The message of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, to the participants to the 11th Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, Iaşi, Romania, October 16-17, 2008:
DIALOGUE FOR THE PROMOTION OF
CHRISTIAN AND DEMOCRATIC VALUES
Your Graces,
Your Excellencies,
Honoured Attendees,
With great joy we are addressing you, honoured attendees at the 11th Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, which, this year, is unfolding in Romania, aiming to promote intercultural dialogue founded upon the affirmation of common values, a contemporary theme, both in Europe and around the world: “Intercultural Dialogue Based on Common Values as a Tool for Peace and Prosperity in Europe.”
With Romania’s adhesion to the European Union, on January 1, 2007, we Romanians have noticed that this integration into the large European family is, for us, a chance for progress, but also an opportunity to contribute spiritually and culturally to the life of a Europe united politically, judicially and economically.
In this context, Romania has the vocation of contributing to the enrichment of the spiritual and cultural European patrimony, reaffirming, together with the other European peoples, the respect for the defence of the life and dignity of the human person, the protection of family values and of human solidarity, of the environment, granting at same time a special attention to the assurance of religious and conscience freedom, of human rights, democracy and social justice.
That is why, in the process of European unification, we are underlining that a fundamental role is being held by the affirmation and amplification of Europe’s spiritual richness, through the cultural and religious heritage of each nation, with perennial values, in the consolidation of the identity, credibility and stability of a united and healthy Europe.
Orthodox Churches have the experience of dialogue, hospitality and peaceful coexistence with the other faiths and religions, because over the course of history, they have lived and operated in multicultural and multiethnic environments, which determined them to discover new sources of creative inspiration. Thus, Orthodox Churches are called to be witnesses that, according to their faith in God, Who became Man in history for men to be able to participate to His eternal life, true faith sanctifies life, which becomes communion of love between God and humans.
In this sense, the Romanian Orthodox Church, a promoter of dialogue, both nationally and internationally, underlines the experience of cultural syntheses that Romania has developed over the course of its existence, as a bridge between the East and the West, our Church being in itself a synthesis, which unites within its identity the Oriental, Eastern Orthodox spirituality, with the Western Latin language.
Honoured attendees,
The participation of Orthodox Churches in the defence and promotion of common spiritual values, of intercultural dialogue, in the defence and promotion of interfaith, interreligious and interethnic peace, is an act of dignity and a necessity, because it is part of the ethos which modelled us along the centuries, the authentic European spirit. We are expressing our hope that the working sessions of the 11th Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats will contribute to the stronger affirmation of these common values, because “peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:18)
With utmost regards and blessings,
† DANIEL
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
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