His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, welcomed on Friday the presence of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople at the ceremony for the consecration of the National Cathedral iconography, describing it as a blessed occasion of fraternal communion and pastoral and missionary cooperation between the two Churches.
"We are together again in the historic Patriarchal Cathedral, preparing for the service of consecration of the mosaic painting of the National Cathedral, on Sunday, October 26. The moment of consecration of the mosaic painting of the National Cathedral takes place in a very special context for the Romanian Orthodox Church, which celebrates this year the 100th anniversary of its elevation to the rank of Patriarchate and 140 years of Autocephaly. The presence of Your All-Holiness in Bucharest, on the occasion of this solemn event of the consecration of the mosaic painting of the National Cathedral, is a living testimony and a blessed occasion of fraternal communion and pastoral and missionary cooperation between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Romanian Patriarchate," said Patriarch Daniel at the Te Deum service officiated together with the Ecumenical Patriarch at the historic Patriarchal Cathedral.
His Beatitude Daniel expressed his gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the canonization this year, when the Romanian Orthodox Church celebrates 140 years of autocephaly and the Centennial of the Romanian Patriarchate, of several Romanian Athonite saints.
"The joy of Your All-Holiness' presence in Bucharest is enhanced by the fact that, recently, at Our request, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has included in the Church synaxarium four Romanian saints who lived on the Holy Mount Athos: Saint Niphon of Prodromos; Saint Nectarios the Protopsaltes; Saint Dionisie the Vatopedian of Colciu; and Saint Petroniu of Prodromos. The proclamation of the sainthood of the four Athonite fathers of Romanian origin in the Centennial Year of the Romanian Patriarchate expresses the unceasing spiritual bond between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Romanian Orthodox Church, between Athonite monasticism and Romanian monasticism. Therefore, we thank Your All-Holiness and the members of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the proclamation of the sainthood of the four Romanian Athonite fathers," the Patriarch said.
At the same time, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church thanked His All-Holiness Bartholomew for the "special and constant care" he shows towards the Romanian Orthodox community in Constantinople, which stands under the spiritual protection of the Holy Martyr Paraskevi of Haskoy (Istanbul), but also for the hospitality shown to the Romanian Orthodox pilgrims who annually visit the holy places within the Ecumenical Patriarchate, especially the Holy Mount Athos.
"The support of Your All-Holiness represents a source of comfort and spiritual strength for the Romanian Orthodox faithful in Turkey and for the Romanian Orthodox pilgrims," concluded His Beatitude the Patriarch.
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