It Was Necessary to Show by Deeds How Important Philanthropy Is, Patriarch Daniel says
Basilica News Agency – Aurelian Iftimiu – 25/2/21
The Romanian Orthodox Church marked the commemorative year of the Romanian philanthropists (2020) through concrete activities, said Patriarch Daniel in his opening remarks at the National Church Assembly’s meeting at the Patriarchate Palace on Wednesday.
“We did not start with the history of philanthropists, but with the deeds of philanthropy, because it was necessary to show by deeds how important philanthropy is,” said His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, referring to the Church’s philanthropic work last year.
In 2020, the Church invested 38 million euros in philanthropy. An increase of 17.6% (5.7 million euros) compared to 2019.
“It was a great effort, but it showed the Church’s concern for helping those in need,” His Beatitude said Feb. 24.
“The year 2020, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed in this context, subjected the entire Romanian society to a special test. During this time, the Romanian Orthodox Church worked with great devotion and dedication, multiplying prayer, social-philanthropic acts and measures to protect people’s health.”
The Romanian Orthodox Church’s Patriarch explained that „liturgy must be completed with philanthropy, and philanthropy must be enlightened and sanctified by the liturgy.”
The Assembly’s plenary session was followed by meetings of the committees and, then, by presenting their reports.
The committees are administrative-legal and validation; social and media communications; cultural and educational; economic, budgetary and real estate patrimony (church goods), and the commission for Romanian Orthodox abroad.
The National Church Assembly is the Romanian Orthodox Church’s central deliberative body for administrative, social, cultural, economic and patrimonial issues.
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
