Thousands of tourists and locals from Constanta watched on Saturday the events occasioned by the Navy Day, which took place on the cliff in front of the Fleet HQ from the city of Constanta. Several officials among whom the minister of defence, Mihai Stanisoara, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Roberta Anastase, the chief of the General Staff, Gheorghe Marin, the chief of the General Staff of the Navy Forces, Dorin Danila, Prince Paul of Romania and Princess Lia, and numerous local officials were present at the event. This was the first year when President Traian Basescu, a former chief commander, was not present at the Navy Day events. Asked why he did not go to the Navy Day, Basescu answered that this year he preferred to go to Gorj County, for the Assumption of the Virgin.
The Navy Day events debuted at 10.00 a.m., when the officials were welcomed by the guard of honour and military music. After the official addresses, a religious service followed performed by Tomis Archbishop Teodosie, together with a group of priests.
The celebration continued with games and demonstrations of the naval forces. The audience could see among others exercises how the navy pushed back an attack of the enemy aviation concurrently with the carrying out of the anti-missile protection measures, a helicopter landing on the deck of Regina Maria frigate, the search of an enemy submarine and the destruction of sea mines, a counter-terrorist intervention to liberate the hostages from a ship, and the rejection of an incursion of enemy ships. In the end, the defence minister Mihai Stanisoara said that he was honoured to participate to this event. “It is a day of tradition, a day of great Christian celebration, a day when I am happy and honoured of being here and of having celebrated the sailors, those who sacrificed themselves in the past and deserve our whole gratitude, and those who make now considerable efforts in training and you saw that they are very well trained,” Mihai Stanisoara said.
On the occasion of the Navy Day, President Basescu decorated several officers, the chief of the general staff included, who received the National Order “Steaua Romaniei” in the rank of Officer.
Christians celebrated the Assumption of the Virgin
Over 50,000 pilgrims participated on Saturday morning in the religious service occasioned by the Assumption of the Virgin at Nicula Monastery, the events being attended among others by PM Emil Boc and the Speaker of Senate, Mircea Geoana.
The mess for the Assumption of the Virgin was performed at Nicula monastery by a panel a priests, starting with Bartolomeu, metropolitan bishop of Cluj, Alba, Crisana and Maramures, and Serafim, metropolitan bishop of Germany, Central and Northern Europe. The service started in the presence of 50,000 pilgrims who arrived at Nicula Monastery from several counties of Romania.
President Basescu and his wife participated in a religious service at Tismana Monastery, in Gorj County. The service was performed by Irineu Slatineanu, metropolitan bishop of Oltenia. Traian Basescu attended the service, and at its end, he retired in the monastery together with his wife and the representatives of the church. Maria Basescu declared later on that she received a present for her anniversary from the Monastery, an icon that she appreciates very much.
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