Press release, May 29th 2019

Bucharest, May 29^th 2019

On the occasion of Pope Francis’ visit to Romania, the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization announces the launch of a volume titled Pope John Paul II in Romania: Catholic-Orthodox dialogue nine centuries after the Great Schism

Arriving shortly before Pope Francis’ visit to Romania, this bilingual tome, in both Romanian and English, is published by the University of Bucharest Press and celebrates the 20-year anniversary of the historic state and ecumenical visit of Pope John Paul II to Romania, the first sojourn of a Bishop of Rome in a majority-Orthodox country since the Great Schism of 1054 AD.

The present volume, part of a broader research project that delves into the history of religions and of interfaith dialogue across the historical Levant, attempts to present the preliminary discussions, diplomatic overtures, the course and the notable consequences of the Papal visit to Romania of May 1999.

With a foreword penned by Professor Vlad Nistor and an afterword written by H.E. Teodor Baconschi, former Ambassador of Romania to the Vatican, the volume was coordinated by Laura Ganea, Head of Communication Services at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization. Alongside them, the album was contributed to by notable personalities such as Professor Radu Preda, Professor Sorin Dumitrescu, Alberto Quattrucci, Secretary General of the Community of Sant’Egidio and Cătălin Ștefan Popa, Associated Researcher at the Institute for the History of Religions at the Romanian Academy.

The volume was created in partnership with the Romanian Foundation for Democracy, Agerpres and the Romanian Television Network (TVR).