Approx.30,000 people, 2,000 guests attend consecration ceremony of People’s Salvation Cathedral

Approximately 30,000 people and 2,000 guests attended on Sunday morning the consecration ceremony of the People’s Salvation Cathedral, in Bucharest. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, head of the Constitutional Court Valter Dorneanu and numerous political and cultural figures were among the officials who participated in the consecration. Many of the people who attended the ceremony which was held on the plateau in front of the People’s Salvation Cathedral came from all over the country, dressed in traditional costumes, with tricolor flags and flags of the Patriarchy. The service of the Acatist of the Great Martyr Saint Catherine began in front of the impressive edifice at 8.00hrs and continued in front of the Holy Altar of the People’s Salvation Cathedral at 9.00hrs with the consecration ceremony of the Holy Altar of the People’s Salvation Cathedral. The consecration was officiated by His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR), Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patra, members of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, priests and deacons.   Patriarch Daniel: With the help of God, we consecrated the Altar of the National Cathedral   Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR) voiced his hope on Sunday that, three years from now, the mosaic painting of the People’s Salvation Cathedral be sanctified, whose Altar was consecrated in the presence of His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patra and members of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. “With the help of God, we consecrated the Altar of this cathedral called the Salvation of the Nation, or the National Cathedral. Let’s praise the Lord and thank all those who have helped us and who will help us further. Because, as you can see, there are some works to be done in order to complete the pantocrator steeple, the central steeple and then the painting of the church in mosaic. We hope to return three years from now to consecrate the painting in this cathedral,” Patriarch Daniel said after reading the Sanctification Act. Patriarch Daniel announced that after the Divine Liturgy and until Thursday, “all Orthodox believers, men and women, will be able to enter the Holy Altar, kiss the Holy Gospel, the Holy Cross and the Holy Table and ask for God’s help in their wishes for the better.” The consecration act reviewed the history of building the People’s Salvation Cathedral, starting 1877, when the necessity to build a national cathedral in Bucharest was felt and until now, when the consecration of the cathedral was officiated. The document is signed by His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patra and all the high hierarchs attending the consecration ceremony.   PM Dancila: People’s Salvation Cathedral – the pride that every Romanian should bear in the soul   The People’s Salvation Cathedral is the achievement of Romanians and Romania, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said on Sunday, mentioning that we can be proud of ourselves with this project, which all citizens of this country should hold in their hearts. “It’s a national event – the National Cathedral, Romania’s Cathedral, in a Centennial Year,” PM Dancila stated upon leaving the consecration ceremony of the People’s Salvation Cathedral. Moreover, when asked what means the achievement of this project, Viorica Dancila replied: “Romanians’ and Romania’s achievement, a project, a monument that we can be proud of. And I believe that this pride is not mine as Prime Minister, it’s the pride that every Romanian should bear in the soul.” The PM also added that she “had an extraordinary feeling, a feeling of peace and, at the same time, a feeling of joy” when attending the consecration ceremony of the Cathedral. When asked by journalists how is she commenting the fact that many Romanians are expecting same-size investments in hospitals, Dancila replied: “It is a special moment, let’s just talk about this event.”   President Iohannis welcomed Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, BOR Patriarch Daniel   President Klaus Iohannis on Saturday welcomed Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome, and Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR). “Your Beatitude, your visit today together with His Holiness is a great pleasure to me,” said Iohannis on this occasion. “And to us it is an honour,” said Daniel. The meeting took place at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace. Bartholomew arrived in Bucharest on Friday, accompanied by a delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, to participate in the events related to the consecration of Catedrala Mantuirii Neamului, the People’s Salvation Cathedral, in Bucharest. President Klaus Iohannis on Friday sent a letter to Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church indicating that he will not take part in the consecration of the People’s Salvation Cathedral in Bucharest. “Your Beatitude, thank you for the warm invitation to attend the ceremony of consecration of the People’s Salvation Cathedral. Unfortunately, for reasons related to the European agenda, I will not be able to take part in the event on Sunday, November 25, 2018,” Iohannis says in his letter. President Iohannis emphasised that the consecration of the cathedral represents, for the Christian Orthodox believers in the country and diaspora, a celebration of a special historical and symbolic charge. “The participation of Ecumenical Patriarch His Holiness Bartholomew I, along with the hierarchs of the sister Orthodox churches, reveals the deep connection that unites us in the spirit of Christian faith and values that the Church cultivates in society,” reads the presidential letter. Photo: www.basilica.ro

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