Thursday, 27 November 2014, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania celebrated the consecration service of the chapel dedicated to the Meeting of the Lord and to the Brancovean Saints Martyrs within the Archiepiscopal Palace of Galati. Today too, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel blessed and inaugurated the Museum of Christian History, Culture and Spirituality of Lower Danube and visited the Eparchial Museum of the Archdiocese of Lower Danube.
The following hierarchs assisted His Beatitude in the celebration of the consecration service: His Eminence Casian, Archbishop of Lower Danube and His Grace Lucian, Bishop of Caransebes. His Eminence Ciprian, Archbishop of Buzau and Vrancea, His Grace Vincentiu, Bishop of Slobozia and Calarasi, His Grace Visarion, Bishop of Tulcea, and His Grace Timotei, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest were also present.
After the consecration service, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church spoke to those present about the importance of a place of worship in an administrative stage: “We have consecrated this church, chapel of the former Episcopal Palace of the Eparchy of Lower Danube after extensive consolidation works and adornment with this wonderful painting in fresco executed by the care, endeavour, and effort of His Eminence Archbishop Casian of Lower Danube. The consecration of a church is an occasion of great joy because many heavenly gifts are given to a church during the consecration service, which are the gifts of the grace of the Most Holy Trinity. Why is this chapel necessary in an administrative seat? That is because the help of God is needed to inspire and enlighten us to solve the issues emerged. If the church administration is secularised, so is our thought. Therefore, we do no longer act religiously, but secularly; yet, we need the Spirit of Christ in administration which can be received through prayer. The chapel is necessary for those who work in the museum who must come to pray and especially to remember the donors, namely those who offered the respective objects to the church as a present.”
Then, the Archbishop of Lower Danube, His Eminence Casian thanked His Beatitude for the canonical visit to the Eparchy at the mouth of the Danube and for the celebration of the consecration service.
To end with the consecration service, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel offered to the chapel recently consecrated an icon of Saint Martyr Constantine Brancoveanu with particles of his relics embedded, a blessing cross made at the workshops of the Romanian Patriarchate, a Gospel book, and several liturgical books recently published by the Romanian Patriarchate. His Beatitude has also awarded distinctions to those actively involved in the restoration works of the former Episcopal Palace and setting up of the Museum. Thus, rev engineer Horatiu Ioan Moldovan, counsellor for patrimony and church construction was awarded the Patriarchal Cross. The Order of the “Brancovean Saints Martyrs” for clergy was awarded to rev. Lucian Petroaia, administrative vicar and to rev Gelu Aron, eparchial secretary, while Mr Ilie Cosmin, director of the Museum was awarded the Order of the “Brancovean Saints Martyrs” for laics.
His Eminence Casian awarded His Beatitude Daniel the “Pro fide, litteris et arte” Diploma of Excellence for his special contribution to the consolidation, restoration and setting up of the Museum of Christian History, Culture and Spirituality of Lower Danube. The Patriarch of Romanian has also received a medal of the Brancovean Saints Martyrs and of the former Episcopal Palace, and the Album entitled the “Episcopal Palace – Museum of Christian History, Culture and Spirituality of Lower Danube” on behalf of the Archbishop of Lower Danube.
Today too, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel will consecrate, on his way back to Bucharest, the new branch of Saint John Casian of the “Basilica Travel” Pilgrimage Office of the Romanian Patriarchate.
