Today, 17 June 2015, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church received His Excellency Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, secretary general of the World Council of Churches, (WCC) in the Museum of the Patriarchs, at the Patriarchal Residence.
Before visiting the Romanian Patriarchate, the delegation who accompanied the secretary general of the WCC was received at Cotroceni Palace by Mr Klaus Werner Iohannis, President of Romania. The delegation also included His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and Patriarchal Exarch.
His Excellency Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit declared that he felt honoured to meet His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, on which occasion both parts underlined the importance of the cooperation between the Churches members of the WCC for a common Christian witness in today’s world, as well as the special contribution of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the activity of this Christian International Institution.
Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit will participate in the plenary meeting of the “Faith and Order” Commission within the WCC, hosted by the Romanian Patriarchate at the “Holy Cross” social pastoral centre seated at Caraiman Monastery, from 17-24 June 2015.
The World Council of Churches was set up in 1948. This international inter-Christian organisation includes over 345 member Churches, present in 110 countries and territories of the world, representing over 590 million of Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist and Reformed Christians. The World Council of Churches promotes both the inter-Christian dialogue for achieving the visible unity of the Christians, and the common witness in the mission of evangelisation of the whole world. The member Churches are also engaged in the service of the fellow beings in distress and material need, through the promotion of social justice and peace, as well as supporting the integrity of the creation of God.
The Romanian Orthodox Church has been member of the WCC since 1961, participating in all the General Assemblies of Council so far, in various working commissions and committees, on the themes typical for the inter-Christian dialogue, as well as in the larger context of the Christians’ involvement in the resolution of the present issues in the context of the challenges of the contemporary world, such as: social justice and peace, dialogue with other religions, protection of the environment, protection of the dignity and value of every human person, etc.
