Message of the Patriarch of Romania on the Romanian Army’s Day

On the occasion of the Romanian Army’s Day, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel conveyed the following message:

To Mr. Gabriel Oprea
Minister for National Defence

Dear Mr. Minister,

It is with great joy that we convey our message of appreciation and blessing on the occasion of the Romanian Army’s Day.

Having been symbolic institutions of the Romanian nation, the Church and the Army, the oldest institutions of the Romanian people still enjoy today the greatest confidence in society.

The Church defends the spiritual integrity and the specific gifts of the Romanian Christianity, which contributed to the cultivation and promotion of the national unity.
The Army defends the territorial integrity and the perennial values of the Romanian people, who reached freedom and national unity through just fight, sacrifice and sufferance Christianly endured.

Although the programme already established does not allow us to attend the festivities organized by Ministry for National Defense on the occasion, yet we are spiritually near you, near the venerable war veterans, near all the reserve militaries and all the officers, militaries and soldiers of the Romanian Army.

The Romanian Orthodox Church remembers every day in her prayers “the Christ loving army” and wishes to contribute together with them in the preservation of the integrity of Romania and of the dignity of the Romanian people, to commemorate the sacrifice of those who fought throughout the history for these great ideals and to promote peace and good understanding among peoples.

With appreciation and blessing,

† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church

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