Today, 30 April 2014, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church received at the Patriarchal Residence the participants in the Consultation for the estimation of the dialogue between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church of Germany which is taking place in Bucharest from 29 April – 2 May 2014.
The results of the collaboration during the last few decades between the two Churches as well as the ways of its intensification and diversification were mentioned.
The Patriarch of Romania appreciated, in this context, the support that the Romanian communities of Diaspora receive on behalf of the Evangelical Church and not only of this Church: “I felt that the dialogue was not only a theological one, but often accompanied by brotherly aid, especially for many Romanian Orthodox people living in Germany. We are also glad because we have often received scholarships for our students who studied at various theological faculties of Germany. We do not forget the fact that the Dogmatic by Father Dumitru Staniloae was translated by a Lutheran, Hermann Pitters, from Sibiu, but the translation and publication were supported from a financial point of view by the Evangelical Church and by the Roman Catholic Church. It was a real ecumenical work and it was the first complete translation into a foreign language. Thank you very much and we are very glad because you are in Romania these days”.
During the conference for the estimation of the dialogue between the two Churches that will last till Friday, the results reached during the last 15 years will be discussed and the further directions of cooperation will be established. Pastor dr Martin Illert, superior church counsellor at the Evangelical Church Central of Hanovra provided further information for Trinitas Radio station: “We have come on behalf of the Evangelical Church of Germany at the head of a delegation made up of four members to estimate the dialogue between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church of Germany during the last 15 years. We are honoured to be here, to see how this dialogue developed and what it meant. We have also been very honoured to be received by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel. We shall talk, first of all, about the meetings held during the last 15 years, when various aspects of the Church were discussed. We shall also take into account some practical aspects like the scholarships exchange in the large context of the relations between the two Churches”.
