Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church has conveyed his blessings and words of encouragement to the attendees of the 30th International Inter-Christian Conference on Orthodox Spirituality, which took place from September 3-6, 2024, at the Monastery of Bose in Italy.
The conference, overseen by Father Sabino Chialà, the prior of the monastery, gathered Christian leaders and scholars to engage in discussions on the spiritual teachings of the Church Fathers.
This year’s focus on Saint Basil the Great – Teacher of Christian Life highlighted the lasting influence of Saint Basil’s theological and philanthropic contributions.
Patriarch Daniel underscored the significance of Saint Basil’s life as a role model for all Christians, emphasizing his unwavering commitment to serving God and others.
In his message, the Patriarch urged for a deeper exploration of Orthodox patristic spirituality and encouraged participants to embrace prayer, forgiveness, and philanthropy in today’s society.
He concluded by invoking blessings from Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints upon the conference’s endeavors, stressing the need for Christian exemplars in contemporary culture.
Read the full text of Patriarch Daniel’s message below:
Saint Basil the Great – Confessor and Missionary of Liturgical and Mystical (Philokalic) Life
Rev. Prior Sabino Chialà,
Dear Participants,
We extend our greetings and blessings to all attendees of the 30th International Inter-Christian Conference on Orthodox Spirituality held at the Monastery of Bose from September 3–6, 2024. Special appreciation to Father Sabino Chialà, the monastery’s prior, for his dedicated efforts in organizing these annual symposia.
This longstanding initiative promoting Orthodox patristic spirituality, the spiritual teachings of the Church Fathers, has served as a platform for convergence, revitalization, and harmonious cooperation between the two major Christian traditions in today’s ecclesiastical landscape.
The chosen theme for this year’s symposium, Saint Basil the Great – Teacher of Christian Life, holds significant importance as Saint Basil’s theological legacy and charitable works exemplify a missionary model for every Christian.
His life epitomizes a selfless dedication to serving God through serving others, establishing the groundwork for ascetic monasticism and mystical contemplation of the purified soul towards union with God, a concept later enshrined as Philokalia in spiritual literature.
This embodies Christian spirituality revealed through the Mystery of the Incarnation, bridging heaven and earth, transcendent and immanent, theology and economy, God and man in a harmonious union for humanity’s salvation.
We wish all participants a profound experience in delving into the grace found in Holy Scriptures and elucidated by the Church Fathers, bearing witness to the magnificence of God in His saints.
We pray for divine blessings from Jesus Christ, His Mother, and all the saints upon the symposium’s work, nurturing the missionary spirit of the Church Fathers in a world in dire need of prayer, forgiveness, liturgy, philanthropy, and above all, Christian role models.
† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Source: basilica.ro