Ana Birchall: Phrase "Romania - Garden of Mother of God" - confession of faith, genuine love for country

The phrase "Romania - The Garden of the Mother of God" has deep roots in the tradition of Romanian Christianity and is a confession of faith and genuine love for this country, says Ana Birchall, Deputy Prime Minister for Strategic Partnerships Implementation of Romania.

"One of the dearest expressions of my soul expressing the tenderness, spirituality, faith and inner beauty of the soul of the Romanian nation is the similarity between Romania and the Garden of Mother of God. This phrase full of holiness which I often use in my public interventions has a special history and a significance to match it. The general public was touched by this expression in the message given by Pope John Paul II on his first visit to a major Orthodox country (May 7-9, 1999), when the pope attributed to Romania the name of the Garden of the Mother of God, appellation considered by many as a courtesy statement," Ana Birchall said in a posting on her Facebook page.

According to her, naming our country as the Garden of Mother of God was not only a "gesture of benevolence" from Pope John Paul II, but this expression was used hundreds of years ago, based on a miracle occurred at the Bisericani Monastery in Neamt County.

"The reality is that it was not just a gesture of benevolence from the Pontiff Sovereign because history speaks of the use of expression for the first time about 500 years ago, based on a miracle that happened in Neamt County, at the Bisericani Monastery, situated 12 kilometers from Piatra Neamt. I will share with you this event because I find it evocative of the faith and spirituality of the Romanian people. In 1498, the priest Joseph and the monks accompanying him began to build a church. The wars of Saint Stephen the Great and the fact that they did not advance too much with the building, made the monks leave for Mount Athos. As they were descending on Rea Valley, a flash of lightning erupted from an oak, and in front of their eyes appeared the Holy Virgin Mary. 'Where are you going, priests?' 'We go to Athos, to the Holy Mountain, to the Garden of Mother of God.' Stay here, do not go, for this is my Garden too,' was the dialogue between the Mother of God and the Father Joseph,' said Ana Birchall.

Deputy Prime Minister Ana Birchall points out that the phrase "Romania - The Garden of the Mother of God" is a confession of faith and genuine love for the country, if we all consider ourselves children in the Garden of Mother of God, namely in Romania.

"I hope that after reading this message, all those who write or smile ironically when they hear me saying that Romania is the Garden of the Mother of God, would refrain themselves, or at least research the history of this phrase dear to my soul!", Ana Birchall wrote at the end of her posting.