The ceremony enthroning His Beatitude Daniel, the sixth Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, took place yesterday in the Metropolitan Cathedral, Bucharest. Numerous public personalities, high clergy and many churchgoers were present. In his speech the new Patriarch pleaded for the conservation of the spiritual legacy from his predecessors and for communication and collaboration to intensify the Church's mission in society. Starting with yesterday His Beatitude Daniel is the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Archbishop of Bucharest, the Bishop of Muntenia and Dobrogea and the Coadjutor of the Throne of Czareea. Yesterday he argued in front of ceremony attendants that his first wish and duty was to preserve, cherish and cultivate the spiritual inheritance from the deceased Patriarch, "an example of wisdom, patience and brotherly love for all the Orthodox Christians, an example of kindness to all the Christians and all the peacemaking and good meaning people." Mass media promotion of Orthodox values As he himself admits, the mission of the Patriarch is a very difficult one. He described it yesterday as "a heavy quest on weak shoulders". Most officials of the Romanian Orthodox Church agreed the new Patriarch enjoyed support from most spiritual leaders in the country and abroad. The main argument offered was openness towards the other religious cults and mass media promotion of the values cherished by the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Patriarch pleaded: "One duty is to intensify the Church's spiritual mission in society, beyond churches, via two national Orthodox networks: radio, television and a Church daily." Unity of the Church The new Patriarch emphasized his experience entitled him to be hopeful that what was necessary could be achieved. In his speech he explained that the participation of people and institutions was needed to help the Church contribute even more to Romania's spiritual and social life. Secondly, he argued, he would be constantly preoccupied with promoting brotherly collaboration with all the Holy Synod members in order to keep and protect the Orthodox faith and the unity of the Church so that together they would find "appropriate means and ways to improve and enrich spiritual life". He pleaded as follows: "This society, often rather indifferent that unfaithful, needs the Church, because it needs cure and spiritual collaboration, as this society identifies the freedom of a person with selfish individualism and the possession of limited, transient things." The new Patriarch also mentioned the place where the ceremony was taking place was a transient Metropolitan Cathedral and he expressed confidence that the National Redemption Cathedral would be built to obey the still unfulfilled wish of his predecessors. He also expressed trust that dialogue and collaboration with the other Churches would continue along with "the special attention to the preservation of the right faith and of all the traditionally Orthodox values." Empty throne During the ceremony, the throne meant for King Mihai of Romania was empty. His Majesty was sitting in the third row, together with the royal family. Constantin Stoica, a spokesman for the Romanian Orthodox Church, told ZIUA: "Romania is no longer a monarchy. We feel respect for the present rulers, elected according to the Constitution. The most important officials are sitting in the first row, the former ones are in the second and then comes the royal family who enjoys the Church's appreciation." Still Patriarch Daniel did something memorable: during the solemn meeting in the Metropolitan Cathedral, he left his seat next to the Romanian President Traian Basescu to go greet His Majesty. Petrisor CANA