{"id":519760,"date":"2025-03-26T16:18:17","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T14:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=519760"},"modified":"2025-03-27T11:58:20","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T09:58:20","slug":"interim-president-tribute-bessarabian-union-leaders-cernica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/en\/interim-president-tribute-bessarabian-union-leaders-cernica\/","title":{"rendered":"Romanian Interim President pays tribute to Bessarabian Union founders at Monastery ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interim President Ilie Bolojan and Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia paid tribute on Wednesday to the founders of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania, during a ceremony at Cernica Monastery in Ilfov County.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The interim President of Romania was received by His Grace Bishop Veniamin and Archimandrite Vasile P\u00eerjol, the abbot of Cernica Monastery, in front of the monastic church dedicated to St. Nicholas.<\/p>\n

Bishop Veniamin officiated a memorial service for the architects of the historic act, after which he spoke about the significance of the anniversary and the homage owed to those who contributed to fulfilling this historic aspiration.<\/p>\n

The event was attended by H.E. Victor Chiril\u0103, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Romania, presidential advisers, diplomatic personnel, members of the Organization of Bessarabian Students in Bucharest, and volunteers from historical reenactment groups.<\/p>\n

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Bishop Veniamin officiated a memorial service for the founders of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Cernica Monastery. Photo: presidency.ro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ceremony at the Graves of Bessarabian Leaders<\/h2>\n

The service was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the graves of key figures in the Union of Bessarabia with Romania, buried in the monastery’s cemetery: Metropolitan Gurie Grosu, Pantelimon Halippa, Daniel Ciugureanu, and Ioan Pelivan.<\/p>\n

Interim President Ilie Bolojan laid a wreath of flowers, while Bishop Veniamin lit a memorial candle.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and at the request of the Romanian Presidency, today we held a memorial service for the founders of the Union of Bessarabia with the Motherland at Cernica Monastery, where eight members of the Sfatul \u021a\u0103rii (Council of the Country) are buried,\u201d stated the Bishop of Southern Bessarabia for Basilica.ro.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn this occasion, we spoke about the context in which the Union was accomplished, about the worthy architects of the Union and the involvement of the clergy, and about the importance of the Union for the development of this Romanian province under Tsarist occupation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe President expressed his thanks to His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church for organizing the event. He also shared his joy in participating in the memorial and emphasized the need to honor the memory and continue the projects of those founders,\u201d Bishop Veniamin added.<\/p>\n

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Interim President Ilie Bolojan laid a wreath, and Bishop Veniamin lit a candle at the tomb of the founders of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis celebration dedicated to the memory of those who sacrificed for national and religious unity shows that the ideals of the Union remain alive in our collective consciousness and will continue to inspire the cohesion needed to overcome difficulties and divisions, so that we may build together the prosperous future we all desire,\u201d Interim President Ilie Bolojan wrote<\/a> in Cernica Monastery\u2019s Book of Honour.<\/p>\n

The First Province to Reunite with the Homeland<\/h2>\n

Bessarabia was the first historic Romanian province to unite with Romania to form Greater Romania. The union took place on March 27, 1918, after Bessarabia had been torn from Moldova and annexed by Russia in 1812. The effects of the union were reversed in 1940, when Russia annexed Bessarabia once again, based on the secret Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact.<\/p>\n