From 28 November – 2 December 2014, His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All Orient is paying a brotherly visit to the Romanian Patriarchate at the invitation of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania.
Yesterday, on the first day of the visit, the official meeting ceremony of the delegation of the Patriarchate of Antioch and All Orient took place at the Patriarchal Cathedral. Friday, His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All Orient was received by His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, on the occasion of the brotherly visit he is paying to the Romanian Patriarchate.
His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch celebrated a Te Deum service, on the occasion of the official reception of the delegation of the Patriarchate of Antioch and All Orient, assisted by a group of priests and deacons.
At 17.30 hours, the Patriarch of Antioch and All Orient was received by the President of Romania, Mr. Traian Basescu, at Cotroceni Palace. Then, His Beatitude John X visited the church of Saint Spiridon Old of Bucharest, a place of worship demolished during the communist regime, rebuilt after 1990, and consecrated by the worthy remembering Patriarchs Ignatios IV of Antioch and Teoctist of Romania, on 26 October 1996.
This Saturday, the second day of his visit to Romania, His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All Orient visited several important objectives of the Archdiocese of Bucharest. His Beatitude was accompanied by His Eminence Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and patriarchal exarch.
To start with, the delegation visited the chapel of the Patriarchal Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation.
“We are very glad to be here, where this cathedral is being built and we hope it will be over as soon as possible, for the welfare of the righteous people of Romania”, His Beatitude said.
His Beatitude received an icon of Jesus Christ, our Lord, on behalf of the servant priests of the chapel who also thanked him for his visit.
“This chapel of the Cathedral of the Nation’s Salvation is part of the efforts the Romanian Patriarchate makes for building the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation. Every day prayers to the Merciful God are said here for those who work at the building yard of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, for builders, workers, as well as for the founders and donors who help with the construction of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation”, Archimandrite Paisie Teodorescu, patriarchal vicar emphasised.
Then, the delegation went to Snagov Monastery, Ilfov county. On this occasion, His Eminence Metropolitan underlined the importance of this settlement throughout the history.
“Your Beatitude Patriarch of Antioch, here are several priests from the parishes around this very important and historical Monastery of Snagov, and this is why the Apostolic Patriarchy of Antioch has a great spiritual and national importance for us”, His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and Patriarchal Exarch explained.
Abbot Varahiil Banateanul made a short presentation of the place of worship.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for Your Beatitude’s visit to this holy monastery attested as far back as the 14th century in the Archdiocese of Bucharest, one of the oldest churches and monasteries attested in documents”, protosingelos Varahiil Banateanul said.
Mrs Architect Adina Dinescu showed the Patriarch of Antioch the project of construction, conservation and development of the natural and cultural patrimony of Snagov Island. His Beatitude expressed his admiration for the old relations present between this monastery and the Church of the Orient.
“We thank a lot the fathers and all faithful. We were deeply impressed when we heard about this close relationship with the Church of Antioch. We know very well that the Orthodox Church is one, holy Church, and only one Church all over the world”, His Beatitude said.
The last objective visited in the Archdiocese of Bucharest was Tiganesti Monastery. A short presentation of the settlement and of the monastic community was made too.
“We are glad we are with you now, at this place of worship and we thank His Eminence Nifon too for accompanying us on this visit and we wish the nuns over here a true life full of spiritual joy”, the Patriarch of Antioch.
His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon explained the monastic community and the faithful present at the monastery the context of the brotherly visit of the Patriarch of Antioch to our country.
“Pious nuns, it is a great privilege for us to have an Apostolic Patriarch to visit our country especially during this hard time for the Christians of the Near East. It is a civil war in Syria, and big conflicts, and the Christians of this country suffer a lot”, His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and Patriarchal Exarch said.
To end with, the guests visited the workshops of the settlement and the museum of the monastery where objects of patrimony are kept.
Saturday afternoon His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All Orient continued the programme of his visit to the church objectives of Bucharest and close to it.
The Oriental delegation accompanied by His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and Patriarchal Exarch arrived at the church of “Saint George” – the New founded by Saint Prince Constantine Brancoveanu.
“This church hosts the relics of Saint Martyr Constantine Brancoveanu who gave his life for the Orthodox faith together with his four sons and a close counsellor of his. This is why the church of Saint George the New of Bucharest which we are seeing now represents a sanctuary of the religious spirituality and of the Romanian nation as well”, His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and Patriarchal exarch explained.
“As the Patriarchs of Antioch who visited this blessed country before said, namely that the Wallachian countries are Christian countries, we see with our own eyes now how this righteous people keeps the true faith in Christ. This is the Church, and the living people of God”, His Beatitude John X said.
The Patriarch of Antioch received the edition of the first monograph of the place of worship on behalf of the church “Saint George” the New, and His Beatitude offered, in his turn, several presents.
Then, His Beatitude John X visited the “Cuvantul vietii” Galleries (Life Word), the biggest shop of church books and objects of the Archdiocese of Bucharest.
The programme ended with a visit to Pasarea Monastery. Here, His Beatitude was met by the nuns and students of “Saint Filofteia” Theological Seminary.
“Let us all pray today because the Orthodox Christians as well as of some other confession live hard times because of the conflict created today in Syria, where the seat of the Patriarchate of Antioch is”, His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and Patriarchal Exarch explained.
“People speak about peace and say that they want peace and quiet, but we can see now how we are gathered in this church and how the nuns pray to Jesus Christ, in this place of worship where we can really taste true peace”, His Beatitude John X emphasised.
His Beatitude received an icon of the Mother of God on behalf of the Monastery.
Sunday, 30 November 2014, feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Protector of Romania, His Beatitude Patriarch John X and His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral.
