Guests from the United States of America, visiting the Romanian Patriarchatetranslated

On Thursday, September 17, 2026, the Blessed Father Daniel, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, received, at the Patriarchal Residence, the visit of His Excellency Mr. Riley Barnes, Ambassador with Special Charges for International Religious Freedom in the Department of State of the United States of America and Deputy Secretary of the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.

The meeting was also attended by His Excellency Mr. Darryl Nirenberg, the Ambassador of the United States of America in Bucharest, as well as delegates of the State Department and the Embassy of the United States in Bucharest.

His Beatitude Father Patriarch Daniel welcomed His Excellency Mr. Ambassador Barnes and the other members of the American delegation. His Beatitude also gave a concise presentation on religious freedom in Romania.

Thus, he mentioned that, in Romania, religious freedom is guaranteed by Article 29 of the Constitution, which protects the freedom of conscience and belief for all citizens.

At the same time, he highlighted that in Law no. 489/2006, known as the Law of Cults, it is specified that "the Romanian State...