The Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate published a message emphasising the firm position of the Church that denies the mimicry of Christianity for political and ideological purposes as well as any irresponsible apology made to exponents of dictatorial political regimes of the past or present.

Communique by the Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate: full text

Assimilated authentic Christianity, expressed in the way of life based on a thought enlightened by the words of Christ and nourished by knowledge, not parasitised by ignorance, intellectual and spiritual laziness, or darkened by the shadows of political ideologies and pathologies of the magical faith (bigotry, religious formalism, barren ritualism), this healthy Christianity that celebrates otherness through respect for the other person, never expresses itself naughtily, aggressively and illiterately from the height of a public landmark.

As a way of life, Christianity bears kindness, politeness, decency, and common sense at a personal and social level. Nobility. That is, a style of decency and aristocratic moral conduct, not hooliganism; the only one honours a Christian’s name, the only sanitiser for society. The hideous alternatives to this public manifestation of the true faith express mere surrogates of politically and ideologically confiscated Christianity, of which the Church firmly renounces.

The Church equally strongly denies any irresponsible apology to exponents of past or present dictatorial political regimes, whether or not they have publicly mimicked or publicly mimic Christianity while committing serious acts of oppression or violation of the principles of a democratic and reverent society towards the Christian values on which it was built.

Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate

Photo: Basilica.ro