It is already tradition that the first Sunday after the feast of the Falling Asleep of the Mother of God (15 August 2010) should be dedicated to the emigrant Romanians, according to the decision of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, which proves the appreciation and spiritual care of the hierarchs of our Church for the spiritual sons and daughters who went to live abroad for various reasons.

It is an obvious fact that after 1989, a large number of Romanians emigrated to other European countries or to more distant continents. Yet, it should be noticed that the true Romanian always misses his house, nation and ancient traditions, deeply rooted in his being, although he lives in other countries and has successful material state.

While taking into account the spiritual needs of the Romanians from everywhere, the Romanian Patriarchate has set up several eparchies and many parishes for the Orthodox Romanians who faithfully keep their communion with their Mother Church, and the Basilica Press Centre provide almost every day information on the life of the Romanians in Diaspora, thinking that through faith and prayer, through communion and brotherly solidarity, the inherent hardships of life will be easier and the joy greater.

Having known that it is very hard to life far from the country and from your dear ones (husband or wife, children, parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents), the Romanian Orthodox Church prays for the Romanian people from everywhere and urges all the Orthodox Romanians living in Diaspora to prayer, communion and brotherly collaboration.

We thank all the Romanians from Diaspora who contributed in various ways to the aids granted to the victims of the recent floods in Romania.

We pray merciful God to give good health and salvation, joy and much help to all the emigrant Romanians, and their stay abroad should be in good understanding with the citizens of the countries they live in, keeping at the same time the Romanian Orthodox faith and identity, not to alien from themselves and from the Romanian people.

With great appreciation and fatherly blessing,

† Daniel

Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church