Patriarch Daniel, in the Easter Pastoral: Now, when “models” alien to Christian values ​​are proposed to us, the sanctity of marriage must be firmly affirmed

The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, highlights, in the Easter Pastoral, the need to strongly affirm the sanctity of marriage, solidarity in the family and between families, the dignity of motherhood and fatherhood in the face of the proposal of “models” alien to Christian values.

“In contemporary society, the Christian family sometimes lives in an indifferent or spiritually confused world, often being confronted with multiple challenges and crises such as poverty, migration, unemployment, alcoholism, drugs, depression, divorce and the uncertainty of tomorrow. Today, when “models” alien to Christian values are proposed to us, it is necessary to firmly affirm the sanctity of marriage, solidarity in the family and between families, the dignity of motherhood, fatherhood, filiation and fraternity, as gifts of God's love, which must be cultivated in communion of love and co-responsibility”, Patriarch Daniel conveys in his message, according to the Agerpres press agency.

Patriarch Daniel urges Orthodox priests to encourage and support families who have a spiritual Christian life.

“Knowing the current challenges facing the Christian family, Orthodox priests are urged to encourage and support families that have a spiritual Christian life, to support materially and spiritually families with many children, single-parent families or families in difficult situations, to encourage parishioners to contribute to supporting poor families, as well as to the religious-moral education of children in the community,” the Patriarch emphasizes.

The Patriarch calls attention to “families that have sick children, but also to single, poor, sick, elderly, discouraged, grieving and grieving adults, offering them a sign of Christ's love for them, a prayer for them, a good deed and a good word”, because “the Light of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ calls us, therefore, to always show it around us, through word and deed, signs of hope, solidarity and fraternal communion”.

2026 – “Homage Year of Pastoral Christian Family” and “Commemorative Year of Holy Women in the Calendar”

At the same time, the high Orthodox hierarch points out that “the first human persons who received the good news of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ the Crucified were the fragrant women or aromatic women”.

“On the morning of Christ's Resurrection, they were the bravest human beings among all the people who knew Jesus. (…) Together with the Mother of God, the myrrh women are the icon of all faithful women in the Church, women who, throughout history, through their faith, courage and sacrifice, often became martyrs or martyrs, testifying with the price of their lives to the crucified and risen Christ, or became pious mothers and sisters in monasteries, or good Christian mothers in the family, who gave birth to children and raised them in the right faith, evangelizing through their piety, humility and diligence in the family, in the Church and in society, their faith in the Risen Christ”, the Patriarch added.

In this context, His Beatitude recalls that the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church proclaimed the year 2026 as the “Homage Year of the Christian Family Pastorate” and the “Commemorative Year of the Holy Women of the Calendar (Mysteries, Martyrs, Monks, Wives and Mothers)”, thus emphasizing the essential role that the family and the Christian woman have in the Church and in society.

On the occasion of the Holy Easter Holidays, Patriarch Daniel wishes everyone “warm wishes of health and happiness”, addressing the Easter greeting “Christ is Risen!”.