President Iohannis meets representatives of religious cults, in Rome; sending a message of closeness to Romanians in Italy

President Klaus Iohannis on Sunday met in Rome with the representatives of the Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic religious cults, while he wanted to send a message of closeness to the Romanian community in Italy. 

President Iohannis is paying an official visit to Italy over October 14-17. 

The first day included a visit to the headquarters of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese in Italy and a meeting with the representatives of the Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic religious denominations. On this occasion, the head of state congratulated His Grace Siluan of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese in Italy for his activity. 

"The meeting between President Klaus Iohannis with the representatives of the denominations, as a first moment of his official visit to Italy, represented a message of closeness that the President of Romania wanted to send to the Romanian community in Italy, which is the most numerous Romanian community abroad and also a community close to the church and it representatives, and close to the country," reads a press release of the Presidential Administration. 

Moreover, Iohannis voiced his appreciation for the contribution of the religious denominations to the philanthropic activities and of social support of the religious associations and foundations carried out both in Romania and in Italy, supporting Romanians facing difficult situations there. 

"President Klaus Iohannis encouraged the continuation of the inter-religious dialogue between all the Romanian religious communities in Italy, which represent a model of good practices including for the other communities of Romanians abroad, an important aspect in keeping the unity of the Romanian people, especially in the context of the celebration this year of the Modern Romania Centennial," specifies the release. 

Moreover, President Iohannis and his Holy Father Siluan from the Romanian Orthodox Diocese in Italy, together with the other hierarchs in attendance, had an exchange of view related to their current activities.

Moreover, Klaus Iohannis offered the representative of the participating denominations three official flags of Romania, as a symbol of their attachment to the country. 

On Sunday evening, President Iohannis participated in the lightning of Trajan's Column in the Romanian flag's colours, alongside hundreds of other Romanian citizens. On this occasion, the President highlighted that this was a symbolic moment and very special for the relation between the two states.