April 11, 2015 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Corina Cristea, 11.04.2015, 12:06
Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians from around the world, including Romania, Sunday celebrate Easter, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Jerusalem, on Saturday, a divine liturgy was performed, a unique Orthodox ritual in which the Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem came out of the tomb of Jesus Christ carrying lit candles and offered light to believers. A delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church used a special plane to bring to the country the holy light, a symbol of Christ’s victory over death. In his Easter address, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, says that “in a world marked by instability and insecurity, Christians must search for the joy brought to us by the union with Jesus Christ and must share this joy with those who suffer, through prayer, solidarity and relief.”
Crown Princess Margareta of Romania and Prince Radu attend the Easter Vigil in Chisinau on Easter night, the Royal House of Romania announced. This is the first time in 73 years that the Royal Family of Romania will be present in the Metropolitan Cathedral in Chisinau. In October 1942, King Mihai and Queen Mother Elena attended the mass occasioned by the opening of the restored cathedral. This was the last visit of King Mihai and Queen Mother Elena to Chisinau.
Expo Milano 2015, themed “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life” will open on May 1st, and Romania will be represented by a pavilion whose theme will be “In Harmony with Nature,” the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced. The 2015 Universal Exposition will last for 6 months, during which the 145 participating countries will have a chance to illustrate their own solutions to the food and energy challenges that the world is facing, and to suggest answers for the global problems related to the provision of healthy food for all mankind while also preserving biodiversity and the environment.
Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no. 3 in the world, ranks second in the WTA polls for the best player and the best shot in March. American Serena Williams, world leader and winner of the Miami tournament, after defeating Halep 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 in the final, won 52% of the votes. Halep comes second with 40%, and Spain’s Carla Suárez Navarro ranks third, with 8%. In March Halep won the Indian Wells, the first Premier Mandatory title in her career. This year Halep has also won the tournaments in Shenzhen and Dubai.