His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church pays, these days, a canonical visit to the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxemburg. Today, 10 September 2011, His Beatitude met the community of the Orthodox Romanians in Munich, as well as many Bavarian officials.

Friday, 9 September 2011, in the evening, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, accompanied by His Eminence Teofan, Metropolitan of Moldova and Bucovina, was met at the airport of Munich by a delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church of Germany, made up of His Eminence Serafim, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Germany, Central and Northern Europe, and His Grace Sofian Brasoveanul, Assistant Bishop to the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxemburg. Some other hierarchs of our Church who had come to Munich for the event joined them: His Eminence Laurentiu, Metropolitan of Transylvania, and His Grace Macarie, Bishop of Northern Europe. Cardinal Marx, Catholic Archbishop of Freising and Munich was also present at the airport meeting the delegation. Today, His Eminence Iosif, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe, and His Eminence Archbishop Ioan, Bishop of Covasna and Harghita joined the delegation.

According to deacon Teodor Gradinaciuc, correspondent of Trinitas Radio station, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel met cardinal Reinhard Marx, at his residence. They discussed about the relationship between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church as well as about the good collaboration, already present, manifested through the support that the Catholic Church gives to our Church by granting spaces for prayer and other facilities.

Today, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel also met Johannes Friedrich, Bishop of the Lutheran Evangelical Church, with whom he emphasised the relations between the two Churches.

Bishop Johannes Friedrich addressed a welcome speech to the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church pointing out the dialogue between the two Churches. It should be also mentioned that the Lutheran Evangelical Church of Bavaria provided the Romanian Orthodox Church, through Bishop Johannes Friedrich and ecumenical counsellor Michael Martin, a substantial amount of money for buying the plot of land in Munich, where tomorrow, 11 September 2011, His Beatitude will consecrate the place of the future Romanian church dedicated to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and to Saint Hierarch Calinic from Cernica.

During the meeting, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel expressed his joy and honour to have been invited at the seat of the Church of Bavaria, thanking at the same time for the contribution that the Evangelical Church of Munich provided to the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan See of Germany for buying the plot of land where a Romanian church and a social centre will be built.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel also thanked for the support granted to the Romanian students in Germany.

Today, 10 September 2011, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania and the delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church visited the General Consulate of Romania in Munich. Here, he was met by Mrs. Brandusa Predescu, General Consul, by Mr. Michael Fembach, vice-consul, in charge with the cultural, educational, and press relations, and by Mr. Cristian Mateescu, Consul for economical issues. Further on, the guests attended the opening of a remarkable exhibition of decorative art.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel showed the need to cultivate the Romanian values in the Romanian Diaspora. His Beatitude also underlined in his speech the importance of the Christian education.

In the afternoon, His Beatitude had met Mrs. Barbara Stamm, President of the Bavarian Parliament. On this occasion, aspects of the support that the local authorities grant to the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan See of Germany were discussed.

In the afternoon, His Beatitude met Mrs. Barbara Stamm, president of the Bavarian Parliament. On this occasion, aspects of the constant support the local authorities grant to the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan See of Germany were discussed.

Mrs. Barbara Stamm, president of the Bavarian Parliament, welcomed the Patriarch of Romania expressing her joy for this meeting and pointed out the good relations with the Romanian Orthodox Church.

“We welcome you once again and thank God for having listened to our prayers and we also thank you for the prayers you said for us”, also said Mrs. Barbara Stamm, president of the Bavarian Parliament.

The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church expressed his joy to have met again the president of the Bavarian Parliament and thanked for the social philanthropic activity unfolded in Romania in the course of time, calling it “lay discipleship”.

“I think nobody in Germany has ever helped Romania more, especially the disabled children, as you did it during the last over 20 years. This is a very precious activity in a world in which sufferance is not enough allayed and treated. Thus, we have a special example of very active lay Christians, so that we called this work of yours a sort of lay discipleship. “

On this occasion, His Beatitude offered Mrs. Barbara Stamm an icon as a proof of thanksgiving for all the support granted.
“We offer you this icon of the Mother of God as a sign of gratitude for all your past activity and because you helped a lot of children you have become a spiritual mother”, said the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church.