The Patriarch of Romania in on the third day of his canonical visit to the Romanian Orthodox Diocese for Spain and Portugal.

Today, 18 April 2010, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel has laid the foundation stone of the future Episcopal Cathedral of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese for Spain and Portugal, in Madrid, and celebrated the Divine Liturgy together with His Eminence Joseph, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of the Western and Meridional Europe, His Eminence Policarp, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Spain and Portugal on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople; His Eminence Andrei, Archbishop of Alba Iulia; His Grace Siluan, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Italy; His Grace Timotei, Bishop of Spain and Portugal; His Grace Macarie, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Northern Europe; His Grace Marc Nemteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western Europe. Mrs. Esperanza Aghire, President of the community of Madrid, and Mr. Maria Jose Contreras, Director for religious affairs within the Ministry of Justice were also present as representatives of the Spanish State – informs “Lumina” newspaper. When referring to the Sunday of the myrrh bearing women, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church said: “On this Sunday of the spice bearing women, or women of myrrh, we cherish especially the Christian, faithful, and diligent women who bring their contribution to the good unfolding of the church life, who convey the faith in the family and who confess the Christian faith, in Christ, Crucified and Risen, in society. The Christian women who visit the sick, who help the lonely ones in their homes, who bring about a spiritual presence through their faith and service, resembling the myrrh bearing women mentioned in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew”, informs Trinitas Radio.

On the occasion of the laying of the foundations stone of the new Episcopal Cathedral of Madrid, His Beatitude has also shown that Christ is the foundation stone the Church is built on: “This is the stone of faith, the stone of witnessing the true faith and the openness to the Universal Church. Having been Latins, the Romanians have openness to universality inherited from our Latin forerunners. So, we maintain this double blessing: firmness on the stone of the true faith, because the stone is Christ, the corner stone, the stone of the right faith. This is why when Saint Peter the Apostle confessed the divinity of Christ, He said: “You are Peter and on this rock I will build My Church”. But the rock, the solid rock on which the Church is built, is Christ Himself” – informs Trinitas Radio.

The Episcopal Cathedral of Madrid will be a spiritual landmark for all the Orthodox Christians of Spain and will be dedicated to the “Presentation of the Mother of God in the Church”. “It is very important that we have already received the plot of land for building the Cathedral, because the community of Madrid is made up of about 32,000 faithful. Besides the cathedral, a complex will be also built which will include: the administrative centre of the Diocese, Episcopal Residence, a social centre and a school where the children of the Romanian Orthodox community will be able to study. In June we will submit to the City Hall the project for getting the building license. Afterwards, we shall have two months for organising, so that we may finish the whole work in 24 months. The construction amounts to 5 million euro. The Cathedral will be built on 450 m2 out of 1500 m2 on which the entire complex will be developed”, said His Grace Bishop Timotei of Spain and Portugal – informs “Lumina” newspaper.