After the Holy Synod of Romanian Orthodx Church decided to re-estabilsh the ancient Bishoprics in Bessarabia [nowadays Republic of Moldova] (see below the article on this topic) the Romanian Patriarchate - Russian Patriarchate crisis evolved. The dialogue already scheduled was supposed to be posponed, but later took place in Bulgaria, hosted by Bugarian partiarchate.
It came to no conlclusion, except the fact that the delegation of the Russian Patriarchate was inflexible, not taking into consideration the history before Ribbentrop - Molotov Agreement.
The Romanian Orthodox Church came with nuances and proposals for continuing the dialogue.
It is to be noticed that the President of Romania, Traian Basescu expressed seriously his intention to denounce in the Romanian Parliament the Ribbentrop - Molotov Agreement.
We can not yet say if the re-opening of the ancient Bishoprics in Bessarabia [Republic of Moldova] and the preparation of Romanian Presidency to denounce the Ribbentrop - Molotov Agreement could be seen as a corelation of State and Church Policy regarding the process of healing the Romanian wonds caused of the Imeperialist Fascist and Bolshevic policy towards Romania. We keep searching the topic.
If you would like more detailes on it, please live a comment with your address and I will answer to you.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Church Crisis: The Romanian Patriarchate and Moscow Patriarchate on the issue of juristdiction in the Republic of Moldova
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Romanian Orthodox Church Enthroned His Beatitude Daniel, the New Patriarch of Romania
The ceremony was lead by Archbishop Nifon of Targoviste and begun at 8:30 with the Holy Liturgy and than after the enthronment continued with Te Deum.
More thant 30 foreign delagations attendend the enthronement. Archpriests, Deans from the Romanian Orthodox Church, Theologians and students in theology, but also delegates from all Christian Orthodox countries and from other Christian denominations attended the ceremony.
President Traian Basescu, former Presidents Ion Iliescu and Emil Constantinescu and the former King Michael together with members of the Royal Family of Romania were present. Representatives from Political parties in Romania took part in the event.
During the ceremony, the new patriarch were given the liturgical symbols, the Patriarchal Rod, the Garment, the Engolpions, all symbols of his authority, and the white headdress.
A solemn session of the enthronement took place in the Administrative Palace of the Patriarchate. Delegates from the Apostolic Churches beginning with the throne of Constantinople and ending with the word of Pope Benedict the XVI represented by Cardinal Kasper addressed congratulations and words of hope in improved cooperation, continuation and renewal of dialogue between the Romanian Orthodox Church and other Orhtodox Churches and Confessions from all over the world.
Symbolic gifts of recognition, unity in prayer and work have been presented to His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel: A Patriarchal Rod from Ecumenical Patriarchate, a Holy Calist from Vatican, Icons meaningful to the new position and theological, lithurgical and social responsabilities of His Beatitude Daniel and croses with patriarchal engolpions from other Orthodox Delagations as for example from His Eminence, Alexey II, Patriarch of Moskow and All Russia.
At 16:30 His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel will be welcomed by Traian Basescu at Cotroceni Palace who will confere upon the new Patriarch the national order "Star of Romania in rank of Great Cross"
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Possible New Tendency Regarding the Policy of the Romanian Orthodox Church Towards the Russian Orthodox Church.
Could it be the sign of a new policy of the interim of the Romanian Orthodox Church towards Russian Patriarchate or just the willing and the perception of the lay people in Romania?
It is well known that after Patriarch Teoctist revived [in 1992] the Metropolitanate of Basarabia and brought it back under the jurisdiction of the Romanian Patriarchate after 51 year of Socialist Soviet rule. Ancient Metropolitanate of Basarabia was dissolved by the Soviet power in 1941, one year after this Romanian territory was occupied by the Red Army in 28 June 1940. In 1941, the Russian Orthodox Church established in Basarabia a new bishopric, called Metropolitanate of Moldova, under the jurisdiction of Moscow Patriarchate that still functions.
The re-activation of ancient Metropolitanate of Basarabia under the jurisdiction of Romanian Patriarchate created much tensions and fracture in bilateral brotherly relations between the two Churches. It created also State tensions as Republic of Moldova recognized the Metropolitanate of Basarabia only after a European Court of Human Rights sentence.
Patriarch Teoctist tried many times to relax the situation in Republic of Moldova [Basarabia] and in 2000 he responded to invitation consecrating together with Patriarch Alexey II the Cathedral Christ the Savior and in 2006, meet Alexey again at the World Encounter of Religious Leaders.
As you may read in this blog, in an article from March 29, 2007, Patriarch Teoctist was ready to make a pastoral visit in Metropolitanate of Basarabia.
Taking into consideration that at the funerals of Patriarch Teoctist, Patriarch Alexey did not participated, but sent a message and a delegation, also considering the past not yet alleviated tensions, the extensive article in Lumina and especially the heading “Moscow the Third Rome” could mean a new pitch for remaking of policy relations between the two Churches, especially after last month declaration of Pope Benedict XVI.
As written in Lumina’s heading: “the publication is an initiative of Orthodox lay sustained by Metropolitanate of Moldova and Bucovina”, thus, under the leadership and the blessing of Metropolitan Daniel, now Locum Tenens of Patriarch of Romania.
