On the occasion of the International Woman’s Day – 8 March, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church conveyed the following message of blessing:

BLESSING AND HOMAGE TO THE FAITHFUL WOMAN

Adopted at international level as day dedicated to woman, the date of 8 March is an occasion to emphasise the special role of the women in the family life and in society, in general. The Church avails of this opportunity to emphasise the fact that for the Christian woman, the example consecrated is that of the Mother of God, of the women of myrrh, celebrated in quite a special way in the Orthodox Church on the third Sunday after the Holy Easter, as well as of all the other women listed in the Christian Orthodox Calendar.

As the feast of 8 March has been embedded for many years in the common conscience as the day when homage is brought to the woman as wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, friend or colleague etc., we point out the fact that in the world history, Christianity contributed in quite an essentially way to the promotion of the woman’s dignity as a result of the coming human of the Son of God from a woman, that is of the Incarnation and Nativity of Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the Holy Virgin Mary. Consequently, by calling the woman to holiness, to giving birth to children and growing them in faith, in Christianity she reaches the dignity of empress, first in Byzantium and then in the West.

Always working in the family life, helping her husband and parents, growing her children in faith, or praying and working in monasteries, the faithful courageous woman has confessed faith in any time. This is why these Christian women are appreciated in the Church so much that the names of many of them have been listed in the church calendar, having been as many examples and brilliant landmarks for all Christians, men and women, for the entire Church.

Both as a wife and mother, the woman is for her family an example of devotion and responsibility, her diligence and love bestowed in the bosom of the family bringing peace and hope, joy and human dignity, at home and in society.

As a Christian mother, the woman shapes, first of all, the Christian conscience and feeling of her children, having been a source of affection and an icon of the devotion and care for all the family, a sign of divine blessing and joy for the Church.

In a society more and more individualist and competing, the faithful and diligent, wise and peaceful, woman brings more communion and peace inside the communities very often restless. The piety, kindness and humbleness of the Christian prayerful mothers and grandmothers are a blessing for the family and Church, especially in times of turmoil and confusion. In our country, lots of women contribute today to the education of the young people and children, in kindergartens and public or private schools. A lot of women who work in medical units and social centres bring peace and quiet and healing to the sick ones, and encouragement to the poor and lonely ones, while many other women contribute to the life of the society in many fields of activity: parishes in the country and abroad, public, central and local administration, scientific research, arts, agriculture, industry, trade, army a.s.o.

We bring homage of gratitude today to all women, especially to the faithful ones, and wish them many blessed years of life, with good health and much help from God!

May Christ, our Lord, bless all the good useful work of the women in the family, Church and society, for the prayers of the Mother of God and of all saints, for the glory of the Holy Trinity and for the welfare of the Romanian people!


† DANIEL
PATRIARCH OF THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

PRESS OFFICE OF THE ROMANIAN PATRIARCHATE