What happened after the Visit of the Russian Ambassador to Patriarch Daniel? Can we say it is a deepening of the crisis? Indeed, someone had a gallbladder attack and as a consequence used strange methods of nurturing the dialogue between the two sister Churches.
For the moment we know very few only from the news:
1. After celebrating Christmas according to the New Calendar in Iasi, Romania, and celebrating the Christmas Liturgy with Patriarch Daniel, Metropolitan Petru of Balti [he is under Romanian Patriarchate juristdiction] at his return at home, in the Republic of Moldova, was kept by the cusomers and accused of trafficking drugs.
The press agencies said that, while kepping Metropolitan Petru, the whole acitvity of the Custom of the Republic of Moldova were suspended in order to create the feeling that he is a high risk infractor.
2. Other New Calendar Priests in the Republic of Moldova were arreseted, declared illegal and few expeled.
3. This extended intimidation action targeting the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia and its parishes follows after the expel of two Romanian Diplomats.
For the moment we do not have any officially published reaction from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affaires or from the Romanian Patriarchate
Thursday, January 3, 2008
A Response to the Diplomatic Visit and the Proposal for Dialogue or . . . "The Gallbladder Attack of Moscow Patriarchate"?
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"
Monday, September 10, 2007
Roman Catholic Charity Attaked for Hosting Rroma People
In Italy, Pavia, citizens attacked a Roman-Catholic Church charity for hosting Rroma. During last months many Rroma were attacked just for being in Italy. The worst crime was when a band of teenagers burn to death a camp of Rroma/Sinti and children died in fire. Yet, only few journalists dear to say those criminals are fascists.
Now we have a new fact: Attack on Church for hosting Rroma. Those people were taken in care by the Church, were not dirty, they made no trouble and although living in simplicity as everywhere in Church Charities they were not welcomed.
Let me underline, that the Rroma/Sinti were not attacked this time BUT THE CHURCH.
Why? For daring to host Rroma/Sinti. This is indeed a warning message to the Churches in Europe. The attackers, through this action are warning the Churches not to work for Rroma/Sinti as they will suffer consequences.
It is well known that at their own initiative or under the umbrella of the Conference of European Churches all Churches in Europe have helped Rroma or Non-Roma NGOs to work for alleviating the situation of Roma/Sinti.
European authorities must act now.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Fr. Constatnin Stoica, the Official Spoksman of the Partiarchate said Dinescu Could be Subject to a Conviction from Three Months to Three Years
As Memeber of the National College for Studying the Securitate Archives Dinsecu violeted the law on handeling and administrating the information by issuing false information on former Archbishop of Sibiu, Anthony.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Potential Candidates for Patriarchal Chair of Romania under the attention of the National College for Studying the Securitate Archives
The National College for Studying the Securitate Archives stated today to mass-media that all potential candidates for the position of Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church will be invited for interview and their files will be checked.
It means that about twenty five Bishops, Archbishops and Metropolitanes will have soon given to public all information either they had or had not cooperation with Foreign Inteligence Department or the Securitate Service of former Communiste Regime and were involved or made political police activities.
Small Political Party Attempts to Gain Political Capital using New Patriarch’s Pre- Elections Circumstances
Cosmin Guse, President of National Initiative Party reacted very quick and tough to statement of Sorin Frunzaverde regarding Daniel of Moldova as future Patriarch, asking Frunzaverde to abstain from putting into effect any influence. Guse also said that it is not the first time when Frunzaverde used his twofold influencing power as he was strongly and succesfully involved also in the very tide elections for Metropolitanate of Ardeal, taking side with Bishop Laurentiu, now Archbishop of Sibiu and Metropolitan of Ardeal.
National Initiative Party address also to the National Grand Lodge of Romania regarding Patriarchal Elections.
Given the fact that Sorin Frunzaverde is [or was according to his late sttement] a freeemason the National Initiative Party addressed to Grand Master, Eugen Ovidiu Chirovici to apart the National Grand Lodge of Romania from any statement made by freemasons in case of Patriarchal elections in Romania.
Trying get the attention of the Romanian electorate, National Intitiative Party [NIP], as a small, non-parlamentarian party [also attempting to participate in Euro-Parlamentarian elections] is trying to use the circumstances after Patriarch Teoctist death and become important “protector” of Church values. Thus, the President Cosmin Guse stated with much stanchness that “ the vote for the new Patriarch has not to be traced outside but stay inside the Church National Electoral College and the vot has to be given according to the values, traditions and the by-laws the are governing the Church".
The worries of NIP are not real, as out of 170 electors ony eight to ten are also politicians. NIP is mostly trying to use as political platform the circumstances and attract electorate as according to statistisc the most trustable institution in Romania is the Orthodox Church.
Vice President of Demorcatic Party, Sorin Frunzaverde Declared his Favourite Candidate as New Patriarch of Romania: Daniel of Moldova and Bucovina
Sorin Frunzaverde is member of the Romanian Church National Electoral College, the one that will finaly elect the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church at the proposal of the Holy Synod which will come with one up to three candidates.
In spite the fact that the mass media, early before his statement, already launched a debate on how much the elections will be influenced by the political parties, and published the list of the about eight politicians that are members in the Church National Electoral College, Sorin Frunzaverde state his opinion declaring that “personally I will involve myself for Matropolitan Daniel of Moldova”.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Post – Mortem Decoration of Partiarch Teoctist Creates Political Controversy
Dan Voiculecu said: “Basescu has to explain when was he laying: when assumed the Tismaneanu report in spite of all criticism on the accuracy and misdocumentation of it or when he post-mortem decoarated Patriarch Teoctist”. He accused Basescu of cynism and hypocrisy and ask for “clarification and a public statement retracting the accusations of the Tismaneanu report”.
The mass-media comments were in favour to Dan Vasilescu, stating that, comparing to Basescu decree of decoration, the Emil Constantinescu, former President of Romania decorated Patriarch Teoctist with the Star of Romania in Rank of Grand Cross [the second rank of Star of Romania] for his merites, efforts and contribution to the Church Unity and Peace right after the historical visit of Pope John Paul II. The media commented that for Basescu Patriarch Teoctist was not good alive but is excelent while death.
