Visit of the Patriarch of Romania to Munich, Germany

His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church paid a canonical visit to the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxemburg during the last few days.

Friday, 9 September 2011, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, accompanied by His Eminence Teofan, Metropolitan of Moldova and Bucovina, was met at the airport of Munich by a delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church of Germany, made up of His Eminence Serafim, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Germany, Central and Northern Europe, His Grace Sofian Braşoveanul, Assistant Bishop to the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxemburg and the priests of the parishes of Munich. Some other hierarchs of our Church who had come to Munich for the event, joined the delegation: His Eminence Laurenţiu, Metropolitan of Transylvania, and His Grace Macarie, Bishop of Northern Europe. Also present at the airport meeting the delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church was Cardinal Marx, Catholic Archbishop of Freising and Munich, accompanied by many clergy and counsellors on behalf of the Catholic Archdiocese of Munich. On 10 September 2011, His Eminence Iosif, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe and His Eminence Archbishop Ioan, Bishop Covasnei and Harghita joined the delegation.

Saturday, 10 September 2011, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel met Cardinal Reinhard Marx, at his residence. They discussed about the relations between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church of Bavaria as well as about the good collaboration between the two Churches manifested through the support that the Catholic Church grants to our Church providing her with spaces for prayer, as well as through other means of collaboration.

Saturday, the Patriarch of Romania met the Bishop of the Lutheran Evangelical Church, Johannes Friedrich; during the discussions they emphasised the common relations between the two Churches.

Bishop Johannes Friedrich welcomed the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, pointing out the dialogue between the two Churches.

During the meeting, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel expressed his joy and honour for having been invited to Bavaria thanking at the same time for the contribution that the Evangelical Church of Munich provided to the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan See of Germany for purchasing the plot of land where a Romanian church and social centre will be built.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel also thanked for the support granted to the Romanian students in Germany.

Saturday too, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania and the delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church visited the General Consulate of Romania in Munich. Here, he was met by Mrs. Brânduşa Predescu, General Consul, by Mr. Michael Fernbach, Vice-consul, in charge with the cultural, educational and press relations, as well as by Mr. Cristian Mateescu, consul for economical issues.

The meeting continued with the participation of the delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church in the opening festivity of a remarkable exhibition of decorative art. On this occasion, His Beatitude Daniel showed the need to promote the Romanian values in the Romanian Diaspora.

His Beatitude also emphasised in the speech delivered the importance of the Christian education as value that cannot be considered materially.

The same day in the afternoon, His Beatitude met Mrs. Barbara Stamm, president of the Bavarian Parliament. On this occasion, aspects of the constant support granted to the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan See of Germany were discussed with the local authorities.

Mrs. Barbara Stamm, president of the Bavarian Parliament, welcomed the Patriarch of Romania expressing her joy for this meeting and underlining the good relations with Romanian Orthodox Church.

The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church expressed his joy for having met the president of the Bavarian Parliament again, and thanked both for the support granted and for the philanthropic activity unfolded in Romania in the course of time, calling it a “lay discipleship”.

On this occasion, His Beatitude offered Mrs. Barbara Stamm an icon as a sign of thanksgiving for the support granted.

Saturday, 11 September 2011, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Aubing, Munich, on a scene specially arranged, assisted by a group of 11 hierarchs and over 30 priests and deacons.

After the Divine Liturgy, hundreds of Romanian faithful participated in the ceremony for the laying of the foundation stone to the new Romanian Orthodox church in Aubing-Munich, Germany, dedicated to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and to Saint Hierarch Calinic from Cernica. His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel celebrated the religious service assisted by the group of hierarchs, priests and deacons.

Many officials, the President of the Bavarian Parliament, Mrs. Barbara Stamm, the Romanian Ambassador in Germany, Lazăr Comănescu, the General Consul of Romania, Mrs. Brânduşa Predescu, attended the event.

Archbishop Mark Arndt of Berlin and all Germany within the Russian Church Outside the Boundaries, Assistant Bishop, His Grace Agaput of Stuttgart, as well as representatives of the Roman Catholic Church of Munich and Freiburg headed by Assistant Bishop Engelbert Siebler, representatives of the Lutheran Church of Bavaria headed by Michael Martin, Ecumenical counsellor were also present at the event.

His Grace Sofian Braşoveanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxembrug read the document for the laying of the foundation stone.

The plot of land where the new church of the Romanians of Munich was acquired by care of His Eminence Serafim, Metropolitan of Central and Northern Europe, with the support of the Lutheran Evangelical Church of Bavaria.

On this occasion, His Grace Sofian Braşoveanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxemburg thanked for the assistance the Bavarian authorities granted to Romanian mission of Germany.

The Patriarch of Romania has also delivered a speech entitled A New Gate to Heaven in Germany, in which he emphasised among other things, the fact that a new place of worship, the construction of a new church represents a Gate to Heaven. At the same time, His Beatitude underlined the fact that in the sacred space of the brick church the earth and Heaven meet, time with eternity, the faithful from the earth with those in heaven.

According to His Eminence Serafim, who related to Trinitas TV station, there followed speeches delivered by Metropolitan Augustinos, President of the Orthodox Bishops’ Conference of Germany, by the Romanian Ambassador in Germany, Lazăr Comănescu, as well as by the President of the Bavarian Parliament, Mrs. Barbara Stamm.

After celebrating the Divine Liturgy and laying of the foundation stone to the new church to be built in Munich, in Aubing district, at 14.30 hours, Germany’s time and 15.30 hours Romania’s time, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the official delegation attended the evocation of the events of 11 September 2011. The event was organised within the 25th meeting of Sant’Egidio Community, in Munich, with the participation of many officials, Orthodox Bishops of Germany, representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and of the Evangelical Church of Bavaria.

Cardinal Reinhard Marx delivered the welcome speech, and then, in the end of this commemoration a hymn of friendship was sung.

After the commemoration of the events of 11 September 2011, there followed a meeting that His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and other nine personalities had with the President of Germany, His Excellency Christian Wulff – as Deacon Teodor Gradinaciuc, present in Munich, informed us. It was a private meeting, where the press had no access.

The third day of the canonical visit continued with the participation of His Beatitude in the 25th International Meeting for Peace organised by Sant’Egidio Community on the theme “Bound to live Together”.

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