His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, together with the members of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, met on Wednesday, 28 October 2015, His Excellency Mr. Klaus Werner Iohannis, President of Romania. The meeting took place at Cotroceni Palace at the invitation of the President of Romania to commemorate 130 years since the acknowledgement of the autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church and 90 years since her elevation to the rank of Patriarchate.
In his speech delivered on this occasion, President Klaus Werner Iohannis referred to the double anniversary of the Romanian Orthodox Church saying that it represents “both a moment of joy for the faithful and the hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and also an important reference point for our national history”.
“Beside the historical incursion, we ought to pay attention to the present time and the future, to the role that the Church can play in the society and in building a better world. I consider that you have a special mission: the contribution to education and to promoting values in the society, to determine us to be more solidary and more generous, more preoccupied one with another, and especially with the ones in need. In the contemporary world, full of uncertainties, tumult and conflicts, the secular experience of the religious denominations becomes a fundamental factor of equilibrium and tolerance. I encourage you in your spiritual, educational, cultural and social mission, and also in the opening towards inter-confessional dialogue on a national and international level. I thank you for finding the means and energy to be together with the Romanians of the diaspora, to support them not to go away from their language, homeland and faith”, the President of Romania said.
In his turn, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, mentioned that “today, by the common effort of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Romanian State to solemnly commemorate two fundamental historical events in the life of the Romanian Church and people, the relation between spiritual unity and national unity of Romanians is emphasized”.
“Nowadays, when multiple crises, including the crisis of spiritual identity, affect the contemporary society, the 130th anniversary since the acknowledgement of the Autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the 90th anniversary since her elevation to the rank of Patriarchate must be a source of inspiration and renewal in order to more efficiently respond to the needs of today’s Romanian society, as well as to the needs of the Romanian diaspora, which has never been more numerous as today. We thank you, Mister President, for organizing this solemn event at Cotroceni Palace and wish you good health and help from God in your activity”, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel also said.
Patriarch Daniel offered to the President of Romania several books recently published at the Publishing Houses of the Romanian Patriarchate. In his turn, President Klaus Werner Iohannis offered a commemorative plate to His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel.
In the end, the members of the Holy Synod who were present at this event visited the church of Cotroceni Palace.
Cotroceni Palace is the headquarters and the residence of the President of Romania.
