The Ambassador of Ukraine in Romania on an Introduction Visit to the Romanian Patriarchate

The Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate informs us:

On 5 September 2012, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel received, at the Patriarchal Residence, His Excellency Teofil Bauer, the new Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine in Romania on an introduction visit at the beginning of his diplomatic mission in our country.

His Excellency Mr Teofil Bauer thanked for reception and pointed out the important role of the Churches in keeping the ethnic identity in the context of the process of globalisation in today’s world. In this sense, the Ambassador mentioned the fact that the state authorities provide the religious freedom to the historical religious cults in Ukraine, as well as to the national minorities who are guaranteed the right to celebrate the religious services in their mother tongue.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel wished the Ambassador of Ukraine in Bucharest every success at the beginning of his diplomatic mission in Romania and emphasised the relations of co-operation between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. In this context, the Patriarch of Romania emphasised the Protocol of co-operation at the academic level between the Orthodox Theological Faculty of “Patriarch Justinian” of Bucharest and the Orthodox Theological Institute of Kiev, as well as the pilgrimages organised every month by the Pilgrimage Centre of the Romanian Patriarchate to the churches and monasteries of Ukraine, which contribute to a better mutual knowing between the two peoples. At the same time, His Beatitude underlined the fraternal relations between the Romanian Orthodox clergy and faithful and the Ukrainian ones of Maramures and Banat.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel appreciated the fact that in the majority of the regions of Ukraine the Romanian communities benefit of liturgical services in the Romanian language and thought that the Romanian Orthodox faithful living in Odessa region should enjoy the same right. Because these Romanians do not have liturgical services in the Romanian language they are faced with an aggressive proselytism of the neo-protestant religious cults who allow them to pray in the Romanian language only if they become their members.

To end with the visit, presents were exchanged (albums).

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