Colilia and the Ascension Monastery (from the International Cemetery of Military
Honour from Mircea Voda ˘). People benefit from his Christian devotion at varied
occasions – scientific sessions, retirement homes, underpriviledged children homes,
detention places. (Chirilut ¸a ˘ et al. 2015).
An outstanding cultural achievement of Archbishop Teodosie is the male choir
“Armonia” of the Archdiocese of Tomis, which often performs on the stage of the
Romanian Athenaeum, Romanian Opera or at the Romanian Radio Hall, as well as
abroad, at Jerusalem, in the USA, Switzerland and other countries. (Ciocioi et al.
2013) The choir obtained prestigious prizes such as the double gold medal at
“World Choir Games” in 2012 in the USA, the great prize of the section Male
Choir in 2013 at Graz, in Austria, two gold medals at the sections of Folklore and
Male Choir and one at Sacred Music, at Riga, July 2014, la Riga – Latvia, gold
medal and the grand prize at the section Male Choir and gold medal at Sacred
Music, First Place and gold medal at Sacred Music at the World Music Olympics
(the 8th World Choir Games), the trophy and the title of world champion at the
Section Male Choir, Riga, Latvia, 5–12 iulie 2015, gold medal at the Section for
Chamber Choirs at “European Choir Games” and “Grand Prix of Nationes”
(Magdebourg, Germany), gold medal at the sections Chamber Male Choir and a
cappella Sacred Music at the “World Choir Games”, Sochi 2016. Also, under the
Archbishop’s supervision TEODOXA choir attained a higher level of interpretation
and performance of the musical works, as well of the Church hymns as of the songs
from the popular or international repertoire. Teodoxa obtained the gold medal (July
2015) at Magdeburg (Germany), at the “European Choir Games”, at the Section for
Chamber Choirs, gold medal at the Section Male Chamber Choir and silver at the
Section for a cappella Sacred Music at the “World Choir Games”, Sochi 2016.
(Chirilut ¸a ˘ et al. 2015; Ciocioi et al. 2013).
At the initiative of the Archbishop of Tomis, June 2004, the Forum of the Three
Religions was established. (Ionescu 2014) Constant ¸a was chosen especially because
there one can find several religious denominations living together in harmony,
mutual respect and understanding. Founders were Archbishop of Tomis, Teodosie,
Monseniore S ¸ tefan Ghent ¸a, of the Roman-Catholic Church and Bagij Sanghirai, the
head of the Muslim Cult in Romania. A participant to the Forum was also Priest
Steve Hugh from the World Forum and a representative of the mosaic cult. The
common message was that the spiritual leaders should convince their faithful
followers that “there is only one God, who wants to be peace”. (Ionescu 2014).
ARCHBISHOP VISARION BA ˘ LT ¸ AT is the head of the younger Diocese of
Tulcea, a decision sanctioned by the National Church Assembly meeting on the 4th
of March 2005. His Grace Visarion Ra ˘s ¸ina ˘reanul was elected as Bishop of the
Diocese of Tulcea on the day of the Annunciation in the year of salvation 2008, at
the Episcopal Cathedral of Tulcea, with the participation of central and local
authorities, of many believers from Tulcea and other areas of the country, of His
Beatitude Patriarch Daniel assisted by a group of 12 bishops installed as titular
bishop of Diocese of Tulcea Priest Visarion Ba ˘lt ¸at, PhD. (Tulcea Orthodox Episcopate 2016) His excellency is a citizen of honour of Za ˘rnes ¸ti and Ra ˘s ¸inari cities.
Archbishop Visarion Ba ˘lt ¸at published over 200 articles in religious journals in the
country, but also in regular publications. Among his books we mention: Merg^ and
60
E. Laza ˘r and H.A. S ¸ erban
Honour from Mircea Voda ˘). People benefit from his Christian devotion at varied
occasions – scientific sessions, retirement homes, underpriviledged children homes,
detention places. (Chirilut ¸a ˘ et al. 2015).
An outstanding cultural achievement of Archbishop Teodosie is the male choir
“Armonia” of the Archdiocese of Tomis, which often performs on the stage of the
Romanian Athenaeum, Romanian Opera or at the Romanian Radio Hall, as well as
abroad, at Jerusalem, in the USA, Switzerland and other countries. (Ciocioi et al.
2013) The choir obtained prestigious prizes such as the double gold medal at
“World Choir Games” in 2012 in the USA, the great prize of the section Male
Choir in 2013 at Graz, in Austria, two gold medals at the sections of Folklore and
Male Choir and one at Sacred Music, at Riga, July 2014, la Riga – Latvia, gold
medal and the grand prize at the section Male Choir and gold medal at Sacred
Music, First Place and gold medal at Sacred Music at the World Music Olympics
(the 8th World Choir Games), the trophy and the title of world champion at the
Section Male Choir, Riga, Latvia, 5–12 iulie 2015, gold medal at the Section for
Chamber Choirs at “European Choir Games” and “Grand Prix of Nationes”
(Magdebourg, Germany), gold medal at the sections Chamber Male Choir and a
cappella Sacred Music at the “World Choir Games”, Sochi 2016. Also, under the
Archbishop’s supervision TEODOXA choir attained a higher level of interpretation
and performance of the musical works, as well of the Church hymns as of the songs
from the popular or international repertoire. Teodoxa obtained the gold medal (July
2015) at Magdeburg (Germany), at the “European Choir Games”, at the Section for
Chamber Choirs, gold medal at the Section Male Chamber Choir and silver at the
Section for a cappella Sacred Music at the “World Choir Games”, Sochi 2016.
(Chirilut ¸a ˘ et al. 2015; Ciocioi et al. 2013).
At the initiative of the Archbishop of Tomis, June 2004, the Forum of the Three
Religions was established. (Ionescu 2014) Constant ¸a was chosen especially because
there one can find several religious denominations living together in harmony,
mutual respect and understanding. Founders were Archbishop of Tomis, Teodosie,
Monseniore S ¸ tefan Ghent ¸a, of the Roman-Catholic Church and Bagij Sanghirai, the
head of the Muslim Cult in Romania. A participant to the Forum was also Priest
Steve Hugh from the World Forum and a representative of the mosaic cult. The
common message was that the spiritual leaders should convince their faithful
followers that “there is only one God, who wants to be peace”. (Ionescu 2014).
ARCHBISHOP VISARION BA ˘ LT ¸ AT is the head of the younger Diocese of
Tulcea, a decision sanctioned by the National Church Assembly meeting on the 4th
of March 2005. His Grace Visarion Ra ˘s ¸ina ˘reanul was elected as Bishop of the
Diocese of Tulcea on the day of the Annunciation in the year of salvation 2008, at
the Episcopal Cathedral of Tulcea, with the participation of central and local
authorities, of many believers from Tulcea and other areas of the country, of His
Beatitude Patriarch Daniel assisted by a group of 12 bishops installed as titular
bishop of Diocese of Tulcea Priest Visarion Ba ˘lt ¸at, PhD. (Tulcea Orthodox Episcopate 2016) His excellency is a citizen of honour of Za ˘rnes ¸ti and Ra ˘s ¸inari cities.
Archbishop Visarion Ba ˘lt ¸at published over 200 articles in religious journals in the
country, but also in regular publications. Among his books we mention: Merg^ and
60
E. Laza ˘r and H.A. S ¸ erban