The heads of Romania’s recognized religions congratulated Patriarch Daniel on Monday, at the 17th anniversary of His Beatitude’s enthronement. The ceremony was held in the Europa Christiana Hall of the Patriarchal Palace and was moderated by His Grace Paisie of Sinaia, Patriarchal Assistant Bishop.
“The Romanian Orthodox Church, under His Beatitude Daniel’s omophorion, carries out a rich and dynamic activity, an important pastoral and missionary work, which is in fact, somehow, a new evangelization to which the Holy Spirit has called us – His Beatitude’s collaborators, clergy, monks, lay people, encouraged especially by the need for spiritual rebirth in our society, but also by His Beatitude’s personal testimony, enlightening teaching and sacrificial work in all these years,” His Grace Paisie of Sinaia said.
“During the past 17 years of Patriarch Daniel’s leadership, our Church has increased its prestige in the community of Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, has been appreciated in our country for being a factor of social peace, for promoting traditions and Romanian identity, and for taking responsibility for the Romanian Orthodox outside the borders of Romania.”
“The Church is an important partner of the state through its social welfare work and its contribution to the education of the younger generation,” added the patriarchal assistant bishop.
Ciprian Olinici: Patriarch Daniel, depth of thought and pragmatism
The first guest to speak was Ciprian Vasile Olinici, Secretary of State for Religious Affairs. “Looked at as a whole, all these meetings are celebrations of communion and dialogue, veritable points of spiritual, cultural and moral support in a space which is becoming increasingly opaque to true and honest sharing of values, beliefs or ideas,” the official said.
„Dialogue is at the core of Christian life. It reveals the degree of our inner civilization, acquired through assimilation of the cardinal values. These virtues are served in different ways and lead us towards the ideal of unity and the fulfillment of complete goodness – which we owe both before God and our fellow people.”
“Real dialogue between denominations and religions does not affect fidelity to one’s own tradition. Whoever is well situated in it can communicate with the other without fear of losing something, but with the clear sense of gaining more knowledge,” the Secretary of State explained.
“Your Beatitude’s depth of thought, the pragmatism of accomplishing great projects such as the National Cathedral, the exceptional knowledge of the Christian world’s past and anticipation of its near future, the moral intuition of Your Beatitude compose the august image of the current Patriarch, which honours and strengthens the realistic thinking of the largest Orthodox Church in the European Union,” added the State Secretary for Religious Affairs.
Giampiero Gloder: In defense of perennial values
Giampiero Gloder, Apostolic Nuncio to Romania and the Republic of Moldova, transmitted his congratulations message in Romanian.
“We live in an age when Christian values, which have been and are a vital essence of European society, are often ignored, opposed or ridiculed. Your Beatitude’s action in defense of these perennial and fundamental values for human coexistence has been constant and exemplary throughout your ministry. Preserving, maintaining and strengthening the Christian tradition is an antidote to any ideology, isolation and violence,” said the Apostolic Nuncio to Romania.
Serbian Metropolitan Lukian of Budapest: Gratitude for a fruitful cooperation
Marinco Marcov, Vicar of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Timişoara, transmitted a message on behalf of Metropolitan Lukijan Pantelić of Budapest, who also administers the Serbian eparchy of Timișoara.
“The latest years have been characterized by our fruitful collaboration in the Church of Christ. Our earnest desire is that this holy work may flourish with the most excellent spiritual fruit also in the times ahead of us. We entrust ourselves personally as well as our priests and faithful to Your Beatitude’s prayers, while our thoughts turn to the Lord our God, asking Him to keep you in peace, health, long life and wishing you further growth, especially in the holy mission of the high service you have been called to, for the glory of our Right-Believing Church and faithful,” transmitted the Serbian Metropolitan of Budapest to the Patriarch of Romania.
Roman-Catholic Archbishop Aurel Percă: The duty of love
His Eminence Aurel Percă, Roman-Catholic Archbishop and Metropolitan of Bucharest, said, “St Augustine defines the totality of episcopal service as amoris officium and I think that everything that has been achieved in the Orthodox Church since the Lord has placed you at its head would not have been accomplished without the support of God’s grace and without this amoris officium“.
“Your Beatitude’s mission at the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church has had a particular specificity from the very beginning. It has been characterized by the dimension of hope, he hoped for a strong and beautiful Church, which gathers the faithful and leads them to salvation.”
“That is why I hope I am not wrong in saying that you have been a true prophet, witness and servant of hope. May the Holy Spirit continue to give you much health, strength and grace to lead the Romanian Orthodox Church and give you the joy of seeing completed the marvelous work of the National Cathedral,” concluded the Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Bucharest.
Greek-Catholic Cardinal Lucian: Dialogue, forgiveness and trust
Assistant Bishop Cristian Crișan of the Greek-Catholic Archdiocese of Alba Iulia and Făgăraș transmitted a message on behalf of His Eminence Cardinal Lucian Mureșan, Major Archbishop of the Romanian Major Archdiocese of Alba Iulia and Făgăraș, United with Rome (Greek-Catholic).
“The 17th anniversary of the enthronement of Your Beatitude in the high dignity of Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church gives me the opportunity to extend to you my most sincere congratulations and to share with you my feelings of spiritual closeness in our Lord Jesus Christ,” Cardinal Lucian transmitted.
“The Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic, and the Romanian Orthodox Church are sister Churches and therefore it is natural that joys and trials be shared, obstacles be overcome through dialogue, forgiveness and trust, and the present and future be put in the service of a common and convincing witness to the Gospel in love and truth.”
Armenian Bishop Datev Hagopian: Day of celebration for both Romanians and Armenians
Father Radu Holca, Eparchial Vicar, presented Armenian Bishop Datev Hagopian’s message.
“The day of enthronement is a day of celebration today for both Romanians and Armenians, because we celebrate together Hieromartyr Gregory, bishop of Greater Armenia, who enlightened the Armenian people by Christianizing them, who was baptized and ordained a hierarch in the city of Cappadocia,” transmitted the Primate of the Armenian Eparchy of Romania.
“Your Beatitude’s high spiritual gifts and great power of work have strengthened the bonds between our Churches.”
Metropolitan Leonty Izot Lavrente of All Old-Rite Orthodox: Dialogue and good understanding
Father Ionuț Bordeanu presented Archbishop Leonty Izot Lavrente of Fântâna Albă and all Bucharest, Metropolitan of All Old-Rite Orthodox Christians.
“We are grateful for your exemplary work aimed at maintaining a relationship of dialogue and good understanding among the recognized religions in Romania and at strengthening the partnership between religions and state through the establishment of the Consultative Council of Religions in Romania in 2011, when the agreement was signed in the Conventus Hall of the Patriarchal Palace,” transmitted the Metropolitan of All Old-Rite Orthodox Christians in Romania.
Mufti Muurat Iusuf: Dialogue protecting against radical influences
A message of deep appreciation, as always, came from Mufti Muurat Iusuf, the representative of the Muftiate of the Muslim Cult in Romania.
“Our community, the Muslim faith in Romania, the members of this faith, thank you for the support you are giving to uphold the traditional religious values of our faith that have existed in these lands for more than nine centuries, thus protecting us against radical influences from outside the country, which, unfortunately, have intensified recently. That is why we, the members of the Muslim community, are particularly honoured and happy to be with you today on this anniversary,” said Mufti Muurat Iusuf.
“Honourable Audience, I am fortunate to have closely known His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and to have worked together on drafting the law on religions and religious denominations and other documents and programs of major interest for the religious life in our country.”
“Each time, I have been able to observe and note not only the spirit of intelligence and erudition, but also His Beatitude’s desire to promote spiritual-religious values in the life of our society, in order to make a real and collective contribution to the spiritual and material welfare of our Romanian people. Allow me to paraphrase His Beatitude, who said: Theologians must bear in mind the need to increase joy, especially in our times, when the world has lost the meaning of joy”, added the representative of the Muftiate of the Muslim Cult in Romania.
Other messages presented came from: Assistant Bishop Szegedi László Tamás, on behalf of Bishop Béla Kató of the Reformed Church in Romania; Assistant Bishop Dr. Daniel Zikeli, on behalf of Bishop Reinhart Guib of the Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Romania; Assistant Bishop Koszta István, on behalf of Bishop Adorjáni Dezsö Zoltán of the Evangelic Lutheran Church in România; Assistant Bishop Andrási Benedek, on behalf of Bishop Istvan Kovacs of the Hungarian Unitarian Church in România; Sorin Bădrăgan, President of the Union of Christian Baptist Churches in Romania; Virgil Achihai, General Vicar, on behalf of Cornel Haureș, President of the Union of Christian Churches According to the Gospel in Romania; Dragoș Mușat, Director of Official Relations and Religious Freedom, on behalf of Aurel Neaţu, President of the Union of Conferences of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church; Ioan Ceuță, President of Assemblies of God Romania.
Patriarch Daniel: Religious denominations can address today’s many challenges
Patriarch Daniel transmitted a message at the end of the meeting.
“Seventeen years ago, on September 30, 2007, during my enthronement as Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, I expressed my hope that dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect with other Churches and religious denominations would continue, thanking the representatives of the Romanian State and recognized religious denominations present at that time,” His Beatitude recalled.
“Remaining faithful to this commitment, I took the initiative at the Patriarchal Palace on April 14, 2011, to establish the Advisory Council of Religious Denominations in Romania, an ethical, autonomous, apolitical, non-governmental, non-profit organization without legal personality.”
“The primary purposes of this Council are to promote faith in God and its importance in the lives of individuals and society, as well as to express common opinions, attitudes, and positions on important societal issues,” said the Patriarch of Romania.
“In the context of secularization and the degradation of human dignity through war and violence, drugs and other addictions, and human trafficking, consultations among recognized religious denominations, which share fundamental values such as the belief that the Universe is God’s creation and that man, created in the image of the eternal God and called to resemble Him and achieve eternal life, is not merely a biological being but also a ‘theological’ being, rational, free, and relational or loving, is essential,” Patriarch Daniel added.
“We thank you for accepting the invitation to participate in this moment of institutional cooperation. We are convinced that, through consultation and practical collaboration, religious denominations can address today’s many challenges.”
The event ended with a ceremony in which Patriarch Daniel awarded the Secretary of State Ciprian Olinici and all the heads and representatives of the recognized religions in Romania with the Honorary Diploma with medal “250 years since St Demetrius the New’s relics were brought to Bucharest”.
In the first part of the day, Patriarch Daniel participated in the Te Deum officiated at the Patriarchal Cathedral by Bishop Nicodim of Severin and Strehaia, on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of the enthronement of His Beatitude.
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Photo credit: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
