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Beloved Brethren and Children in the Lord,

All glory, honor, and worship is due to God the Father of Lights, God the Son –Word and Wisdom, and God the All Holy, Good and Life-creating Spirit, Who has vouchsafed us to arrive in safety and serenity, to the pious and peaceful land of Romania.

We come with our heart full of joy and with the love of the Mother Church of Constantinople, to partake in the celebration of the One Hundred and Fortieth Anniversary of the granting of the Tomos of Autocephaly to the Church of Romania, and the One Hundredth Anniversary of its elevation to the rank of Patriarchate by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

This fraternal invitation of our beloved Brother in the Lord, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, a preeminent Churchman, theologian, scholar and spiritual figure of our age, is most welcome indeed.

For we were well-pleased to join him seven years ago, to dedicate and to consecrate the Holy Altar of the Bucharest National Cathedral – the People’s Salvation Cathedral. And now, we shall unite with him once again in brotherly love and solidarity, to complete the Consecration of the mosaics of this magnificent House of God, which is dedicated to the noble Romanian People and their profound spiritual and cultural traditions.

The sheer and awe-inspiring size of the Cathedral bears witness to the magnitude and significance of these observances of the self-determination and the high estate of the Patriarchate of Romania. For the Patriarchal status of the Church of Romania is surely commensurate with its Autocephaly. Both reflect the lofty aspirations of the Romanian People, and their devotion to the Holy Orthodox Christian Faith, which, even in their darkest hour, was never forsaken by the good people of this rich and spiritually abundant land.

Romania is filled with saints and pious aesthetic traditions which are unique in the Orthodox World. The Church of Romania possesses a deep history stretching back to the Third Century, and it is a well-spring of Martyrs, Ascetics, and all manner of Holy Men and Women of God, as the recent canonization by the Mother Church of Constantinople of four Romanian Athonites testifies. Its theological resources are appreciated around the globe, and its struggle to maintain the Faith in the communist period is legendary.

Therefore, with great anticipation for the joyous days ahead, and in recognition of the powerful bonds between Constantinople and Bucharest, we embrace the Church, Her distinguished Patriarch, and the Noble People of Romania with jubilation and pride, acknowledging their magnificent works that glorify our Triune God. And commending for their fidelity, perseverance, and integrity, we give thanks to Almighty God for the extraordinary days of our Visitation among you.

Thank you, and may God bless Romania!

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Photo: Nicholas Papachristou