The Patriarchate says that the lyrics of the song “We have a country”, sung by a children's choir in the Nation's Cathedral, were “totally erroneously” attributed to legionnaire Radu Gyr / What a historian says
National Cathedral, consecration day. PHOTO Adelina Mărăcine/ HotNews
The Romanian Patriarchate reacted on Sunday evening and claims that the lyrics of the song “We have a country” were wrongly attributed to the legionnaire propagandist Radu Gyr, after video images appeared online of a children's choir singing the song inside the Cathedral of the Salvation of the Nation after the service.
“On October 30, 2025, after the end of the Te-Deum service that took place in the National Cathedral, a short concert of patriotic songs by various authors was held. At this event, held on the occasion of Military Clergy Day and in the presence of representatives of the Romanian Army, the group Tronos Junior performed a song based on the text of the poem “We have a country”, attributed in recent years, in a totally erroneous way, to Radu Gyr”, claims the Patriarchate.
However, the Patriarchate does not say who is the author of the lyrics or where they come from.
“We make it clear that the text of the poem that was the basis of the mentioned interpretation in no way promotes elements of any totalitarian political doctrine. Therefore, the context of playing the song excludes any tendentious interpretation. The attempt to associate the Romanian Orthodox Church with extremist ideologies is totally baseless, especially since the Romanian Patriarchy has repeatedly expressed its firm delimitation from any kind of movements that promote hatred and violence, xenophobia and racism, which are contrary teaching and Christian faith”, the Romanian Orthodox Church claims.
The interpretation of the piece based on the text of the poem “We have a country” cannot be associated with any cult or tribute to totalitarian ideologies, neither by content nor by intention, according to the representatives of the Church.
“The Romanian Patriarchate is aware of the legal provisions in force and fully respects them. Therefore, we consider that through the erroneous interpretation of the true intention – that of using a text with a patriotic and religious message – a campaign of forced association of the image of the Romanian Orthodox Church with political doctrines foreign to the teaching of faith it preaches continues. We also reiterate the fact that the Romanian Orthodox Church publicly disassociates itself from any affiliation ideological or partisan politics”, claims BOR.
Background: Radu Gyr is not the author of the poem
Dragoș Ursu, historian at the National Union Museum in Alba Iulia, claims that Radu Gyr is not the author of the poem 'We have a country'.
“The poem, created by the nuns from Diaconești, is part of the monastery's first carol album (2007), which musically interprets poems/carols from prisons,” he says.
“Most likely, this overlap (among the poems sung by the nuns there are Gyr's creations) is the source of the wrong attribution of the poem 'We have a country', which appears on all websites as having Radu Gyr as the author”, notes the historian.
Vasile Bănescu's reaction after a song was sung in the Nation's Cathedral based on lyrics attributed to the legionnaire Radu Gyr: “It does enormous harm to the Church”
“We have a country”, sung in the Cathedral of the Salvation of the Nation
The reactions come after a song with lyrics attributed to Radu Gyr, the propagandist of the Legionary Movement, was performed on October 30 by the choir of the Tronos Junior Patriarchate in the National Cathedral. The initiative has caused controversy, and the leader of the UDMR deputies Csoma Botond considers it “a moral collapse”.
The controversial event took place on Military Clergy Day, celebrated at the National Cathedral with a Te Deum, officiated by the Most Reverend Father Varlaam Ploieşteanul, Patriarchal Vicar Bishop, writes News.ro
The event was attended by the Minister of Defense, members of the Royal Family, the Chief of Staff, all military priests, according to the Basilica.
The performed song is called “We have a country”, and the lyrics are attributed to Radu Gyr, a poet who was part of the Legionary Movement. The attribution of Radu Gyr's lyrics also appears on BOR's media channels, such as Trinitas TV.
When searching the Internet for this song, the song appears to be one that is often performed by church choirs in the country and beyond. There are many videos on YouTube of popular performers, church choirs or names in light music singing the song.
