On Monday, Patriarch Daniil will consecrate the chapel in the parliament building, which will be a “space of prayer, silence and worship” for those who carry out their activities in the parliament palace. The layout of the chapel was approved only two weeks ago.

The chapel is located on level P, in the area of ​​the official entrance C1, it will be dedicated to Saint Andrew the Apostle and will be under the canonical and administrative jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Bucharest.

As reported in the Chamber of Deputies, Patriarch Danyil will perform the ceremony of consecration of the chapel in the parliament on Monday, from 17.00.

“After the consecration of the chapel, His Beatitude Father Daniil, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Prime Minister of Romania Marcel Ciolacu, President of the Senate Nicolae-Ionel Chuke and temporary President of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfred-Robert Simonis, will deliver speeches. Members of the Romanian government, parliamentarians, as well as leaders of central institutions and religious cults are invited to participate in the event,” the Chamber of Deputies reported.

What motivates the creation of an Orthodox chapel in the Chamber of Deputies

The place of worship will be “a place of prayer, silence and worship for those who work in the Houses of Parliament”.

The leadership of the parliament approved the arrangement of this chapel only two weeks ago at the request of the temporary president of the Chamber of Deputies, PSD MP Alfred Simonis.

In his request, the deputy reports that next year the Romanian Orthodox Church will celebrate the 140th anniversary of the recognition of its autocephaly and the 100th anniversary of its elevation to the rank of Patriarchate, and last month the parliament adopted a bill to declare 2025 as the “Centennial of the Romanian Patriarchate.”

“Taking into account the good cooperation between the Chamber of Deputies and the Romanian Orthodox Church, taking into account the fact that places of worship are important symbols of spiritual expression and community involvement, with a primary role, I suggest you agree to the allocation of a room in the Chamber of Deputies that will serve an Orthodox chapel and a meeting place and celebration of religious events for parliamentarians, employees and guests. Therefore, I ask you to authorize the General Secretariat to determine such a space and to take the necessary steps so that on March 25, with the support of the Romanian Patriarchate, the chapel of the Chamber of Deputies will be consecrated, which will be designated as a sacred space and a closer connection of parliamentarians with Romanian Orthodoxy,” the statement reads. to the request of MP Alfred Simonis.