Investing in culture is not just a matter of preserving heritage or national identity, but also a necessity for preventing extremism and building a society based on tolerance, freedom and mutual respect, Culture Minister Natalia Intotero told an event organized on Tuesday at the Parliament by the Chamber of Deputies’ Culture Committee.
„2025 marks a moment of great significance for the Romanian Orthodox Church and for the entire society. 2025 is the year of tribute to the Centennial of the Romanian Patriarchate, an opportunity to reflect on history, on the values and spiritual legacies that we carry forward. A special moment is represented by the canonization, on February 5 this year, of 16 contemporary saints, many of them martyrs of communist prisons, confessors of Christian faith, who endured unimaginable suffering. Another important event in 2025 will be the consecration of the National Cathedral, scheduled for the fall of this year. National culture cannot be separated from the values that define us as a people – language, literature, art, traditions and, last but not least, faith – are the fundamental elements of our identity,” Intotero emphasized.
She added that the Ministry of Culture takes on the mission of honoring the memory of the 16 saints and supporting initiatives that bring their deeds and teachings back into the collective consciousness.
„We also set ourselves as a target this year to support projects by providing them financing through the National Cultural Fund Administration, but also directly from the Ministry of Culture, for events that bring the example of these saints of the nation before the eyes of the new generations. Resistance through culture and faith can stand up to any oppressive regime and any attempt to erase the identity of a people. Today we express our gratitude to those who have proven and who have become models of courage and sacrifice. Culture and spirituality are the two sides of the same coin – both define us and inspire us. By commemorating these heroes of faith, we reaffirm the values that must guide us in the future. Let us keep their memory alive and pass on their spiritual legacy. Only by supporting culture can we keep alight the memory of the past and prevent the repetition of mistakes that led to tragedies such as Nazism, the Holocaust or repressive communist regimes. Therefore, investment in culture is not just a matter of preserving national heritage or identity, but is paramount for preventing extremism and building a society based on tolerance, freedom and mutual respect,” the minister said.
Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies’ Culture Committee Mihail Neamtu remarked that Bucharest does not have a genuine museum of the communist dictatorship, dedicated to those who were oppressed by this regime.
„The sacred roots of any culture tend to shape the social order. For this reason, we felt the need to hold this event right at the institution where the laws of the country are made. If we have fared poorly in the last 35 years, it is probably also because our country’s lawmakers have ignored the example of uprightness of our forefathers. (…) Unfortunately, today, Romania as a nation has not earned the Christian sacrifice, the mystical splendor, the selfless love and the ideals of the mystical Burning Bush generation. We are the only capital that does not have a genuine museum of the communist dictatorship dedicated to these people. (…) It is a sign of goodness to be able to overcome political barriers and celebrate what holds us together. And the reverence for the saints holds us together,” stressed Neamtu.
The event held at the Palace of Parliament under the patronage of the Chamber of Deputies’ Culture Commission was dedicated to the commemoration of Romanian emblematic figures of the 20th century, „heroes of faith, regardless of denomination, who resisted through an upright life and the confession of deep values”, specifically promoters of the Burning Bush spiritual movement: journalist and monk Sandu Tudor, philosopher Alexandru Mironescu, Professor Dumitru Staniloae, great faithkeepers such as Ilie Cleopa, Arsenie Papacioc and Paisie Olaru, fine writers and artists such as Nicolae Steinhardt, Sofian Boghiu or poet Traian Dorz, pastor Richard Wurmbrand, Bishop Iuliu Hossu, or martyrs such as Monsignor Vladimir Ghika and Father Constantin Sarbu.
Among the guests were representatives of Romanian denominations, of the government, historians, lawmakers, analysts, Archdeacon Mihail Buca and the Tronos Psaltic Choir, as well as pan flute musician Nicolae Voiculet. AGERPRES
