Bucharest: Members of the lower house of the Romanian Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, have decided by a vote to mark the 16th of August every year as an awareness day for anti-Christian atrocities. On this day, the government buildings, including the Romanian Parliament building, will be lit by red lights from 8 pm to 12 pm. The red lamps are intended to symbolize the commemoration of the people of Romania who persecuted Christian brothers in various parts of the world.
The feast day of the martyrdom of Brancoveanu, which was declared by the Orthodox Church in Romania in 1992, is also commemorated on 16 August. Constantine Brancoveanu was the ruler of Wallachia from 1654 to 1714. On August 15, 1714, the Ottoman Turks deposed him and took him to Istanbul, where he was beheaded and killed with four sons. The Romanian Church decided to celebrate the Feast of the Martyrs on the 16th of August, as it was Mother’s Ascension.
According to the new law, religious ceremonies can be held in government-approved places on this day. Various programs can be financed by the government and non-governmental organizations. On August 16, more and more Christian-themed-themed programs will be aired on the state-owned media outlets of the country. Daniel George, who worked behind the bill, said he had drafted a new law to educate young people about Romania’s Christian history and the anti-Christian persecution around the world. He expressed confidence that the new law would give Christians the courage to follow the Christian faith without fear of anyone.
