Patriarch Daniel has issued a strong message calling for unity, social peace and the defence of human dignity as a representative of the Romanian Orthodox Church took part in ceremonies marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the commemoration of the anti-Jewish pogrom in Bucharest on Monday. The Patriarch underlined that authentic social harmony can only be built on truth, mutual respect and the rejection of hatred in all its forms.
In his message, Patriarch Daniel expressed compassion for the suffering endured by the Jewish people and reaffirmed the Church’s firm commitment to interreligious dialogue and peaceful coexistence among different religious and ethnic communities in Romania. He stressed that Christian faith, rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is fundamentally incompatible with antisemitism, discrimination or violence directed against individuals or communities.
The Patriarch also anchored his appeal in historical memory, recalling concrete examples from Romania’s past when Orthodox hierarchs chose solidarity and moral courage during the Holocaust. He highlighted testimonies showing how church leaders intervened to protect Jewish lives at a time when such actions carried grave personal risk, demonstrating that faith must be lived through responsibility and love for one’s neighbour.
Looking to the present, Patriarch Daniel emphasised that this moral and spiritual legacy places an obligation on today’s Church and society alike. He called for a continued, responsible dialogue with the Jewish community and for sustained efforts to promote peace, mutual understanding and respect for human dignity, warning that remembrance without ethical commitment risks losing its meaning in the face of contemporary challenges.
Please find below the full text of Patriarch Daniel’s message on International Holocaust Remembrance Day:
Let Us Cultivate Unity and Social Peace through Mutual Respect and the Defence of Human Dignity
The Romanian Orthodox Church is taking part in the ceremony dedicated to International Holocaust Remembrance Day and to the memory of the victims of the Legionary anti-Jewish Pogrom in Bucharest, with the conviction that unity and social peace are built upon truth and respect for human dignity.Within this solemn context, the Romanian Orthodox Church expresses its compassion for the sufferings of the Jewish people and reaffirms its constant commitment to fostering peace and social harmony, interreligious dialogue, and peaceful coexistence among the different religions and ethnic groups in our country, grounded in the values of love for one’s neighbour, solidarity, and mutual respect.
At the same time, the Romanian Orthodox Church condemns all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment, or violence against individuals or communities on the basis of ethnic origin or religious belief, bearing witness to the fact that the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and authentic faith are incompatible with hatred and discrimination.
Our approach today is anchored in the actions of our hierarchs who, during periods of extremist ideological darkness (1941–1944), chose the light of human solidarity. Beyond official discourse, history offers us eloquent testimonies of courage.
We recall first and foremost the words of deep gratitude expressed by former Chief Rabbi Alexandru Șafran towards Patriarch Nicodim Munteanu and other Romanian hierarchs. At a time when political pressures were immense, Patriarch Nicodim was a constant support for the Jewish community, intervening with the authorities to halt or mitigate repressive measures.
Chief Rabbi Șafran testified to the kindness and openness of Patriarch Nicodim, who understood that the duty of a shepherd extends beyond the boundaries of one’s own community. In his memoirs, entitled A Firebrand Plucked from the Flames, Chief Rabbi Alexandru Șafran records how the cooperation between Queen Mother Elena and Patriarch Nicodim Munteanu constituted a moral support without which life-saving interventions for the Jewish community would have been far more difficult.
In the same memoir, Chief Rabbi Alexandru Șafran also evokes the life-saving interventions of Metropolitan Nicolae Bălan of Transylvania, who appealed to the authorities and succeeded in stopping several deportation actions targeting Jews from Transylvania to German camps.
Another example of extraordinary moral strength is that of Metropolitan Tit Simedrea of Bukovina. The testimony of Marcel Slacman (later Meir Shai) stands as living proof of the rescue of his family. In October 1941, when the Chernivtsi ghetto was preparing for deportations to Transnistria, his father, David Slacman, an employee of the Bukovina Metropolis’s printing house, was saved through the intervention of painter Gheorghe Rusu (a metropolitan adviser), with the explicit approval of Metropolitan Tit Simedrea.
More than a mere inclusion on a list of “indispensable” persons, Metropolitan Tit Simedrea authorised the extraction of the entire Slacman family from the Chernivtsi ghetto and their concealment in the basement of the Metropolis for two years. This decision was taken under circumstances in which, in October 1941, hiding Jews was punishable by death. Metropolitan Tit Simedrea chose the divine law of love over murderous ordinances.
We also recall with reverence the gesture of Bishop Andrei Magieru of Arad. At critical moments when Horthyist military authorities were preparing the deportation of the Jews of Arad, he hid Chief Rabbi Nicolae Schönfeld and his brother in his own residence. In a context marked by severe anti-Jewish laws, the home of an Orthodox bishop became a refuge for the spiritual leader of the Jewish community, demonstrating that spiritual solidarity in the face of evil is stronger than any terror.
This spiritual and moral legacy obliges us to a consistent approach today as well. In this regard, the Romanian Patriarchate maintains a responsible and constant dialogue with the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania and with representatives of the Mosaic faith.
In conclusion, the Romanian Orthodox Church condemns antisemitic attitudes and rhetoric while continuously cultivating peace, mutual understanding, and respect for the spiritual heritage of the Jewish community, an integral part of our historical identity.
† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Photo and source: Basilica.ro
