Romanian Patriarch Daniel has described the construction of the National Youth Activities Center “Saint Elijah the Prophet” in Pantelimon, Ilfov County, as an important investment in the future of education and young people in Romania.
In a message delivered on Thursday during the foundation stone-laying ceremony, the Patriarch highlighted the challenges facing the Romanian educational system, including economic disparities, unequal access to quality education, and a persistently high rate of early school dropout, particularly in rural areas and small towns.
“In an era when social, technological, and economic changes are unfolding at an increasingly rapid pace, the educational system is compelled to respond simultaneously to both longstanding problems and the new challenges of contemporary society,” Patriarch Daniel said.
He noted that the Romanian Orthodox Church has historically played a major role in education, from the schools established around churches and monasteries in previous centuries to its modern educational and social initiatives throughout Romania and the diaspora.
The Patriarch emphasized that education must go beyond the transmission of knowledge and professional skills, focusing also on character formation and the cultivation of moral values.
The new center, dedicated to Saint Elijah the Prophet, will include accommodation facilities, a conference and prayer center, a library, reading rooms, music and art spaces, science laboratories, sports facilities, athletic tracks, bicycle paths, and outdoor recreation areas. According to Patriarch Daniel, the project aims to contribute to the formation of the “whole person” — mind, soul, and body.
“By laying the foundation stone of this center, the Church is offering concrete support to both the present and the future of education,” he said.
Concluding his message, the Patriarch prayed for God’s blessing upon the project and all those contributing to its realization, expressing hope that the center will help young people grow in knowledge, faith, responsibility, and solidarity for the benefit of Romanian society.
Source: Basilica.ro
