At the end of the Vespers celebrated tonight at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel offered to the Roman-Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest parts of the Holy Relics of Martyrs Epictet and Astion. The relics were brought from the Halmyris Monastery in Tulcea county by Right Rev. Visarion, Bishop of Tulcea.

The Romanian Patriarch said: 'Seeing that Saints from the One Church of the 3rd century, from the East, are inscribed in the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church, and that His Excellency Ioan Robu wishes that a fragment of the relics of these saints to be offered as a gift, His Grace Visarion, Bishop of Tulcea, brought us from the Halmyris Monastery in Tulcea county, a fragment of the relics of the two holy witnesses of the faith.'

The Vespers celebrated tonight was part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Bucharest. His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel was joined by His Grace Visarion of Tulcea, His Grace Ciprian, Patriarchal Vicar Bishop, His Grace Varlaam, Patriarchal Vicar Bishop, His Grace Varsanufie, Auxiliary Bishop of the Bucharest Archdiocese and members of the Standing Meeting of the National Church Council and of the Standing Meeting of the Diocesan Council of the Bucharest Archdiocese. The Roman Catholic Church was represented by Monseigneur Francisco-Javier Lozano, Apostolic Nuncio to Romania and by Most Rev. Ioan Robu, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Bucharest, who also addressed a sermon to those present at the end of the evening prayer, explaining the importance of prayer and of Christian witness today.