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.
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.
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