His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church celebrated his name day in the middle of the faithful. His Beatitude celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Patriarchal Cathedral assisted by a group of hierarchs made up of: His Eminence Andrei, Metropolitan of Cluj, Alba, Crisana and Maramures, His Eminence Calinic, Archbishop of Arges and Muscel, His Eminence Casian, Archbishop of Lower Danube, His Grace Ciprian Campineanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch, His Grace Varsanufie Prahoveanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Ramnic, as well as by priests and deacons.
Also present at the Divine Liturgy were His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste, His Grace Vincentiu, Bishop of Slobozia and Calarasi, His Grace Varalaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch and many faithful.

To end with, His Eminence Archbishop Casian addressed His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel a congratulation speech on behalf of the hierarchs present at the Divine Liturgy: “Your Beatitude, you converted systematic and didactic theology into sacramental deifying theology, into Christian education, into building churches, monasteries and social centres crowned with the strong foundation of the Cathedral for the Salvation of our Romanian nation. May this foundation be for us, the Romanians, too, from youth till old age, the basis of unity through the right faith that you preach and defend, Christian education, as we saw last night, with so many children and young people, who vibrate at the Nativity of Jesus Christ, our Lord”.

Then, His Eminence offered the Patriarch of Romania, on behalf of the Standing Meetings of the Church National Council and of the Eparchial Council of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, the icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita, as well as a piece of cloth for the holy vessels embroidered with the images of Saint Daniel the Prophet and Saint Daniil the Hermit.

In the speech delivered on the occasion His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel spoke about the life and activity of Saint Daniel the Prophet: “Saint Daniel the Prophet has the sense of responsibility, because his name means God is my judge, namely we are responsible before God for what we speak and do. We are also responsible before God for those entrusted to us for guidance on the way of salvation. Tomorrow we celebrate the memory of Saint Pious Daniil the Hermit. Both saints, Daniil the Prophet and Daniil the Hermit, received from God the gift to advise those with great responsibility. This is why we must always have around people who can advise us, who urge us to do good and not to think only alone. This principle of counselling and consultation as dynamic form of communion and co-operation has been preserved in our Church, so that both those with pastoral responsibility and those who have lived in the desert tell us that salvation comes through much counselling. These saints urge us to know first the will of God and then advise the ordinary faithful, the people with great responsibility in the Church and society to fulfil the will of God, just as the prophecies of the great prophets came true not because they were the result of the human thought, but because they were inspired by the Spirit of God”.

After the Divine Liturgy, a festive moment dedicated to the name day of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel took place in “Europa Chhristiana” room of the Patriarchate Palace. Here, “Gura Izvorului” group of carollers from Vatra Moldovitei, county of Suceava carolled all those present at the anniversary festivity of the name day of the Patriarch of Romania.