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President Klaus Iohannis will accompany Pope Francis, who is paying an apostolic visit in Romania on Friday through Sunday, in the ceremonies to be organised at the National Cathedral, the Saint Joseph Cathedral and Blaj.
President Iohannis said, on this occasion, that the visit of Pope Francis in Romania is "a happy occasion to bring together Orthodox, Roman-Catholic and Greek-Catholic Christians," reads a release of the Presidential Administration.
He will also accompany His Holiness in a religious ceremony to be dedicated to every denomination.
On Friday, starting on 5 pm, President Klaus Iohannis will participate in the ceremony of the Romanian Orthodox Church at the National Cathedral. Later on, starting at 5.55 pm, the head of the state will be at the Roman-Catholic liturgy at the Saint Joseph Cathedral. On Sunday, President Iohannis will go to Blaj, where, on the Liberty Field, there will be held a Greek-Catholic religious service for the beatification of seven Greek-Catholic martyrs.
The President will welcome His Holiness Pope Francis to the Cotroceni Presidential Palace on Friday.
Upon his arrival in Romania, Pope Francis will be welcomed by the head of state at the "Henri Coanda" International Airport, at 11.25, with the official welcoming ceremony to take place at the Cotroceni Palace at 12.05.
President Iohannis and His Holiness Pope Francis will have head-to-head talks and, starting at 1.05 pm, they will have a meeting with the state authorities, representatives of the civil society and diplomatic corps in the Union Hall. On this occasion, with approximately 400 guests in attendance, the head of state and Pope Francis will be delivering speeches.
The visit to Romania of His Holiness Pope Francis will end on Sunday, 5.30 pm, with the official departure ceremony on the Sibiu International Airport, with President Klaus Iohannis in attendance.
The state visit of His Holiness comes in answer to an invitation extended by President Klaus Iohannis, back in May 2015, on the occasion of the anniversary of a quarter century since the resumption of diplomatic relations between Romania and the Holy Seat. Subsequently, in March 2017, the invitation was renewed in a letter sent by the President of Romania to His Holiness.
AGERPRES
