The delegation of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem headed by His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, arrived in Bucharest and brought the Icon with a particle of the Holy Cross wood embedded.
The guest was met by: His Eminence Andrei, Metropolitan of Cluj, Maramures and Salaj, His Eminence Ciprian, Archbishop of Buzau and Vrancea, His Eminence Calinic, Archbishop of Arges and Muscel, His Eminence Casian, Archbishop of Lower Danube, His Grace Vincentiu, Bishop of Slobozia and Calarasi, His Grace Ambrozie, Bishop of Giurgiu, His Grace Visarion, Bishop of Tulcea, His Grace Siluan, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Hungary, Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Timotei Aioanei, Assistant Bishop elect to the Archdiocese of Bucharest.
After meeting the delegation a Polichronium service was celebrated in the Official Hall of Henri Coanda Airport of Bucharest.
To end with, His Eminence Metropolitan Andrei addressed His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III a welcome speech.
“Your Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and of All Palestine, we welcome you on behalf of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania. May Saint Dimitrios the New, the Brancovean Saints Martyrs and most of all the blessing of Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Cross on which He suffered for us, the humans, be useful to the Romanians, and not only to them, but to the entire Orthodoxy, because, as Your Beatitude know, for the Romanian pilgrims, the Holy City of Jerusalem and the Holy Places have a special place in their heart, so that every time we go there we come with our souls full of joy”, His Eminence said.
His Beatitude Theophilos III, in his turn, conveyed the Romanian people a blessing message and expressed his satisfaction for the opportunity to have been present “in this territory where the saints lived and blessed the Romanian people”.
“Your Eminence, I am very glad because today, Good God and Saint Dimitrios the New, protector of Bucharest enabled me to be present in your country and amid you in this territory where the saints lived and blessed the Romanian people. I am glad because today I succeeded in bringing a particle of the Holy Cross Wood to your country, for as you know very well, the Orthodox peoples have no boundaries. Our peoples are united through our Christian Orthodox faith”.
Leaving from “Henri Coanda” Airport, the two delegations made for the Joy Hill for the “Way of the Saints” pilgrimage.
