Start of Lent
Lent started for the Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians in Romania on Monday. Lent is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday and covers a period of 40 days before Easter Sunday. Its purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the tradition and events of the New Testament beginning on Friday of Sorrows, further climaxing on Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. During Lent, many Christians commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxuries as a form of penitence. Most Romanians celebrate Easter on May 1 while Roman-Catholic believers celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on March 27.
Romanian House of Deputies’ speaker at an antisemitism conference in Germany
More than 100 MPs from nearly 40 countries are expected in the German capital for a major conference on antisemitism on Monday. The Romanian delegation includes House of Deputies’ Speaker Valeriu Zgonea, and Ana Birchall, head of the chamber’s Foreign Affaris Committee. Participants, also including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, will discuss issues such as Internet hate, community relations and antisemitism in sport as well as legal, parliamentary and governmental responses to antisemitism. The conference in Berlin is the third of its kind hosted by the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA) and it takes place during Germany’s chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Other participants include Bundestag President Norbert Lammert, UNESCO chief Irina Bokova, EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans, and UK Justice Secretary Michael Gove.
Romania strongly condemns recent terror attack in Turkey
Romania strongly condemns the terror attack in the Turkish capital on Sunday when 37 people died. Romania is firmly involved in the fight against terrorism, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis pointed out in the condolence letter he sent to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday. Attacks in Ankara and in Istanbul over the last year, and the activity of Islamic State as well as Kurdish fighters, have raised concerns among NATO allies who see Turkey’s stability as vital to the containment of violence across its borders in Syria and Iraq. Members of the international community, including world powers like the United States and Russia, have stood beside Turkey and condemned the third major terrorist attack to hit the country’s capital over the past six months.
Romania honours a great champion
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis awarded posthumously the late high jump legend Iolanda Balaş-Soter the Order of the Star of Romania in Rank of Grand Officer. She died last Friday, March 11, at 79. Iolanda Balaş set a total of 14 world records during a career which also saw her go unbeaten for 150 consecutive competitions between 1957 and 1967. Her first Olympic gold was claimed in Rome in 1960 and her second in Tokyo four years later. Funerals of Iolanda Balaş are scheduled at the Ghencea Military Cemetery in the capital Bucharest on Monday.
Alexandru Danga
