Heroes Day celebrations in Romania

heroes day celebrations in romania Two celebrations were held on Thursday in Romania: the Ascension of Jesus and Heroes Day

For almost a century, Heroes Day has been celebrated in Romania on the same day as the Ascension of Jesus, the moment when, according to Bible teachings, 40 days after Resurrection, he ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.


The secular celebration of the nation's heroes was established in 1920, after WWI, when all provinces with majority ethnic Romanian populations became united under Bucharest's control. Hundreds of thousands of Romanian soldiers died for the unification of the nation and their sacrifice has since been commemorated by this national holiday.


It was also in 1920 that Romania became the first country to commemorate, on the same day, both its own heroes and the foreign soldiers who died on its territory. All Romanian churches in Romania and abroad, both Orthodox and Greek Catholic, held special services on Thursday in memory of everyone killed in battle throughout centuries.


Hundreds of residents in the small town of Toplita, in the centre, paid their respects at the local memorial built in memory of WWI heroes. The Orthodox bishop of Covasna and Harghita, Andrei Moldovan.


Andrei Moldovan: "These brave heroes of the Romanian nation, who have sacrificed their lives on battlefields to defend ancient Ardeal, were laid to rest by Patriarch Miron Cristea at the entrance to Toplita. The heroes, for us, are the foundation of the Romanian nation."


A school child who attended the event, said:

Child: "Today is a very emotional day for us because this is where our ancestors are buried, who spilled their blood for us and our freedom."


Buzau, in the southeast, hosted the inauguration of a military cemetery where almost 10,000 soldiers from many different countries are interred. The opening ceremony, which also formed part of the Great Union Centennial celebrations, was attended by Romanian officials, ambassadors and military attaches from allied and partner states.


An Israelite cemetery in Bucharest held a religious service in memory of the ethnic Jews killed in the battle for the unification of Romania. The neighbouring Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population, inaugurated the Cemetery of Honour of the Romanian Soldiers in the village of Tabara, near Orhei.


The president's office, the government and the defence ministry issued statements in which they expressed their respect for those who, through their ultimate sacrifice, defended the freedom, integrity and dignity of the Romanian country and its people. On the anniversary of 100 years since the fulfilment of the national dream, said president Klaus Iohannis, we should more than ever remember the deeds of those who came before us and take stock of what has been achieved in the years since the Great Union.



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Publicat: 2018-05-18 13:33:00
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