The Basilica News Agency of the Romanian Patriarchate received recognition for its consistent activity during the 2023 Radar de Media Awards Gala, organised by Myosotis Media Group on Tuesday evening. The Patriarchate’s Spokesperson Vasile Bănescu and TV producer Cosmin Iulian Cârstea were also awarded for their shows at Trinitas TV. Nominees included two famous Romanian priests: Fathers Vasile Ioana and Constantin Necula.

“I have the joy of transmitting the messages that those who were awarded before me, such as Father Constantin Necula, Father Vasile Ioana, Mr. Vasile Bănescu and all other benevolent people from the Romanian Orthodox Church, are conveying to the public,” patriarchal adviser Aurelian Iftimiu, director of the Basilica News Agency, said during the awards ceremony.

“This award is a recognition of the 15 years of activity of the Basilica News Agency and, as 2023 is an anniversary year for us, I would like to congratulate my colleagues from the bottom of my heart, who, very discreetly, with perseverance, with delicacy, promote a correct, honest journalism with Christian nuances, which promotes the values that are the basis of this Romanian Orthodox nation.”

“I want you to know that behind this award is the visionary perspective of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, who, 16 years ago, founded the Basilica News Agency, being aware of the public’s need for information about the activities carried out by the Romanian Orthodox Church,” Aurelian Iftimiu added.

“Of course, it is also an encouragement for what we are going to do, and we are delighted with the support of all our partners. I sincerely thank Myosotis Media Group for this distinction, which honours us.”

“Faith and culture do not contradict each other”

Patriarchal adviser and Spokesperson for the Romanian Patriarchate Vasile Bănescu was awarded for his show “Faith and Culture”, produced on Trinitas TV, which the gala’s host Claudiu Dumitrache called “one of the best ones from the history of cultural shows in Romania.”

“I am very honoured to be with authentic personalities of the Romanian cultural space. Naturally, the award I received immediately affects the institution I represent – not only the Romanian Patriarchate but also Trinitas Television”, said Vasile Bănescu after receiving the Radar de Media trophy.

“Trinitas television is a cultural, social, natural and religious media pole, unique in the Romanian media landscape. The television has grown nicely and hosts high-end cultural shows.”

Vasile Bănescu thanked the team with which he produced the show and stated that, in reality, faith and culture “do not contradict each other, just as reason does not contradict faith. There is no real conflict between faith and reason. As one observes, this conflict is usually between two beliefs – irreconcilable, fanatical or reductionist.”

“The real faith, the Christian faith, is a friend of reason since the core of Christianity includes reason, along with faith, and it is above all freedom. For this freedom, it is an opportunity to remember that we have the duty to promote it and to transmit to the Church, those from space, the Christian message perfectly suited or as best as possible to the relief of the reality in which we speak, in which we move,” Vasile Banescu said.

“The success of the show is due to Christian values”

An Excellence Award was also bestowed on Cosmin Iulian Cârstea from Trinitas TV, producer of the show “The Word of God for us.”

“Even though the host may be the most visible, nothing that brings joy to viewers could exist without the team behind – a handful of people who put heart into what they do,” he said.

“Also, we have to recognise that viewers are extremely important. Without their interest, a show cannot be successful. And in the case of the show that I make, know that we often receive signals from the viewers by which we understand that we are important to them, by which we understand that our work bears fruit, and their appreciation, the fact that we feel them close motivates us like you can’t even imagine.”

“And I would add one more thing that should have been put in the foreground from the beginning: bearing in mind that in the present case, we are talking about a religious show, I consider this award also a recognition of the fact that Christian values represent a solid foundation for any healthy society. I think the show’s success is primarily due to these values”, Cosmin Iulian Cârstea noted.

The message of the resurrection in mass media

Fr. Vasile Ioana was awarded the Prize for promoting authentic culture in mass media.

“My dears, a priest has only one message with him: Christ is risen!” said Father Vasile Ioana when he went on stage to receive the award.

“And if He rose, we shall rise, and are alive through Him, with Him. And without Him, we can do nothing. I tell you this because I love Christ and feel His presence in my heart and because He best illustrated the work of a servant of God in the world, a pastor.”

“Modern man is alone, although he is full of presences. He is in front of a screen. No one listens to him; he is a consumer and is no longer human. The Good Shepherd loves people. Therefore, my presence here is the presence of the Church and the message of the Holy Church, in which we were born and have lived for two thousand years! We were born Christians, and we love people,” Father Vasile Ioana added.

Media Person of the Year

Fr. Constantin Necula, vice dean at “Andrei Șaguna” Faculty of Orthodox Theology at “Lucian Blaga” University in Sibiu, was designated the Media Person of the Year. “We don’t have enough words for how much these two priests do for young people,” emphasised the co-host Simona Țăranu.

“I am here because Metropolitan Laurentiu did not say “no” to any shows I had to undertake. When my father died, he remained as a father to me. When my mother is dying, this award comes as a comfort,” Father Constantin Necula said.

“I hope with all my heart that you feel that the Church is with you and that through my voice, we are trying to say every day that there is dignity, verticality and chance.”

Father Constantin Necula especially thanked the producer Andrei Victor Dochia and the team from the “Universul Credinței” show broadcast by TVR.

“I learned from them what professionalism means, what it means to work hard to heal a country’s smile. Know that I am here because I love my country,” Father Constantin Necula added.

Romanian operatic soprano Felicia Filip, television personality Dan Negru and doctors Constantin Dulcan and Vlad Ciurea also received awards during the gala.

The gala was presented by Simona Țăranu and Claudiu Dumitrache and broadcast live by Radio Romania 3Net – Florian Pittiș and Cinemaraton television.

The Radar de Media Awards Gala is organised by Myosotis Media Group by Claudiu Dumitrache and produced by GMR Media by Raluca Mihaela Găină, under the auspices of Radar de Media by Dorin Huntai.

The event, which reached its 12th edition this year, takes place with the participation of the Union of Professional Journalists from Romania and the Romanian Broadcasting Society.

Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu

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