Romanian - Italian Crisis Discussed also with the Romanian Orthodox Church

On 5th of November, Patriarch Daniel received the visit of the Italian Ambassador in Bucharest, Daniele Mancini.

The visit took place in the context of the escalating Romanian - Italian, crisis followed by the killing of Giovannei Reggiani by a Romanian citizen of Rroma ethnicity, that generated an incredible xenofobia against Romanians, xenofobia encouraged by Italian mass-media and political parties [especially that of Fiamma Tricolore and that of the Eurodeputy Allesandra Mussolini].

The visit happened also after the very week results visit of the Romanian State Officials, among whom the Foreign Afaires Ministry Adrian Cioroianu expressed the opinion that there is need for "concentrations camps for delicvents and he is thinking to buy land in the Saharian Desert to build the camps".

Patriarch Daniel expressed the compassion for the tragedy.

His Excelency Danielle Mancini expressd the openess of Italian authorities to work with the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Romanian authorities in organizing and developing plans and programmes for social inclusion of Romanian Citizens established in Italy.

Romanian Orthodox Church Social Responsibility Accros Borders and Politics

On 5th of November, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania received the visit of the Royal House of Serbia and Yugoslavia, Prince Alexandru II and Princess Ecaterina.

Among other issues related to solidarity and fraternity of Serbian and Romanian nations, subjects regarding the recent dificulties of the Serbian Orthodox Church were discussed.

More, the focus of the discussion was also regarding possibilities of cooperation with Romanian Orthodox Church in Social Programmes.

This last topic is placing and shaping the future role of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Development Policy in the Balkans.

Decisons of the First Holy Synod of The Romanian Orthodox Church Under Patriarch Daniel Presidency

Before election of Patriarch Daniel, in one of our articles we expressed our concern and expectations regarding the policy of the new Patriarch towards the Autonomous Metropolitanate of Bessarabia and, generally speaking, towards the Orthodox Church in the Republic of Moldova and the policy of Moscow Patriarchate. Just to remember, the first article of this blog (just happened to be like this and it was nothing intentioally done) announced that Patriarch Teoctist, His Memory Be Eternal, was planning for September 2007 a Pastoral visit to Autonomous Metropolitanate of Bessarabia from Republic of Moldova. It never happened as the Patriarch Teoctist died in July.

Than, after election Patriarch Daniel the expectations on the new policy become more an more relevant for Church. It took no too long. The new Patriarch informed about the decision to reactivate three dioceses in Bessarabia which had been forced to interrupt their activity by the Soviet power. This reactivation was an intrinsic consequence of the fact that, following the final and irevocable ruling of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, in 2004, and through the modifications registered in the Statute of the Organisation and Functioning of the Autonomous Metropolitanate of Bessarabia, this [the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia] that was recognised as "the spiritual, canonical, historical successor of the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia, which functioned until 1944 included", together with its dioceses: 1. The Archdiocese of Chişinău, 2. the Diocese of Southern Bessarabia and 3. the Diocese of Dubăsari and All Transnistria, which were reactivated by the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia and were all officially registered as such by the Government of the Republic of Moldova, enjoying a legal status already a few years before.

Thus, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church has taken notice, with blessings, of the juridical recognition by the state authorities of the Republic of Moldova of the above mentioned eparchies of the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia and reactivate them as they belong to the jurisdiction of the Romanian Patriarchate.

The reaction of Moscow Patriarchate did not waited one day.
Mitropolitan Kiril of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, sent to Interfax the following:
http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/315967.html [in Russian]

We do not have to breack the cannonical rules and jurisdictions. This decision [reopenning the ancient dioceses in Bessarabia] ...is destroing the unity of the Holy Orthodoxy. The actions of the Romanian Patriarchate will not last without consequences, said Kiril. He also said that the planned for Novemver 2007 Dialogue Session between Romanian Orthodox Church and The Russian Orthodox Church is not possible anymore as if it will take place it will be misunderstood both in Republic Moldova, Romania and even in Russia. It seems that Kiril suggested that if the Meeting will be held as planned the world will see that Moscow accepted the decisions of the of the Autonomous Metropolitanate of Bessarabia from Republic of Moldova and of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Kiril said that the Russian Synod is preaparing a reaction document regarding the decision of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Until we see the the Russian reaction you may read the Clarification document of the Romanian Patriarchate at http://www.patriarhia.ro/Site/Stiri/2007/130.html
and a Press Release at http://www.patriarhia.ro/Site/Stiri/2007/135.html

We are going tp follow closely the evolution of this.

Until next: Congratulation Your Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church!

This is a big step towards restoration of democracy in Church jurisdiction not only in the frame of Orthodox World but also in the Christianity. It is a line and a light showing that the former Soviet policy of 1944, on submiting church jurisdiction to whomever they wanted can not be valid anymore.

The Realism of Future Mission of the Romanian Patriarchate

It is indeed a trend for the Romanian Orthodox Church to increase the realism of the Social Mission. The first day after the enthronment of Patriarch Daniel it became a fact. If until now during the last 17 years of Patriarch Teoctist rule the Church developed structures and human resources for its Social Mission, one step forward was made by patriarch Daniel. And this step is called "The Protocol for CooperationRregarding Social Inclusion. It is a protocol between the Romanian Patriarchate and the Government of Romania. Well established in the legislation, the parties of the protocol express that the objectives of this are:

1. strenghtening the national mechanisms for social inclusion in Romania
2. promoting dialogue between parties for improvement of the legislative and institutional framework in the field of social inclusion
3. define key priorities for elaborating common programes and projects in the field of social inclusion
4. establish the cooperation premises, exchange of information and mutual assistance

The duration of the protocol is 10 years, that is year 2017.
In our (blogger) view this period means that both the Government and the Patriarchate of Romania assessed more realistically that the social problems, the need of social insertion would not be over after the implementation of the National Development Plan (2007-2013) already established and negociated by Romanian Government and European Commission.

The obligations of the parties of this protocol are related to the Objectives in very speciffic manner.

If you are intrested in the whole text of the protocol please contact us.

In his speach, Patriarch Daniel, after signing the protocol underlined that the meaning of this protocol is first "the common concern and responsablity of Government of Romania and Romanian Orthodox Church towards disavantaged, poor, marginalized, abandoned children by parents gone to work outside the country, alone aged people, and others in suffering.

The Patriarch said to the Government members that the involvement of the Church in social insertion is both "a spiritual vocation and a pragmatic necessity". He also said that nowaday cooperation with State is ment for more efficiency but also for deepening the spiritual meaning, and expresing the ethical side of the funding alocated by Romanian State and the European Union for alleviating the poverty and implementation of EU cohesion policy.