Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova met on Tuesday with Dan Mihalache, Ambassador of Romania to Cyprus.
The Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest was accompanied by the members of the Romanian delegation that brought Hieromartyr Cyprian’s relics to Cyprus. The President of the Alliance of Romanians in the Republic of Cyprus and the founder of the Romanian School in the Republic of Cyprus, Christina Christodoulou, joined them.
During the meeting, issues related to the life of the Romanian community in Cyprus and the relationship between the two sister Orthodox Churches were discussed.
“Your Grace, it’s a great pleasure to welcome you to the Romanian Embassy on the occasion of this impressive moment we have experienced together in Limassol. An emotional moment not only for the Romanian community but for all Orthodox Christians in Cyprus”, said Dan Mihalache.
Bishop Timotei of Prahova expressed his gratitude for the Embassy’s efforts to support Romanian schools and clergy settled in Cyprus.
“I was glad to see the dots on the map of from in the Ambassador’s office – some of them indicate Romanian schools, places where Romanian children study on certain days, while many others indicate the presence of Romanian clergy in Cyprus,” said HG Timotei of Prahova.
The delegation admired handcraft and art objects made by Romanian students, exhibited at the Romanian Embassy in Cyprus.
Dan Mihalache is close to the Romanian Orthodox community of Cyprus and was present on Saturday at the official reception of St Cyprian’s relics held at the “Holy Archangel Michael” Church in Limassol.
“An emotional moment on Saturday in Limassol, not only for the Romanian community, but for all Orthodox Christians in Cyprus. An emotional moment for me as well: receiving the relics of Hieromartyr Cyprian”, Dan Mihalache shared on social media.
The Romanian Ambassador to Cyprus emphasised that the bringing of the relics “demonstrates once again the exceptional relations” between the two Churches.
After the meeting at the Embassy, the delegates visited the “Holy Apostle Paul” Romanian Parish in Nicosia.
On this occasion, bishop Timotei of Prahova praised the pastoral-missionary activity of the parish and discussed with Parish Priest Petre Matei the realities faced by the Romanian community in Nicosia.
In 2022, Fr Petre Matei received the Order of Cultural Merit in the rank of Knight from the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis, “for the dedication with which he has been involved in preserving the identity of Romanian communities abroad”.
Photo credit: Basilica.ro
