Τhe Romanian Patriarchate

On 12 October 2011, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel received in an audience at the Patriarchal Residence, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, who was paying a visit to Romania. His Excellency Francisco-Javier Lozano, Apostolic Nuncio in Romania and Republic of Moldova and Mr. Bogdan Tataru-Cazaban, Romanian Ambassador in Vatican were also present.


His Eminence Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi thanked for reception and proposed the Romanian Patriarchate to collaborate in a few cultural projects of the Pontifical Council for Culture during the next years, out of which we mention:

- Organising together with some public state institutions from Romania and Italy in 2012 – year declared in Italy the Year of the Romanian Culture – some exhibitions of Byzantine art and concerts of Romanian Orthodox religious music, as well as some other events of Romanian contemporary art and culture;

- Organising anniversary manifestations in Rome and Milan in 2013, when it is 1700 years since the Edict of Milan of Saint Emperor Constantine the Great (313 – 2013);

- Organising during the next years an international inter-disciplinary Congress on the theme Theology, Science and Philosophy

- Organising an international symposium on the theme Arts and Faith

The Patriarch of Romania appreciated the proposals of collaboration and mentioned that the Standing meeting of the Church National Council has recently decided to propose the Holy Synod to proclaim the year 2013 as Homage year of Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen. His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel also proposed some pilgrimages in the footsteps of the Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen in Rome, Jerusalem and Constantinople.

During the meeting, a possible pastoral visit of the Patriarch of Romania to Italy was also discussed (2013).