Feast of Ascension in Romania
Romanians along with Christian Orthodox believers around the world are celebrating the Feast of Ascension also known as Ascension Thursday, Holy Thursday, or Ascension Day. The feast commemorates the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. It is one of the ecumenical feasts of Christian churches, ranking with the feast of Easter. Ascension Day is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth day of Easter, although some Christian denominations have moved the observance to the following Sunday. Ascension has an Afterfeast of eight days. The Sunday after Ascension is the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea. This council formulated the Nicene Creed up to the words, „He (Jesus) ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end.” The Afterfeast ends on the following Friday, the Friday before Pentecost. The next day is appropriately a Saturday of the Dead (general commemoration of all faithful departed). In 1990 the Romanian Ministry of National Defence reintroduced Romanian military traditions in the army. Heroes’ Commemoration Day, also known as Heroes’ Day, was to be celebrated on Ascension Day. A law to proclaim Heroes’ Day was passed in 1995. A religious service on the occasion was performed at the Metropolitan Church in the capital Bucharest on Thursday.
Romanian PM on a visit to France
Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Cioloş left for France on Thursday. Mr. Cioloş’s two-day visit to the French capital will include meetings with French counterpart Manuel Valls and President François Hollande. The Romanian PM is also expected to attend a meeting of the Council of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development with Romania high on the agenda.
PM Cioloş and President Hollande will then go to the Stade de France in Paris where Romania will play the opening match of the Euro Football Championships against France late on Friday.
Massive raids in western Romania
Police and legal authorities in the Romanian western town of Timişoara launched some 30 raids against 17 people allegedly involved in thefts of farming tools and equipments across the EU. The operation on Thursday involved 17 people who illegaly sold farming vehicules at lower prices with huge losses for producers. The criminal group includes among others one Italian. The investigation is conducted in co-operation with French counterparts.
More than 650,000 Romanians expected to get a pay rise
More than 650,000 Romanians are expected to get a pay rise in September following a government decision adopted on Tuesday after several rounds of talks between government officials and trade union leaders. An emergency ordinance is expected to reduce the existing gap between the wages some people get for similar jobs, Work Minister Dragoş Pâslaru said in a statement on Wednesday. The financial effort may hit some Ron 900 million with Ron 2.6 billion in 2017.
Alexandru Danga – RADOR
