Today, December 17, 2009, on the feast day of Prophet Daniel, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel celebrated the Holy Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, together with Most Rev. Calinic, Archbishop of Arges and Muscel and Right Rev. Varsanufie, Auxiliary Bishop of the Bucharest Archdiocese, and several priests and deacons. The holy celebration was attended by Most Rev. Casian, Archbishop of Lower Danube, members of the Standing Meeting of the National Church Council and of the Diocesan Assembly of the Bucharest Archdiocese, as well as many clergy and faithful.

At the end of the Holy Liturgy, Most Rev. Calinic, Archbishop of Arges and Muscel, evoked the accomplishments of the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church. Subsequently, Right Rev. Varsanufie, Auxiliary Bishop of the Bucharest Archdiocese, offered His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel a set of silver Holy Vessels, in the name of the bishops, priests and faithful within the Metropolitanate of Muntenia and Dobrudgea.

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel thanked God for the gifts He has bestowed upon him, especially for the persons who are helping him fulfill the ministry to which he was called: the hierarchs in the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, members of the Standing Meeting of the National Church Council and of the Diocesan Assembly of the Bucharest Archdiocese, as well as all the clergy and faithful in the Metropolitanate of Muntenia and Dobrudgea. Furthermore, His Beatitude thanked the saints whose name he bears: Holy Prophet Daniel and Saint Daniil the Hermit.