The Romanian state remains a guarantor of freedom of conscience and belief, as well as a loyal partner of the church, declared President Nicusor Dan, on Monday, at the decoration ceremony of His Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and of the Romanian Patriarchate.

The head of state conferred the National Order 'Star of Romania' in the rank of Collar on His Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, as a sign of high appreciation for the tireless activity in the service of the unity of the Church, of inter-faith and inter-religious dialogue, of peace and environmental protection, as well as for the exceptional effort in supporting Romania in the privileged relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Also, on the occasion of the Centennial of the Romanian Patriarchate, as a sign of high appreciation for its major contribution to the spiritual, educational and moral life of the Romanian people, for the special services rendered to the consolidation of Romania, to the affirmation of national unity and cultural identity, as well as for the important actions aimed at alleviating the suffering of people in difficulty, the President of Romania conferred on the Romanian Patriarchy the Order of 'Cultural Merit' in the rank of Grand Officer, Category G - 'Denominations'.

'In the solemnity of this moment, I wish to reaffirm a fundamental principle of our democratic and pluralistic state - the respect of the Romanian state for all religious denominations and the special role of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Romanian state remains a guarantor of freedom of conscience and belief, as well as a loyal partner of the church, supporting its involvement in education, in the life of communities and in supporting those in suffering,' the president said during the decoration ceremony.

He described the moment of the consecration of the National Cathedral painting as 'historic'. 'The Cathedral of the Salvation of the Nation expresses the continuity of Romanian spirituality, evoking the beauty of Byzantine architecture combined with Western influences, an expression of European and Christian Romania,' said Nicusor Dan, adding that the place of worship is a symbol of Orthodox communion and the spiritual affirmation of the Romanian people, being an invitation to unity and reconciliation, to respect for tradition and to trust in the future.

Nicusor Dan also said that Sunday's event, 'in this period of social tensions, gives us hope for reconciliation and dialogue between the various parts of Romanian society.'

He also evoked the suffering endured by the Orthodox Church under communism. In this context, the National Cathedral is 'a symbol of the rebirth of Romanian Orthodoxy and of our dignity as a nation' and 'will contribute to Romania's prestige in the world, reflecting our Christian identity and the values that gave birth to European civilization'.

In turn, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, emphasized the importance of the church in society.

'It has been rightly said that our churches have made a significant contribution to the achievement of justice in society. The requirement of the times is that, alongside philanthropy, there should be a commitment to a just society in its structures and functioning, as well as to the promotion of a culture of solidarity. The objection that such an option would involve the church in the ambiguities of human affairs, that Christian love would inevitably turn into political action, does not correspond to the radical content of the Gospel,' the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople pointed out, according to the official translation.

He emphasized that 'although the church does not deal with politics in the narrow sense of the term, its witness in the world has contributed and continues to contribute to the humanistic enrichment of politics, for for it the center of life is man.' Thus, he supported the church's participation in the 'contemporary dialogue on justice, peace and the defense of human dignity'.

Patriarch Daniel highlighted that 'in the context of a world affected by numerous social, political and economic crises, cooperation between the church and state institutions in the spirit of mutual respect and effective dialogue is essential for the consolidation of social peace and solidarity among people'.

The painting of the Byzantine tradition of the National Cathedral was consecrated on Sunday by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church, accompanied by a council of 65 hierarchs, 70 priests and 12 deacons. AGERPRES(RO - writing by: Oana Ghita; EN - writing by: Bogdan Gabaroi)