The Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate, informs us:

On 16 December 2011, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel received in an audience His Excellency Mr. Alexandr Ciurilin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Bucharest, at the end of his diplomatic mission in Romania.

Mr. Ambassador thanked for reception and mentioned the fact the period of his diplomatic mission in Romania will be an unforgettable one due to his personal meeting with special people, among whom many Orthodox clergy and faithful. His Excellency has also appreciated the important role of the Orthodox Church in the life of the Romanian people.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel congratulated Mr. Ambassador Alexandr Ciurilin for his entire diplomatic activity in Romania and thanked for the special attention paid to strengthening the relationship and co-operation between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church. In this sense, the Patriarch of Romania mentioned the fact that this year protocols of co-operation have been concluded between “Patriarch Justinian” Faculty of Orthodox Theology of Bucharest and the Theological Academies of Kiev and Moscow, so that in the future the Romanian Patriarchate is going to intensify the pilgrimages to the holy places of Russia and Ukraine for the Romanian Orthodox clergy and faithful to have better knowledge of the church life and spirituality of this country.

To end with the meeting, the Patriarch of Romania expressed his hope that Mr. Ambassador will continue to be a friend of the Romanian people and of the Romanian Orthodox Church.