2011 – Homage year of the Holy Baptism and of the Holy Wedding in the Romanian Patriarchate

The Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate informs us:

Following the initiative of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church approved in the working session of 6 July 2010 that the year 2011 be declared Homage Year of the Holy Baptism and of the Holy Wedding in the Romanian Patriarchate.

In 2011, the Romanian Patriarchate and the eparchies in the country and abroad will organise pastoral-missionary conferences, theological colloquies, debates and spiritual evenings on the Sacraments of the Holy Baptism and Holy Wedding (historical presentation, theological existential significance, preparation for their reception, pastoral activity for the Christian family, non-Orthodox uncanonic and illegal practice concerning the celebration of the two Holy Sacraments, the issue of the mix families from inter-confessional or inter-religious point of view etc.). The professors of the institutions of Orthodox theological education will draft studies, comments, bibliographies with Bible, historical, dogmatic, liturgical, homiletic-catechetic, pastoral-social content on the two Holy Sacraments, on the role of the Christian family from a religious, spiritual, cultural and social point of view and on the defence of the sacred family institution when faced with the challenges of the secularised contemporary context. Special attention will be paid to the two Holy Sacraments in the Orthodox catechesis, in the Religion class and catechetic programme entitled Christ Shared with the Children of the Romanian Patriarchate.

The theme 2011 – Homage Year of the Holy Baptism and of the Holy Wedding in the Romanian Patriarchate will be treated within the church national frame-programme, at the semester pastoral-missionary Conference in the spring of 2011, which will be detailed at the semester pastoral-missionary Conference in the autumn of 2011 or at one of the monthly administrative priestly conferences that every eparchy will establish.

In the autumn of 2011, a solemn meeting of the Holy Synod will be held at the Patriarchal Palace with the theme 2011 – Homage Year of the Holy Baptism and of the Holy Wedding in the Romanian Patriarchate. On this occasion, a thematic exhibition will be organised displaying the most beautiful and representative frescoes, icons, miniatures, embroideries and fabrics, mosaics and stained glasses reflecting the Baptism and Christian family in the church Orthodox art.

The manifestations organised during the Homage Year of the Holy Baptism and of the Holy Wedding in the Romanian Patriarchate will be sustained and publicised at large by the Basilica Press Centre of the Romanian Patriarchate (Trinitas Radio, Trinitas Television, Lumina publications, Basilica News Agency, Press Office), church eparchial mass-media as well as by the laic press.

In 2011, the site of the Romanian Patriarchate (www.patriarhia.ro) will have a special section which will present the calendar of the events, information, news, documentaries and activity unfolded during the Homage Year of the Holy Baptism and of the Holy Wedding in the Romanian Patriarchate.

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