Patriarch Daniel: Our Church appreciates the presence and contribution of Armenians in Romania

Basilica News Agency – 13/11/2019

During the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition on the history and the heritage of the Armenian Church in Romania held Saturday at the Patriarchal Palace in Bucharest, Patriarch Daniel expressed the appreciation of the Romanian Orthodox Church for the presence and the contribution of Armenians in Romania in various fields of activity including spirituality, culture, art and society.

A photo album entitled ‘Armenian Church in Romania – History and Heritage’ was launched during the event.

Referring to the content of the album, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel said that ‘the Archdiocese of the Armenian Church in Romania presents in pictures and words and important part of its spiritual and material heritage, which is of a great historical and cultural value, but also of great architectural and artistic value.’

‘The Romanian Orthodox Church has a long and rich tradition of coexistence, good understanding and cooperation with the ethnic and confessional or religious minorities, located in the territory of our country,’ the Patriarch of Romania stressed November 9.

‘In particular, our Church appreciates the presence and contribution of Armenians in Romania in various fields of spiritual, cultural, artistic and social activity.’

‘The relations of respect and mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between Romanians and Armenians are based mainly on a common spiritual richness derived from the Gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ, a wealth that each of the two Christian Churches keeps and cultivates permanently in their own liturgical life, together with the specific traditions of each of them.’

In his speech, the patriarch referred to the ‘fraternal ties’ between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Armenian Church, which were promoted by Catholicos Vazken I who was born and studied in Romania.

Patriarch Daniel recalled the visits paid by the Romanian Patriarchs Justinian and Teoctist to Armenia, as well as the visits of Catholicoi Karekin I and Karekin II to Romania.

His Beatitude mentioned honouring Saint Gregory the Enlightener of Greater Armenia, ‘who spread the light of Christ and converted the Armenian people to Christianity in 301.’

‘We honour him especially because he is celebrated on the day of our enthronement as Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.’

Patriarch Daniel wished all Armenians in Romania to enjoy good health and happiness, as well as much help from God ‘in preserving their ethnic identity and in cultivating fellowship and cooperation with all Romanian citizens.’

Photography courtesy of Lumina Newspaper / Luigi Ivanciu

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