His Excellency Valentin Ciprian Muntean, Romania’s ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia, expressed his gratitude on Tuesday to the Romanian Patriarchate for temporarily assigning a Romanian priest to serve during Easter alongside Metropolitan Meletios of Carthage and North Africa (Patriarchate of Alexandria) and local Orthodox clergy.
“I place great importance on Romanian spirituality, and I wanted us to draw closer to the Church and to home through the presence of Romanian priests in Tunis,” the ambassador wrote on a social network.
“This is the least the Embassy of Romania in Tunis can do to support the Romanian community in Tunisia from a spiritual and identity perspective.”
“I thank the Romanian Patriarchate and His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church, for the love and fatherly care shown over time to our community in Tunisia,” Ambassador Valentin Ciprian Muntean also said.
Cristos a Înviat!
Ce bucurie să îl avem în mijlocul comunității noastre românești, de Paște, aici la Tunis, pe Părintele Metodiu Florian Bold.
O bucurie creștinească la care țin neaparat să devină o tradiție peste ani. Este al treilea an consecutiv când avem un preot român… pic.twitter.com/hNhoTyjqGA— valentin muntean (@ValiMuntean2023) April 14, 2026
Alleviating homesickness in the church
This year, Father Metodiu Florian Bold, a chaplain at the Asertivo Residential Care Home for the Elderly in Otopeni, Ilfov County, was delegated to Tunisia.
At the Easter services, the Romanian priest served alongside Metropolitan Meletios of Carthage and North Africa (Patriarchate of Alexandria), and Romanians in Tunis were able to confess in Romanian to receive Holy Communion.
“Last year there was a priest from Cluj, and this year I am the one going to offer spiritual support to those who work in Tunis or who are visiting during this period,” the cleric told Radio Romania International. “The longing for home and for loved ones is very strong.”
The Romanian priest was present in the capital of Tunisia from April 10 to April 14, during which time the Romanian Embassy also organised a luncheon for members of the Romanian community.
Photo: Orthodox Cathedral in Tunis. Credit: Facebook / Ελληνική Κοινότητα Τυνησίας – Greek Community of Tunisia
