The Assumptionists in Bucharest: continuity and change

Two years ago, a work group was created and has met punctually to reflect on the Assumptionist presence in the Near East Mission and on the re-opening of the house in Bucharest because it was never closed, canonically speaking. The major aspects of the work done by this group correspond to one of the priorities decided by the General Chapter of 2005, namely: what type of presence do the Assumptionists want to have in the Near East? How should this reality, dear to Assumption, become part of the project of developing new structures for the Congregation? How best to respond to the needs of the Church and of the Congregation in the countries where the majority is not Catholic? The first disciples of Fr. d’Alzon went to the Near East and worked daringly, generously and disinterestedly in favor of a better mutual understanding between Western and Eastern Christians, taking into account the prayer of Christ himself: “May they all be one” (Jn 17:21). The same spirit also animated our thinking and our desire to put ourselves entirely at the service of a better mutual understanding between Christians of different traditions in order to take an additional step on the road to unity.

After the long procedure involved in regaining possession of the house on Christian Tell Street, the Assumptionists want to continue their mission in the Romanian capital, all the while introducing new elements. Continuity signifies the desire to take up the torch of “our fathers” who believed and who worked to help the various Christian churches to meet each other, to exchange ideas, and to pray. To do that they created what is known as the “Byzantine Library,” a real source of intellectual knowledge that gave students and researchers a precious and handy working tool. After having been recovered at the last minute, this library is in the process of being reconstituted and enriched in order to continue the original work and purpose of Bucharest. Among its new aspects, we can highlight at least a few. First, the name we are thinking of giving this house: “Unitate Center of Byzantine Studies and Ecumenical Encounters.” Unitate refers to the desire for unity commonly expressed by the Catholics and the Orthodox of Romania during the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1999, during an ecumenical celebration with Patriarch Teoctist. The house and the mission could be placed under the patronage of the brothers who were Apostles of Christ, Andrew and Peter. According to the Romanian Orthodox tradition, Saint Andrew would have evangelized the territory next to the Black Sea, the present area known as Constanta where there is also the grotto where the Apostle died. Saint Peter, of course, represents the western side of Christianity. By choosing such a patronage we would like to express our intention to work as brothers toward the coming of the Reign according to the spirit of Assumption. The apostolate of this house will be centered on four aspects: 1) the liturgy, 2) receiving students, 3) the pastoral aspect of culture, and 4) the Byzantine library. The religious who will be part of this community will be free to imagine, to invent, and to give an ecumenical soul to this house. In Bucharest we already have a tradition as well as the space needed to work so that we can render a better service to the Church and the Congregation for the good of all according to the charism, always actual, of Fr. Emmanuel d’Alzon. The work of renovation of the house and the architects who carried it out took into account the requirements and needs of our mission. Finally, the house in Bucharest seeks to be a point-of-reference for all of the Near East Mission, thanks to its strategic location. Through all of these investments, the Assumption is expressing its desire to breathe its Christian faith with its two lungs and in so doing to add its stone to the harmonious building up of the entire Body, whose sole Head is Christ.