Friday, 13 March 2015, the agreement between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Romanian Patriarchate concerning the utilization of the church of Saint Martyr Paraskevi of Pikridon – Istanbul, Turkey, by the Romanian Orthodox community over here was renewed for five years more. The representative of the Romanian Patriarchate was His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul, with the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel.
The purpose of the visit of His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch, to Istanbul was to sign the renewal of the agreement between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Romanian Patriarchate so that the Romanians of Istanbul should continue to attend the religious services celebrated on every Sunday and feast day in the church of Saint Martyr Paraskevi, founded by the Brancoveans’ family.
Following the invitation of His Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch, Friday, 13 March 2015, His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul attend the celebration of the Akathistos of the Mother of God in Vlaherne church. The Akathistos service was celebrated by the Ecumenical Patriarch.
His Holiness addressed fraternal greetings to His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel both in the church and in the refectory of Vlaherne church, and remembered the history of the setting up of the Romanian Orthodox community of Istanbul, as well as the visit of worthy remembering Patriarch Teoctist in 2004, when the church Saint Martyr Paraskevi was officially opened. His Holiness has also remembered with great joy the visit of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of 2009 when the agreement for the Romanian community of Turkey was renewed.
His Grace Bishop Varlaam Ploiesteanul delivered a speech in which he conveyed the gratitude and brotherly greetings of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, pointing out the importance of Vlaherne church in the conscience and faith of the Romanian through the wonder occurred in that place.
The renewal of the agreement between the two Patriarchates was signed, for five years time, by His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch, on behalf of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, and by His Eminence Metropolitan Stephanos of Kallioupolis and Madytos, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch, and by His Eminence Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Information provided by Rev Dr Sergiu-Marcel Vlad
