Η Σελίδα Panorthodox Synod εύχεται έτη πολλά και ευλογημένα στον Mακαριώτατο Πατριάρχη Ρουμανιας κ. Δανιήλ, επι τη συμπληρώσει δεκαετίας από της αναρρήσεως στον Πατριαρχικό Θρόνο
On 30 September 2007, following his election by the Romanian Church’s Electoral College, His Beatitude Daniel was enthroned Patriarch or “chief father” of the Romanian Orthodox Christians.
His Beatitude firmly and bravely assumed his mission as spiritual guide of all the believers of the Romanian Orthodox Church on the path that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven. From the very beginning of his ministry, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel vouchsafed the continuation of the ongoing projects at that time and was the initiator of several new projects, bearing in mind the strong connection between social work and spiritual life.
In the past ten years the Romanian Church has undergone changes that aimed at preserving the spirit of prayer unaltered and at improving the lives of all.
Patriarch Daniel, the sixth leader of the Romanian Orthodox Church, was born on 22 July 1951, in Dobreşti village, Bara commune, Timiş County, as the third child of teacher Alexie and his wife Stela Ciobotea.
Between 1974 and 1976 he attended PhD courses at the Orthodox Theological Institute in Bucharest, under the guidance of Rev. Prof. Dumitru Stăniloae. He continued his studies abroad at the Faculty of Protestant Theology, University of Human Sciences in Strasbourg, France, and at Albert Ludwig University in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
On 15 June 1979. He defended his doctoral thesis at the University of Strasbourg, entitled: Réflexion et vie chrétiennes aujourd’hui. Essai sur le rapport entre la théologie et la spiritualité. The thesis was prepared under the guidance of two famous French Professors: Gerard Ziegwald and André Benoît.
In 1987, he entered the monastic life at the Sihăstria Monastery, Neamţ County, receiving the name of Daniel, under the mantle of Elder Cleopas Ilie. He was ordained into the deaconate on 14 August 1987, and into priesthood the next day.
In 1988, he was ordained a protosyncellus and appointed patriarchal adviser and Director of the Contemporary Theology and Ecumenical Dialogue Department of the Patriarchal Administration. The same year, he became Associate Professor at the University Institute of Orthodox Theology in Bucharest.
On 4 March 1990, he was consecrated Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Timişoara, with the title of Lugoj. On 7 June 1990, he was elected Archbishop of Iaşi and Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bukovina. His enthronement ceremony was held the next month.
On 12 September 2007, the Church Electoral College elected Metropolitan Daniel as Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Muntenia and Dobrudja, Locum Tenens of the Throne of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church. His Beatitude’s enthronement ceremony took place Sunday, 30 September 2007, on the feast of Hieromartyr Saint Gregory the Enlightener of Greater Armenia, at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest.
The full biography of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel is available here.
Photograph: Basilica.ro