In a message on Monday, May 9, 2022, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel urged believers to participate in Romania’s Census of Population and Housing and to declare their religious affiliation. "This year's census is a proper time to confess our religious identity" - full text:

The organisation of the Romanian Population and Housing Census in the first half of 2022 is not only a process of updating the administrative data and statistics of the population and housing in Romania (information that the state authorities already have, for the most part) but also an opportunity for each of us to declare our ethnic, linguistic and religious identity.

No one but ourselves can declare these identity elements, so our refusal or carelessness to participate in the Census may generate inaccurate or erroneous data regarding Romania’s actual confessional, ethnic and linguistic structure.

A census is not just an administrative act alien to faith and God’s work in the world. For example, our Saviour Jesus Christ was born during the Census organised by Octavian Augustus, Emperor of Rome (27 BC – 4 AD). That year became the starting year of the Christian era and today’s civil calendar.

Declaring one’s religious affiliation is a personal act of confession of faith in complete freedom and responsibility. Let us not regard this confession of faith as unimportant or implied. On the contrary, this confession is essential for Romania’s present and future.

Whether we are self-reviewing or receiving the official reviewer, we should not be ashamed to confess our faith and that of our ancestors, our spiritual and ethnic identity.

Under the heading Ethno-cultural characteristics on the census form, religion is declared (P3c To which religion do you belong?).

We urge those who have difficulty in self-review to turn to the qualified staff at the town hall to which they belong. We encourage those who fail to self-review by May 15, 2022, to receive reviewers and answer the questions on the review form.

There is no justification for not participating in the Census, so we urge all believers to organise as a family to attend this important event.

This year’s Census is the best opportunity to show that the Romanian people are a faithful and majority Orthodox nation.

† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church

(Quelle: www.basilica.ro, 10. Mai 2022)