, and humanitarian crises, and contributing to social unity. He also emphasised the importance of the soon-to-be consecrated National Cathedral, dedicated to the memory of national heroes, as a future spiritual landmark and symbol of continuity and hope for generations to come.
Please find below the full text of the Romanian President’s message.
To His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel,
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Your Beatitude, Patriarch Daniel,
I congratulate you on this important moment in your life and in the life of the entire Romanian Orthodox Church! The 18th anniversary of your enthronement as Patriarch, in the Centennial Year of the Romanian Patriarchate, is the most fitting occasion to celebrate a fruitful ministry and to recognise the important role that the Romanian Orthodox Church plays in our society by strengthening faith, hope, and trust.
The sacred dimension of the Church is reflected in the mission it assumes in public life. This noble mission has, under Your Beatitude’s guidance, gained depth and breadth. The Church has become increasingly attentive to the dilemmas of contemporary humanity and ready to respond to the challenges facing the society in which we live.
Undoubtedly, we are living through a complicated period, marked by difficulties on many levels, but especially by a crisis of values and authentic reference points, which risks affecting interpersonal relations and the connection between citizens and institutions. In this context, the Church has been and will always remain a moral and ethical landmark, a bridge between our spiritual traditions and the challenges of the present.
The role of the Church is to guide us toward truth, respect, unity, integrity, and fraternal love. In recent years, marked by the pandemic, by war, and by humanitarian crises, the Church has set an example of solidarity and has offered concrete help to the disadvantaged, the marginalised, and to victims of violence and exile. Your Beatitude, you have been constantly close to the people, sharing their sufferings and hopes, strengthening their faith through your constant invitation to dialogue.
I believe that in moments of social tension, the Church, through the voice of Your Beatitude, can be a factor of balance, calling for reconciliation. In this way, we can rediscover the truly important things that help us become strong in the face of adversity and unite us in fulfilling the common good.
I especially appreciate Your Beatitude’s support for young people and for education. The Church’s involvement in supporting schools, promoting culture, and preserving the spiritual heritage of Orthodoxy is a contribution to building a society rooted in reconciliation, solidarity, and charity.
At the same time, I would like to congratulate you on the significant projects undertaken by the Romanian Orthodox Church in recent years, which have had a profoundly positive impact on communities in the country and the diaspora, as well as on the national identity. In particular, the completion and forthcoming consecration of the National Cathedral, dedicated to the memory of heroes, symbolising the faith and unity of the Romanian people, will become a spiritual landmark, a symbol of continuity and hope for future generations.
Under Your Beatitude’s guidance, the Romanian Orthodox Church has helped society remain united and to look with confidence toward the European path that Romania has chosen. We must continue together on this path, with responsibility and wisdom, to build a stable and balanced future founded on authentic values, respect, and cooperation.
With all due respect for what you represent and accomplish in the Romanian Orthodox Church, I wish you health, strength, and many years to continue serving the people and Romania with the same devotion.
Many blessed years, Your Beatitude!
President of Romania
Nicușor-Daniel Dan
Photo: Basilica.ro Files
