Romanian Army Day was celebrated today, October 25, by a military-religious ceremony held at the Romanian Heroes Cemetery in Chișinău.
Romania's military attaché to the Republic of Moldova, Colonel Cristi Ladaniuc, said that "this year Romania celebrates 75 years since the last territory of Romania, northern Transylvania, lost on August 30, 1940, following the Vienna dictate, was liberated by the Romanian Army". According to the colonel, the event comes to honor the memory of Romanian soldiers who believed in victory and gave their lives on the battlefield for the liberation of the national territory. "The effort and supreme sacrifice of the heroes who eternally sleep on these grounds will never be forgotten and their memory will always be celebrated", said Cristi Ladaniuc.
Romania's Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, Daniel Ioniță, said that the day of October 25 is celebrated in order "to thank the soldiers for the sacrifice made over the years for Romania to become an independent and sovereign state and a respected member of the international community". The ambassador said that this day offers the opportunity "to shed a tear of gratitude in the cemetery where the eternal sleep of Romanian, Russian, Austrian, French, Czech and Polish soldiers who put their love of country above their own lives".
The religious ceremony was performed by an assembly of priests, led by His Excellency Saint Petru, Archbishop of Chișinău, Metropolitan of Bessarabia and Exarch of the Plains. "We always gather on these grounds to honor these brave men who have fallen on the battlefield. They have fallen in order to bring us freedom and a better life", said His Excellency Saint Petru.
The Cemetery of Heroes in Chișinău was set up during the interwar period to shelter the remains of the Romanian, Austrian, French, Polish and Russian fallen soldiers in World War I. After 1941, fallen Romanian soldiers in World War II were also buried here. The cemetery was operational until 1959. Since then, the cemetery was left in ruin and at present only the monumental construction at the entrance and the foundation of the chapel are preserved.
