Messages at Five Years of Patriarchal Service
On 30 September 2012, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church celebrated five years of patriarchal service. The feast began with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy in the Patriarchal Cathedral followed by the Te Deum service for the gifts God bestowed during these five years.
Then, an anniversary festivity was held in Europa Christiana hall of the Patriarchate Palace, when official messages of congratulations on behalf of the state authorities were read.
The message of the President of Romania, His Excellency Mr. Traian Băsescu, on the occasion of the anniversary of five years since the enthronement of the Patriarch of Romania, was conveyed by Mr. Eugen Tomac, state counsellor:
Your Beatitude,
I have the great honour to convey you the warmest wishes on the occasion of the anniversary of your enthronement as Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church. I congratulate you for everything that you achieved during all these fruitful years, which inspired a new dynamics to the Church, and I wish you every success in your future work. I also express my deep appreciation for the contribution of the Romanian Orthodox Church under the high pastoral service of Your Beatitude, for the common welfare of our society, through the promotion of the Christian values and support granted to the Romanians. Dialogue, solidarity and co-operation are essential principles for the Romanian Orthodox Church and constitute efficient ways for surpassing difficulties. We need models and, in this sense, the permanent efforts you are making, especially with the young generation, represent a premise of the development of our society.
At the same time, I salute the support that the Romanian Orthodox Church gives to the migration phenomenon, helping the Romanian Orthodox communities abroad to become vivid dynamic communities in the societies that host them. We live in a world in permanent changing, so that the pluralism of visions and identities need greater capacity of communication and conciliation. The Romanian society has always had the Orthodox Church as a partner, together with whom it updated its faithfulness towards the values of solidarity and respect for tradition. I have full confidence, Your Beatitude, that the future will confirm the vision of a society dignified and solidary, in the spirit of knowledge and responsibility.
May this anniversary time bring joy and hope to all the Orthodox faithful of Romania and of the Diaspora communities!
Please receive, Your Beatitude, my best thoughts and highest esteem!
May you live many happy years!
Message of the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Mr. Valeriu Zgonea, on the occasion of the anniversary of five years since the enthronement of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel:
Your Beatitude,
The anniversary of five years since the enthronement of Your Beatitude as Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of our country gives us the pleasant opportunity to convey you best wishes and to assure you of all our great esteem.
The impressive activity you have unfolded so far, both in the diplomatic and in the administrative fields, especially in the pastoral-missionary one, points out your permanent concern to provide the faithful and the Romanian society with a dynamic Church sensitive to the structural changes she passes through not only in our country, but also all over the world, especially in the context of the severe economical difficulties.
We think that the results of your pastoral service unfolded so far as Patriarch of our Church, during the five years since you have had this responsibility, occasions not only the opportunity of an important balance sheet, but also the hope that the great projects of the Orthodox Church will continue at least with the same enthusiasm as so far.
We convey you once again our congratulations on the occasion of today’s anniversary and our best wishes of good health too!
His Grace Ciprian Câmpineanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch read the message of the Prime Minister of Romania, Mr. Victor Ponta, addressed on the occasion of the anniversary of five years of patriarchal service of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel:
Your Beatitude,
I convey you warm thanks for the invitation you extended me to attend the bright feast of the five years of achievements in the highest duties towards the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Unfortunately, I regret I have to inform you that I shall not be able to attend this event because I shall be in Brussels at the Congress of the European socialists, a meeting where I must be present in my government and party capacity.
Even if I shall not be present at the anniversary event, my thoughts of admiration, respect and gratitude will focus on Your Beatitude, fully aware that you will understand the reason of my absence from this feast of the family of our national Church.
I assure you of all my high esteem and please receive my best wishes of good health, light, many years of achievements in the high mission entrusted, by God’s grace, for the welfare of the Romanians from everywhere and of Romania.
Representatives of the Romanian Academy and of the University of Bucharest have also attended the anniversary event. Messages of congratulations have also been received from some other institutions and personalities.
To end with, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel thanked God for the help given, as well as all those present for their best wishes.
“We pray God to help us continue the work begun and accomplish what is useful to our Church and country. As already pointed out, we need more co-operation, harmony, good understanding and enjoy, as well as the fruits of diligence and generosity. Joy is the sign of the presence of God in the man’s heart, even when he passes through certain trials. So, joy is the feeling that you are not alone. Even when we come across difficulties, it is easier for every one of us if we suffer them in communion, and in spiritual and material solidarity. One says sufferance shared with somebody else is alleviated and joy increased”, His Beatitude said.
Hierarchs of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, members of the Standing meeting of the Church National Council and of the Standing meeting of the Eparchial Council of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, clergy, central and local authorities and other guests attended the event.
