Basilica Press Center of the Romanian Patriarchate Celebrated on the Day of the Holy Trinity
May – June 2015
The second day of the Pentecost, when we celebrate the Holy Trinity is a holiday for Basilica Press Centre of the Romanian Patriarchate. Each year, there are two festive moments which are gathering together at the table of gratitude and communion all the staff of the BASILICA Press Center: the feast of the Holy Trinity (2nd day after the Pentecost) and October 27, the feast clay of Righteous Demetrius the New, Protector of Bucharest, which marks the Center s anniversary.
This year, the celebration of Basilica Press Centre will take place on Monday, 1 June 2015, at Samurcasesti Monastery on the occasion of the dedication day of this monastic settlement dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
On this occasion, His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and the thanksgiving Te Deum in the church monastery of Samurcasesti, with the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, assisted by a group of priests and deacons, employees of Basilica Press Centre.
Upon the initiative and with the blessing of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, on October 27, 2007, the feast day of Righteous Demetrius the New, Protector of Bucharest, the BASILICA Press Center of the Romanian Patriarchate was founded, with its headquarters in the Patriarchates Palace in Bucharest. It is made of five components: TRINITAS Radio, TRINITAS TV, the LUMINA Publications: Ziarul Lumina, Lumina de Duminica and Vestitorul Ortodoxiei (The Daily Light, Sunday Light and Orthodoxy Herald), the BASILICA News Agency and the Press and Public Relations Office.
The BASILICA Press Center is the actual form of activity of the Public Communications Department, according to the 38th article of the Statute for the Organization and Functioning of the Romanian Orthodox Church,and unfolds its activity according to the 161st and 168th articles of the same Statute,as well as to the Bylaw of the BASILICA Press Center,approved by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania through Patriarchal Decision no. 5/2008.
The media institution is organized as a non-profit subsidiary of the Patriarchal Administration, and the purpose, objectives and means, financing sources, hierarchical structure, resource planning and financial oversee are specified in its Bylaw.
The objectives aimed by the BASILICA Pres Center are thus specified in article no. 5:
a. The nurturing of an active relationship and fruitful collaboration between the clergy and the faithful,between Church and society..
b. The presentation to the society of the institutions, activities and opinions of the Romanian Orthodox Church, with an opening towards dialog and cooperation.
c. The nurturing of Christian moral values and promotion of cultural-educational, activities in society, including support for local development.
d. Awareness campaigns for social-philanthropic and cultural-missionary actions.
e. The promotion of objectivity and of journalistic deontology in the rendering of events, the presentation of people and institutions.
f. The establishment of partnerships with press, culture and education institutions both in Romania and abroad.
g. The nurturing of the dialog between Christian faith and philosophy, science, art and other fields of manifestation of the human spirit, creator of perennial values.
The activity of BASILICA Press Centers five components is funded by the Patriarchal Administration, by monthly stipends from dioceses in Romania and abroad (among which the Archdiocese of Bucharest is the largest contributor), from their own funds and from direct donations byfaithful who wish to express their appreciation for the missionary work of the Church through mass media.
As a result of these combined efforts, the most important media institution of the Romanian
Patriarchate is a virtual space — a natural extension of Church life — for coming together and dialog between hierarchy and the faithful, between Church and society, faith and culture, tradition and renewal, national and universal.
Through its activity, the Romanian Patriarchates BASILICA Press Center marks a renewing openness in the field of religious communication and an enrichment of the media universe in Romania. What is unique about the BASILICA Press Center in the Romanian media environment is the consistency and variety of religious information, which is offered in real time by a team who are combining missionary responsibility with professional experience.
