The Orthodox Church of Romania has centuries-old ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of Greece.
Patriarch Daniel of Romania mentioned this, addressing the delegation which transported the relics of Saint Thomas the Apostle and Saint Catherine the Great Martyr to the Pantocrator Monastery in Romania.
Thousands of Romanian believers venerated the holy relics at the monastery located in the Teleorman area. The events culminated on Sunday with the sanctification service officiated by Metropolitan Georgios of Kitros, Katerini and Platamon along with seven Romanian hierarchs.
Yesterday they were transferred to the residence of Patriarch Daniel in the Romanian capital, Bucharest.
“We are very happy to have the opportunity to venerate the Holy Skull of Saint Thomas the Apostle and the Holy Hand of Saint Catherine the Great Martyr. The pilgrimage to these holy relics intensifies the joy of the celebration of Easter in our country,” Patriarch Daniel said.
The Patriarch thanked the Greek delegation and stressed that “this joy shows us the brotherly bond between the sister Orthodox Churches and between our peoples, Greeks, and Romanians.
It is a great blessing, for at a time of great uncertainty, it is good to affirm the spiritual connection based on faith in Jesus Christ, the conqueror of death and the giver of another life, eternal, heavenly life.”
The Primate of the Romanian Church also said that the ties of the Romanian Orthodox Church with the Church of Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate “are ties of centuries.”
Photo by Basilica.ro / Raluca-Emanuela Ene