Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church (BOR) on Saturday stated in Brasov that the Romanian Patriarchy will build more charities that will add to the existing 380.
‘Care for the elderly as well as for children and the poor indicates the degree of civilisation of any people, and so does the respect to the dead and the tombs. We have a permanent programme for the elderly, particularly for the elderly who are abandoned by their own children. There are many old lonely people in the country now because their sons or daughters have gone abroad. Very many old people are desperate.
We are facing a rarely met phenomenon of suicides among the elderly, which did not exist previously. That means loneliness coupled with poverty increases sufferings,’ said Daniel. He added that there are many very poor retired male and female teachers who are alone but very devout.
The Patriarchy is contemplating building a hospital in
Bucharest that will provide recuperative medicine for the
elderly and other fellow people. An elderly hostel will
also be built at the Bazilescu parish in Bucharest and
another one in Ploiesti.
The BOR Patriarchy and its eparchies will try to set up
kindergartens and schools for children. There are already
one school in Iasi and two kindergartens in Bucharest. The
number of doctor’s offices sponsored by the
Patriarchy will also increase.
‘What we have done and will continue to do has a symbolic value, but there is still very much to be done versus the real needs. That is why we believe the Church and other institutions as well as the people should mobilise more. At the BOR Synod of July 7 a programme was conceived for the elderly, the poor and people on small pensions that has to be extended to include the entire country,’ said Daniel. Patriarch Daniel on Saturday received the Freedom of the City of Brasov and blessed a hostel being erected in the courtyard of the St. Trinity Church of Brasov.