New ambassador of France on an introductory visit to the Romanian Patriarchate
July 2014
On 30 June 2014, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel received at the Patriarchal Residence the introductory visit of His Excellency Mr Francois Saint-Paul, French Ambassador in Bucharest.
His Excellency thanked for reception and mentioned that during the two months since he has been on a diplomatic mission in Romania he has travelled to several regions of the country and noticed the important role of the Romanian Orthodox Church in the Romanian society. In this context, the French Ambassador appreciated that the Romanian Orthodoxy has an important role to play in the affirmation of the spiritual values in the European Union, the Romanian Orthodox people having been the greatest Orthodox group in the states members of the Union.
Then, His Excellency Mr Francois Saint-Paul emphasised the need of some public coherent politics in Romania, especially in the field of public administration, education and good health, in order to diminish the effects of poverty, of the demographic decline and migration of the competences, especially of the young people, phenomena with negative impact over the future of the Romanian society.
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel said that Romania benefits of the experience and constant support of France in the continuation, deepening and expending the cooperation at cultural level and at that of the institutional experience, as well as at the level of the cooperation among the theological schools of the two countries. In this sense, the Patriarch of Romania underlined the importance of the theoretical academic formation with practical applicability in the context of the challenges of the contemporary society. His Beatitude underlined the European vocation of the Romanians and the fact that our country has the greatest Orthodox Diaspora among the states members of the European Union. This reality determines the Romanian Orthodox Church to a responsible dialogue and efficient cooperation with the civil and church institutions of the states members of the Union European, for a better social integration and affirmation of the spiritual identity of the Romanians. The Patriarch of Romania has also mentioned the important role of the Representation of the Romanian Patriarchate at the European Institutions and the contribution of Basilica Press Centre of the Romanian Patriarchate to the promotion of the Romanian values in European context.
Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate
