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Metropolitan Nicolae marks US 250th anniversary, praises religious freedom and liberty

July 7, 2026 · 1 min read

His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of the Americas issued a message marking the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, describing the nation’s history as “one of the most remarkable testimonies to the power of freedom to create opportunities.”

His Eminence highlighted the enduring influence of the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence:

“The Declaration of Independence, adopted on 4 July 1776, boldly proclaimed that all people are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

“These words, inspired by a profound understanding of human dignity and God’s providential care, have echoed through the generations and have inspired hope in countless people around the world who seek freedom, justice and peace.”

Religious freedom in the United States Metropolitan Nicolae also reflected on the contribution of Romanian Orthodox faithful to the religious and social life of the United States, noting that religious freedom has enabled them to preserve both their faith and their identity.

“The religious freedom guaranteed…

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Theresa Wagner

Thanks for the article. What particularly appealed to me was how Metropolitan Nicolae directly connects the “unalienable rights” – life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – with the dignity given to us by the Creator. Here in Frankfurt, in the choir, we often sing songs that express precisely this gratitude for freedom, and I think it's nice that Romanian believers were able to live this so well in America.

Nicolae Stoica

Yes, I also liked how Metropolitan Nicolae connects those "unalienable" rights with the dignity that comes from the Creator. Here in Craiova, after the service, we sometimes talk about how the freedom to keep our Romanian faith in America helped so many families not to get lost. Do you think the younger generations here could learn something from this story?

Алексей Семёнов

In Nizhny, after services, they also often remember how our ancestors in America held on to their faith thanks to this freedom. I was especially struck by the fact that the Metropolitan directly linked “unalienable rights” with dignity from the Creator - exactly in the Gospel. Do you have anyone in your parish who emigrated?

Bogdan Popescu

Yes, I also liked how Metropolitan Nicolae connects those "unalienable" rights with the dignity that comes from the Creator. Here in Timișoara, after the Sunday service, my wife often tells how her grandparents were able to hold the liturgy in Romanian precisely because of this freedom from America. Do you think it would be the same today?

Markus Wagner

Thank you Theresa, the thing about the unalienable rights and the dignity of the Creator spoke to me straight away. Last year in our choir we sang an old Serbian song of gratitude that sounds almost exactly the same. Do you sometimes sing Romanian or American songs in the Frankfurt choir?

Любовь Андреева

Here in Rostov, after the liturgy, they sometimes talk about the Romanians in America - how they built churches and did not lose faith. And my grandson recently asked me why the “right to life” comes first in the Declaration. In Nizhny, do young people often stay after the service to listen to such conversations?

Тамара Морозова

Here in Krasnodar, after Sunday services, young people sometimes also linger, especially if the priest talks about the history of faith - a couple of times they mentioned the Romanians in America, how they built the first churches in mining towns. And about the “right to life,” I was the first to explain to my granddaughter that without it, all other rights are just empty words, like the foundation of a house. Does your grandson in Rostov often ask such questions after the liturgy?