Speech of His Beatitude DANIEL, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, on the occasion of the consecration of the Romanian Orthodox church dedicated to Romanian heroes who died for the liberation of Czechoslovakia during World War II, Most, Czech Republic, October 9 2011:



Be faithful, even to the point of death,
and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
(Revelation 2: 10)


As we confess in the Charter that is placed at the foot of the Holy Altar Table, with the blessing of the Holy Trinity, through the joint effort of the two sister Orthodox Churches, the Romanian and the Czech Church, with the support of state authorities in Romania and local authorities in Most city, this place of worship has been constructed in the memory of the over 60,000 Romanian soldiers who died on the battlefields of World War II for the liberation of Czechoslovakia from Nazi occupation.

This memorial-church is, first of all, a symbol of our gratitude towards Romanian heroes from Czechoslovakia, who fought to free the country from Nazi occupation. In the same time, this church is a place of prayer for peace, health and salvation.

Second of all, this memorial-church is a symbol of the spiritual communion between two sister-Orthodox Churches, the Romanian and the Czech Church, through which are manifested their identity of faith and their brotherly solidarity in honoring the heroes who fought together for the dignity and freedom of their nations.

Thirdly, the church in Most, dedicated to Romanian heroes, is a testimony of cooperation between two European countries, Romania and the Czech Republic, with an often similar history in suffering as well as in hope. In this matter, we appreciate the openness and the generosity of local authorities in Most, who provided the plot of land for building this memorial-church dedicated to warrior-heroes.

From an architectural point of view, this church is a symbol of Christian piety blended with the craftsmanship of woodwork, which, in Romanian tradition, harmoniously blends talent with spirituality and the useful with the beautiful.

By their modesty and closeness, wooden churches are much warmed and bring the sky closer to the Earth, and through their high steeples they call the soul to spiritual elevation, to prayer and hope. As a place of worship built on a field, this church calls us to prayer and meditation for remembering the heroes who sacrificed themselves on the battleground, but whose souls are in the heavenly light of the Holy Trinity, symbolized by the cross placed on the steeple.

Thus, the construction of this wooden church, dedicated to The Ascension of the Lord (which is also the Day of Romanian heroes) and to Holy Martyr Valentine from Durostorum (who symbolizes the sacrifice of martyrs), as well as the construction of the wooden cross placed in front of the church, represent an offering for the memorial of Romanian heroes, who have sacrificed their life for freedom, with faith in the Resurrection and in eternal life, given to humankind by Christ, Who was crucified and Who has risen.

The symbolism of the church and of the wooden cross in Most, both dedicated to Romanian heroes, also refer to the spiritual connection between trees sawn to the ground and the soldiers who fell on the frontline. Just like the wood from which this place of worship is built reminds us of the life of towering trees which, by cutting and processing, offer themselves to become a house or a church, the heroes of a nation, who died fighting on the battlefield, offered their lives for the freedom and dignity of their nation and of other nations.

In this solemn and sacred moment, we bring a pious homage to the worthy of remembrance Patriarch Teoctist of Romania, who, together with His Beatitude Krystoph, the Primate of the Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church, consecrated the foundation stone of this church, on July 14 2007.

We also warmly thank all those who made efforts to support the construction of this memorial-church, especially the Most Townhall, the Orthodox Archdiocese of Prague, the Department for Romanians Abroad of the Romanian Government, the Romanian Embassy in Prague, the Association of Romanians in the Czech Republic, as well as the Patriarchal Administration in Bucharest, under the supervision of His Grace Ciprian Câmpineanul, our Assistant Bishop.

We pray to our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was crucified and Who has risen, to protect this memorial-church dedicated to Romanian heroes and to give health and joy to all those who will pray here, as servants of the altar or as pilgrims or visitors.


† DANIEL
Patriarch of Romania