{"id":498810,"date":"2024-10-10T11:14:28","date_gmt":"2024-10-10T08:14:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=498810"},"modified":"2024-10-10T11:14:28","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T08:14:28","slug":"romanian-prime-minister-meets-with-metropolitan-of-bessarabia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/en\/romanian-prime-minister-meets-with-metropolitan-of-bessarabia\/","title":{"rendered":"Romanian Prime Minister meets with Metropolitan of Bessarabia to discuss future projects"},"content":{"rendered":"

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu met with Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia at the Metropolitan Residence in Chi\u0219in\u0103u on Friday, October 4.<\/strong><\/p>\n

During the visit, several upcoming projects of significant historical and symbolic importance were presented to the prime minister in the context of the Centennial<\/a> of the Bessarabian Metropolis. The Metropolis will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025 alongside the Romanian Patriarchate.<\/p>\n

The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss projects related to the construction and renovation of churches, social centres, and charitable institutions, all funded by the Romanian Government through the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs and the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova.<\/p>\n

Metropolitan Petru expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for the support of the entire Romanian Orthodox community in Bessarabia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Metropolis of Bessarabia<\/a>, the first Romanian institution reactivated after the Republic of Moldova gained independence, benefits from invaluable support from the Romanian Government and officials in Bucharest,\u201d emphasised Metropolitan Petru.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks to this support, all clergy of the Metropolis of Bessarabia are employed by the Romanian Patriarchate, receiving the same salaries as their counterparts in Romania. Additionally, the annual allocation of 2 million euros by the Romanian Government, starting this year, has facilitated the construction and renovation of churches and social centres in Bessarabia,\u201d His Eminence added.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, in turn, thanked the Metropolitan for the warm reception and for dedicating the Metropolis of Bessarabia to preserving Romanian spiritual and cultural heritage in the Republic of Moldova.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time I come to Chi\u0219in\u0103u, I feel at home. We are brothers, sharing a common past and future, and no one can deny this,\u201d the Prime Minister affirmed, reiterating the firm commitment to continue supporting the Metropolis of Bessarabia and the Romanian Orthodox Church in the region.<\/p>\n

The Prime Minister also emphasized that the Romanian Orthodox Church in Bessarabia plays an essential role in reviving national and spiritual consciousness among Romanians in the Republic of Moldova, contributing to restoring national and spiritual dignity for every believer.<\/p>\n

The visit concluded with a tour of the recently renovated administrative headquarters of the Metropolis of Bessarabia in Chi\u0219in\u0103u, which was funded by the Romanian Government. The Romanian Prime Minister also prayed at the Metropolitan Chapel of St. John the Theologian.<\/p>\n

The official Romanian delegation included Deputy Prime Minister Marian Neac\u0219u, Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism \u0218tefan-Radu Oprea, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Florin-Ionu\u021b Barbu, His Excellency Cristian-Leon \u021aurcanu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the Republic of Moldova, and other officials.<\/p>\n