It is with great joy that we arrive in the famous city of Galati, whose patron saint and protector is the Apostle Andrew. We feel that we are in familiar and fraternal surroundings, inasmuch as you lie under the protective care of the “first-called” of the Apostles, who is also under the paternal protector of our Mother Church of Constantinople. We are sincerely moved and feel deeply grateful for this honor and reception, as well as for the kind words which confirm that we are of one soul with each other, and that we share a very close and unbreakable bond of faith and love that already unites our sister Churches.

As known, we are participating in and initiating the third international symposium “Religion, Science, and Environment,” which this year is dealing with the theme: “Danube – A River of Life.” This subject is of direct concern to all Danubian peoples, but also to the peoples of the Black Sea region. For the Black Sea is a receptor of the waters from the Danube and of all the substances transferred from there. Our participation in this symposium is a result of our paternal interest for the welfare and peace of humanity, which largely depends on the plenitude of natural resources, and which very much depends also on the preservation of the natural and ecological health and balance. We regard it as the obligation of all Christians to show respect toward our fellow neighbor, whose life would otherwise be negatively affected by pollutants and by our polluting actions. This is why we preach this message of love and solidarity, and of respect for nature and humanity. The aim is for all of us to be sensitized in regard to this problem, and to become conscious to its resolution, each in our own field, from our particular position and captivity.