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Romanians are Orthodox. Romania Orthodox

Dracula doesn't live here anymore!

According to legend, Christianity was brought to Romania by St. the Apostle Andrew and the disciples of St. Apostle Paul, who preached the word of God in the territory of the former Roman province of Scythia Minor between the Danube River and the western coast of the Black Sea. The Romanians became the only Romance people to adopt the Slavic language in church and secular literature.

The autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church was proclaimed only in 1885, as evidenced by the Patriarchal Synodal Tomos, signed and sealed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Since 1925, the Romanian Church has had its own Patriarch.

Romania is an Orthodox country; more than 21 million people live in it, 87% of whom are Orthodox Christians. The Romanian Orthodox Church has 660 monastic institutions, in which more than 8,000 monastics work.

The pilgrimage center of the Moscow Patriarchate has developed a new direction for Russians, based on the wishes of not only experienced or novice pilgrims, but also business people involved in trade. After all, they also have their own saint, to whom they pray for good luck in trading matters. This is the Great Martyr John of Sochava the New. This saint of God lived in Trebizond in the 14th century and often traveled by ship to sell and purchase goods. Trade matters took up a lot of his time, but he did not forget his Christian duties. When the time came to firmly confess himself as a Christian and resist the Gentiles, he suffered torture for the faith of Christ in Crimea at the end of the 14th century. His relics in 1402 were transferred to the capital of the Moldo-Vlachian principality of Sochava and placed in the cathedral church. Saint John the New became the patron saint of Moldavia and an assistant to business people who today flock to his holy relics. He patronizes those who are engaged in trade, having pure intentions, working for the benefit of their neighbors and for the glory of God.

The pilgrimage center of the Moscow Patriarchate offers to make a pilgrimage to Romanian shrines - to visit a country that hides its Orthodox monasteries and churches among forests and hills, the Carpathian slopes and the Danube banks, to discover a land that has carefully preserved the priceless heritage of Orthodoxy.

Pilgrimage program to Romania

8 days/7 nights

1st day: Meeting the group at the Chisinau airport (Moldova). Trip to the Holy Dormition Capriana Monastery. Departure to Albica-Leuseni (crossing the border with Romania). City of Suceava, accommodation and dinner at the Caprioara 3* hotel.

2nd day: Breakfast. Excursion around the city of Suceava, the monastery of St. John the New, Soceava (where the relics of the saint are buried), visit to the Church of St. George the Victorious (Mirauti). In the afternoon, a trip to the Dragomirna Monastery (1609), visit to the Church of St. Paisiy Velichkovsky. Return to Suceava and dinner at the Caprioara Hotel.

3 th day: Breakfast. A trip to the Putna Monastery (1466) with a visit to the tomb of St. Stefan cel Mare (the Great) and the cave of St. Daniel the Hermit. Monasteries: Sucevita (1586) and Moldovica (1532), monuments with external frescoes included in the UNESCO heritage. Return to Suceava and dinner at the Caprioara Hotel.

4th day: Breakfast. A trip to the Voronets Monastery (1488) and the Khumor Monastery (1530), monuments with external frescoes included in the UNESCO heritage. Return to Suceava and dinner at the Caprioara Hotel.

5th day: Breakfast. Departure to the city of Targu Neamt. Visit to the Neamt Monastery (1497), which houses the miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A trip to the Seku Monastery (1602), where the miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, brought from Fr. Cyprus in 1713. Visit to the monastery of Sykhestria (1740). In Sikhla there is a cave where Saint Theodora of the Carpathians lived and prayed (XVII century). Visit to the Agapia Monastery (1644), one of the most famous convents in Romania, and the Varatec Monastery (1781). Return to Suceava and dinner at the Caprioara Hotel.

6th day: Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of St. John of New Soceava (Suceava). Visit to the Arbore Monastery (1503). Free program, purchase of souvenirs. Dinner at the Caprioara Hotel.

organization of the Orthodox Theological Faculty.

The Bukovinian-Dalmatian Metropolis had three dioceses: 1) Bukovinian-Dalmatian and Chernivtsi; 2) Dalmatian-Istrian and 3) Boko-Kotor, Dubrovnik and Spichanskaya.

It should be noted that after the annexation of Bukovina to Austria (late 18th - early 19th centuries), many Romanians moved to Moldova, and Ukrainians from Galicia came to Bukovina. In 1900, Bukovina had 500,000 Orthodox population, of which 270,000 were Ukrainians and 230,000 Romanians. Despite this, the Bukovina Church was considered Romanian. Bishops and metropolitans were elected from Romanians. Ukrainians sought the introduction of their language into worship, as well as granting them equal rights in church governance. However, their aspirations, supported by the Austrian government, only caused mutual discontent of both communities, which upset the life of the Bukovinian Church.

This continued until 1919, when a Church Council was convened, at which the unification of the dioceses of Romania, Transylvania and Bukovina took place. Bishop Miron of Caransebes (1910 -1919) was elected Metropolitan Primate (the title of Metropolitan Primate was the Romanian First Hierarch from 1875 to 1925).

As for the Uniate Romanians, their reunification with the Orthodox Church took place only in October 1948. This event will be discussed below.

8. Romanian Church - Patriarchy:

establishment of the patriarchate; Romanian Patriarchs; reunification of the Uniates; canonization of saints

By the decision of the Holy Synod of February 4, 1925, the Romanian Orthodox Church was proclaimed the Patriarchate. This definition was recognized by the Local Orthodox Churches as canonical (the Patriarch of Constantinople recognized it with the Tomos of July 30, 1925). On November 1, 1925, the solemn installation of the then Romanian Metropolitan-Primate took place Mirona to the rank of His Beatitude Patriarch of All Romania, Vicar of Caesarea of Cappadocia, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Archbishop of Bucharest.

In 1955, during the solemn celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the patriarchate in the Romanian Church, Patriarch Justinian, assessing this act, said: “The Romanian Orthodox Church... was worthy of this special honor both in its past of Orthodox Christian life and in its position and role in today's Orthodoxy, being the second in number of believers and largest in the bosom of Orthodoxy. This was necessary not only for the Romanian Church, but also for Orthodoxy in general. Recognition of autocephaly and elevation to the level of Patriarchy gave

The Romanian Orthodox Church has the opportunity to fulfill its religious and moral mission better and with greater benefit for Orthodoxy” (from the speech of the Patriarch. DECR MP archive. Folder “Romanian Orthodox Church”. 1955).

His Beatitude Patriarch Miron headed the Church until 1938. For some time he combined the position of regent of the country with the title of Primate of the Church.

From 1939 to 1948, the Romanian Orthodox Church was cared for by the Patriarch Nicodemus. He received his theological education at the Kyiv Theological Academy. His stay in Russia brought him closer to the Russian Orthodox Church, sincere love to which he remained for the rest of his life. Patriarch Nicodemus is known theologically for his literary activity: he translated from Russian into Romanian A. P. Lopukhin’s “Biblical

history" in six volumes, the "Explanatory Bible" (Commentaries on all books of Holy Scripture), sermons of St. Demetrius of Rostov and others, and is especially known for his concerns about Orthodox-Church unity. The saint died on February 27, 1948 at the 83rd year of his life.

From 1948 to 1977, the Romanian Orthodox Church was headed by the Patriarch Justinian. He was born in 1901 into a peasant family from the village. Suesti in Oltenia. In 1923 he graduated from the Theological Seminary, after which he taught. In 1924 he was ordained a priest, and in next year entered the Theological Faculty of the University of Bucharest, from which he graduated in 1929 with a candidate's degree in theology. Then he served as a pastor until 1945, when he was consecrated bishop - vicar of the Metropolis of Moldova and Suceava. In 1947, he became the metropolitan of this diocese, from where he was called to the post of Primate. Patriarch Justinian is known for his extraordinary organizational skills. He introduced strict discipline and order in all areas of church life. His pen includes: the 11-volume work “Social Apostolate. Examples and Instructions for the Clergy" (the last volume was published in 1973), as well as "Interpretation of the Gospel and Sunday Conversations" (1960, 1973). Since 1949, he was an honorary member of the Moscow Theological Academy, and since 1966 - of the Leningrad Academy. Patriarch Justinian died on March 26, 1977. According to the Greek press, he was “an outstanding personality not only in the Church of Romania, but in the Orthodox Church in general”; distinguished by his “deep faith, devotion to the Church, his Christian life, theological training, writing qualities, commitment to the fatherland, and especially the organizational spirit, signs of which are the various institutions that contribute in various ways to the entire development of the Orthodox Romanian Church.”

From 1977 to 1986, the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church was the Patriarch Justin. He was born in 1910 in the family of a rural teacher. In 1930 he graduated with honors from the Seminary in Chimpulung Muschel. He continued his education at the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens and the Theological Faculty of the Catholic Church in Strasbourg (eastern France), after which in 1937 he received the degree of Doctor of Theology. In 1938 -1939 he taught the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament at the Orthodox Theological Faculty at the University of Warsaw and was a professor in the same department at the theological educational institutions of Suceava and Bucharest (in 1940 -1956). In 1956, he was consecrated Metropolitan of Ardal. In 1957 he was transferred to the metropolis of Moldova and Suceava, from which he was called to patriarchal service.

The Christian world knows His Beatitude Patriarch Justin as outstanding figure Orthodoxy and the ecumenical movement. Even when he was Metropolitan of Moldova and

Suceava, he was a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, was elected one of the seven chairmen of the Conference of European Churches, and headed the delegation of his Church at the First Pan-Orthodox Pre-Conciliar Conference in 1976.

Since November 9 (election day) 1986, the Romanian Orthodox Church has been headed by His Beatitude the Patriarch Feoktist(in the world Theodore Arepasu). On November 13, he was solemnly presented with the Decree of the President of Romania (then socialist), confirming his election as Patriarch, and on November 16, the celebrations of his enthronement took place in the cathedral in honor of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen.

Patriarch Feoktist was born in 1915 in a village in northeastern Moldova. At the age of fourteen he began monastic obedience in the monasteries of Vorona and Neamets, and in 1935 he accepted

monastic tonsure in the Bystrica monastery of the Iasi archdiocese. In 1937, after graduating from the Seminary at the monastery, Chernika was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon, and in 1945, after graduating from the Bucharest Theological Faculty, to the rank of hieromonk (received the title of licentiate of theology). In the rank of archimandrite he was vicar of the Metropolitan of Moldova and Suceava, studying at the same time at the Faculty of Philology and Philosophy in Iasi. In 1950, he was consecrated Bishop of Botosani, Vicar of the Patriarch, and for twelve years he led various departments of the Romanian Patriarchate: he was secretary of the Holy Synod, rector of the Theological Institute in Bucharest. Since 1962, Theoktist has been Bishop of Arad, since 1973 - Archbishop of Craiova and Metropolitan of Olten, since 1977 - Archbishop of Iasi, Metropolitan of Moldova and Suceava. Occupying the Metropolis of Moldova and Suceava (second in importance after the Patriarchate), Theoktist showed special concern for the Theological Seminary in the Neamets Monastery, pastoral and missionary courses for clergy, special courses for employees of the Metropolis, and expanded publishing activities.

His Beatitude Theoktist actively participated in interchurch, ecumenical, and peacemaking events. He repeatedly led delegations of his Patriarchate that visited various Churches (in 1978, the Russian Church), and also accompanied Patriarch Justin.

His literary activity is also wide: he published about six hundred articles and speeches, some of which were included in a four-volume collection. The talent of an orator manifested itself both in the temple and during speeches as a deputy of the Great National Assembly.

In his speech after the enthronement, His Beatitude Patriarch Theoktist testified to his fidelity to Orthodoxy and stated that he would strengthen pan-Orthodox unity, promote pan-Christian unity, and would pay attention to the preparation of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church. “At the same time,” he said, “our efforts will be aimed at familiarization and fraternal rapprochement with other religions, as well as openness to the problems of the world in which we live. Among these problems, peace ranks first."

Four months after the accession of Justinian to the Patriarchal Throne - in October 1948 - a significant event took place in the life of the Romanian Orthodox Church - the return to Orthodoxy of the Romanians of Transylvania, who in 1700 were forcibly drawn into the Catholic Church on the basis of a union. Outwardly submitting to the Catholic administration, Uniate Romanians preserved Orthodox traditions for 250 years and sought to return to their father’s home. Their reunification - numbering more than one and a half million - with the Mother Church spiritually strengthened the Romanian Orthodox Church and helped it to continue its holy mission with new spiritual strength.

An important event in the last years of the history of Romanian Orthodoxy was in 1955 the solemn canonization of several saints of Romanian origin: St. Callinicus (1868), the monks Vissarion and Sophronius - Transylvanian confessors and martyrs of the times of Roman Catholic proselytism in the 18th century, the layman Orpheus Nikolaus and other devotees of the faith and piety. At the same time, it was determined that all Orthodox Romanians should also venerate some locally revered saints of non-Romanian origin, whose relics rest in Romania, for example, St. Demetrius the New of Basarbovsky from Bulgaria.

On October 27, the Romanian Orthodox Church annually celebrates the day of remembrance of St. Demetrius the New. The Orthodox population of Bucharest especially reverently honors the name of the saint, considering him the patron saint of their capital.

Saint Demetrius lived in the 13th century. He was born in the village of Basarabov, located on the Lom River, a tributary of the Dumaya, in Bulgaria. His parents were poor. They raised their son in deep devotion to the Christian faith. WITH early years Demetrius was a shepherd. When his parents died, he went to a small monastery in the mountains. In his cell he led a strict lifestyle. Peasants often came to him for blessings, for advice and were amazed at his kindness, friendliness and height of spiritual life. Feeling the approach of his death, the saint went far into the mountains, where, in a deep cleft between the rocks, he betrayed his spirit to God. His incorrupt remains were later transferred to the temple of his native village. Touching the relics of the saint of one sick girl healed her from a serious illness. The fame of the saint spread far and wide. A new temple was built in his honor, where the relics of the saint were placed. In June 1774, with the assistance of one of the Russian military leaders, the relics of the saint were transferred from Bulgaria to Romania - to Bucharest, where they are still located in the cathedral. Since then, countless Orthodox Christians in the country have been flocking to them to worship, praying for grace-filled help.

In addition to the named saints, according to the Missal of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the following Romanian saints are commemorated during the litia: Joseph the New, Ilia Iorest, Metropolitan Savva Brankovich of Ardal (XVII century), Oprea Miklaus, John Wallach and others.

9. The current situation of the Romanian Orthodox Church:

relations between Church and state; statistical data; flock abroad; central, as well as diocesan and parish bodies of church administration; spiritual court, monasteries, spiritual enlightenment

Regarding the current situation of the Romanian Orthodox Church, it is necessary first of all to say about the relationship between the Church and the state.

The church is recognized as a legal entity. “Parishes, deaneries, monasteries, bishoprics, metropolitanates and the Patriarchate,” says Article 186 of the Statute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, “are legal entities public law". The relationship of the Church with the state is determined by the Constitution of Romania and the law on religion of 1948. The main principles of these legalizations are as follows: freedom of conscience for all citizens of the Republic, prohibition of any discrimination due to religious affiliation, respect for the rights of all religious denominations in accordance with their beliefs, guaranteeing the right to establish Theological schools for the training of clergy and clergy, respect for the principle of non-interference by the state into the internal affairs of Churches and religious communities.

The state provides the Church with significant financial assistance and allocates large amounts of funds for the restoration and protection of religious monuments - ancient monasteries and temples, which are a national treasure and a witness to the historical past. The state pays salaries to teachers of theological institutes. The clergy also partially receives support from the state and is exempt from military service. “The salaries of church employees and employees of institutions of the Orthodox Church, as well as expenses for diocesan and patriarchal centers are contributed by the state according to its annual budget. Payment of personal personnel of the Orthodox Church is carried out

according to the current laws regarding government employees."

Receiving assistance from the state, the Romanian Orthodox Church, in turn, supports the patriotic initiatives of the state authorities with the funds at its disposal.

“Our Church is not isolated,” Patriarch Justinian answered questions from a correspondent for the newspaper Avvenire d’Italia (Bologna) on October 9, 1965. “She considers it her duty to promote the progress of the Romanian people in accordance with the lines outlined by the state. This does not mean "that we agree with the communist regime in everything, including on ideological issues. However, this is not required of us."

Consequently, the basis of good relations between the Church and the state is the combination of freedom of conscience with awareness civil rights and responsibilities.

The dioceses of the Romanian Orthodox Church are grouped into 5 metropolises, each of which has 1-2 archdioceses and 1-3 bishoprics (6 archdioceses and 7 bishoprics). In addition, the Romanian Orthodox Missionary Archdiocese functions in the USA (department in Detroit), which is under the jurisdiction of the Romanian Patriarchate (founded in 1929 as a bishopric, elevated to an Archdiocese in 1974. It has its own press organ “Credinta” (“Bepa”) .

The Romanian diocese also operates in Hungary (residence in Gyula). It has eighteen parishes and is governed by an episcopal vicar.

In 1972, the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church took over the so-called French Orthodox Church. It was established more than 30 years ago by the priest Evgraf Kovalevsky (later Bishop John). Its representatives stated that their group is the real embodiment of French Orthodoxy, for which it was condemned by other jurisdictions, including the “Russian Exarchate” on the Rue Daru. After the death of Bishop John (1970), this community (several thousand people, 15 priests and 7 deacons), having no other bishop, asked the Romanian Church to accept it into its jurisdiction and create an autonomous bishopric in France. The request was granted.

The Romanian Orthodox Church is also subject to separate parishes in Baden-Baden, Vienna, London, Sofia (in Sofia - a metochion), Stockholm, Melbourne and Wellington (in Australia, where over four thousand Romanians live, 3 parishes, in New Zealand 1 Romanian parish) . Since 1963, there has been a representative office in Jerusalem under His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem and All Palestine.

For constant communication with foreign Romanian Orthodox communities and to improve student exchange with Local Orthodox Churches, the Romanian Patriarchate established in January 1976 the Department for the Affairs of Romanian Orthodox Communities Abroad and Student Exchange.

Some Orthodox Romanians in the United States are under the jurisdiction of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America. Some Romanians in Canada will remain stuck in the Karlovac split. A small group of Orthodox Romanians in Germany submits to the Patriarch of Constantinople.

The dioceses of the Romanian Orthodox Church on the territory of Romania are divided into 152 proto-presidencies (our deaneries) and have at least 600 parishes each. The clergy numbers 10,000 clergy in 8,500 parishes. In Bucharest alone there are 228 parish churches, in which 339 priests and 11 deacons serve. There are approximately 5-6 thousand monastics of both sexes, living in 133 monasteries, hermitages and farmsteads. The total flock is 16 million. On average there is one priest per one thousand six hundred believers. There are two theological institutes (in Bucharest and Sibiu) and 7 Theological Seminaries. 9 magazines are published.

According to the “Regulations” adopted by the Holy Synod in October 1948, the central governing bodies of the Romanian Orthodox Church are the Holy Synod, the National Church Assembly (Church Council), the Permanent Synod and the National Church Council.

The Holy Synod consists of the entire serving episcopate of the Romanian Church. Its sessions are convened once a year. The competence of the Holy Synod includes all dogmatic, canonical and liturgical issues of the Church.

The National Church Assembly includes members of the Holy Synod and representatives of the clergy and laity from all dioceses elected by the flock for four years (one clergy and two laymen from each diocese). The National Church Assembly deals with issues of a church-administrative and economic nature. Convened once a year.

The Permanent Synod, consisting of the Patriarch (chairman) and all metropolitans, is convened as needed. During the period between sessions of the Holy Synod, he decides current church affairs.

The National Church Council consists of three clergy and six laity, elected for four years by the National Church Assembly, “is the highest administrative body and at the same time the executive body of the Holy Synod and the National Church Assembly.”

The central executive bodies also include the Patriarchal Administration, consisting of two vicar bishops of the Ungro-Vlachian Metropolis, two administrative advisers, from the Patriarchal Chancellery, the Inspection and Control Authority.

Diocesan Council. The Diocesan Assembly is composed of 30 delegates (10 clergy and 20 laity), elected by the clergy and flock of each diocese for four years. It is convened once a year. The resolutions of the Assembly are carried out by the Diocesan Bishop together with the Diocesan Council, consisting of 9 members (3 clergy and 6 laymen), elected by the Diocesan Assembly for four years.

Dioceses are divided into protopopias or protopresbyterates, headed by protopriests (protopresbyters) appointed by the diocesan bishops.

The parish is headed by the rector of the temple. The bodies of parish government are the Parish Assembly of all members of the parish and the Parish Council, consisting of 7-12 members elected by the Parish Assembly. Meetings of the Parish Assembly are held once a year. The Chairman of the Parish Assembly and the Parish Council is the rector of the parish. To create a parish, a union of 500 families in cities and 400 in villages is required.

The bodies of the spiritual court are: the Main Church Court - the highest judicial disciplinary authority (consists of five clergy members and one archivist); Diocesan Courts, existing under each diocese (of five clergy); judicial-disciplinary bodies operating under each deanery (of four clergy) and similar ones - at large monasteries (of two to four monks or nuns).

In the hierarchical order, the first place after the Patriarch in the Romanian Orthodox Church is occupied by the Metropolitan of Moldova and Suceava, who has his residence in Iasi. The Patriarch is the chairman of the central governing bodies of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and the Metropolitan is the vice-chairman.

The Patriarch, metropolitans and bishops in the Romanian Orthodox Church are elected by secret ballot by the Elective Council (Assembly), consisting of members of the National Church Assembly and representatives of the dowager diocese. Candidates for bishops must have a diploma from a theological school and be monks or widowed priests.

The Romanian ecclesiastical statute ensures cooperation between clergy and laity in the life of the Church and administration. Each diocese delegates to the National Church Assembly, in addition to one clergyman, two more laymen. The laity are also included in the National Church Council - the executive body of the central institutions, and take an active part in the life of the parish.

For many centuries they were genuine centers of culture. In these monasteries, with zeal and painstaking patience, the monks copied wonderful manuscripts, decorated with miniatures, which constitute a true treasure for Orthodoxy in general and for the Romanian Orthodox Church in particular. In the distant past, when the state was not involved in education, monasteries organized the first schools that trained calligraphers and chroniclers. In the monasteries, translations into Romanian of the works of the Holy Fathers of the Eastern Church were carried out - these treasures of thought and spiritual life."

The presence of monasticism in Romanian lands was noted already in the 10th century. This is evidenced by the temples built at that time on the rocks in Dobrudja.

Of the monastic ascetics of the Middle Ages, Orthodox Romanians especially revered the Athonite monk of Greek-Serbian origin, Saint Nicodemus of Tisman (1406). During the years of his exploits on Mount Athos, Saint Nicodemus was hegumen in the monastery of Saint Michael the Archangel. He ended his righteous life in Romania. Saint Nicodemus laid the foundations of organized monasticism in the Romanian lands, created the monasteries of Voditsa and Tisman, which were the first-born of a number of currently operating monasteries. In 1955, the Romanian Orthodox Church decided to venerate him everywhere.

Before the reign of Prince Alexander Cuza, anyone who aspired to monastic life could enter the monastery, and therefore in Romania at the beginning of the 19th century, according to the “Gazette” presented by the Exarch of Moldavia and Wallachia Gabriel Banulescu-Bodoni to the Holy Synod, there were 407 monasteries. But in 1864, a law was passed according to which only presbyters who graduated from the Theological Seminary or those who pledged to devote their lives to caring for the sick were allowed to become monastics. The age for accepting monasticism was also determined: for men - 60 years, for women - 50 (later lowered: for men - 40, for women - 30). In addition, as noted above, the monastery property was confiscated to the state.

With the fall of Alexander Cusa's power, the situation of monasticism did not improve: the government continued to take measures aimed at reducing monasticism to a minimum. By the beginning of this century, there were 20 male and 20 female monasteries left in Romania. In just 12 years (from 1890 to 1902) 61 monasteries were closed.

“And the government continuously applies such measures against monasteries,” F. Kurganov wrote in 1904. The abolished monasteries were converted partly into parish churches, partly into prison castles, partly into barracks, hospitals, public gardens, etc.” .

Monasteries in Romania were divided into cenobitic and special. The latter included rich monks who built their own houses in the area of the monastery, in which they lived alone or together.

According to their jurisdictional status, monasteries were divided into native ones, subordinate to local metropolitans and bishops, and those dedicated to various Holy Places of the East and therefore dependent on them. The “dedicated” monasteries were run by the Greeks.

The feat of monks was determined by a special Charter. The charter made it obligatory for monks to: be present at divine services every day; to preserve in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the unity of spirit and the bonds of love; find comfort in prayer, obedience and be dead to the world; do not leave the monastery without the permission of the abbot; during free time from worship

time to do reading, handicrafts, and general labor.

Currently, monastic exploits are regulated by the Charter of Monastic Life, which was drawn up with the direct participation of His Beatitude Patriarch Justinian and adopted by the Holy Synod in February 1950.

According to the Charter and later definitions of the Synod, a cenobitic (coenobitic) system was introduced in all monasteries of the Romanian Church. The abbots of monasteries are called “elders” and manage the monasteries together with the council of monks. To become a monk, you must have the appropriate education. “Not a single brother or sister,” says Article 78 of the Charter, “receives monastic tonsure without having a seven-year primary school certificate or a monastery school certificate and a certificate of specialization in some craft that he learned in a monastic workshop.” . The main thing in the life of monks is the combination of feats of prayer and labor. The commandment “Ora et labora” is found in many articles of the Charter. All monks, not excluding highly educated ones, must know some kind of craft. Monks work in church printing houses, candle factories, bookbinding workshops, art workshops, sculpture workshops, making church utensils, etc. They are also engaged in beekeeping, viticulture, silkworm breeding, etc. Nuns work in weaving and sewing workshops, in workshops for the production of sacred vestments and national clothes, church decorations, carpets, famous for their high artistic skill. The “secular” products of the monasteries (national clothes) are then distributed by the Romanian Export Society, which, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, enters into contracts with large monastic centers that unite several monasteries.

But the introduction of compulsory performance of any handicraft work did not turn the monasteries into workshops for the manufacture of various things. They continue to remain centers of spiritual achievement. The center of monastic life is constant participation in divine services and individual prayer. In addition, the monastic Rules prescribe that prayer accompany external affairs. “Any work,” says Article 62 of the Charter, “must be sanctified by the spirit of prayer, according to the words of St. Theodore the Studite." “As a person who with all his heart has decided to live for the glory of God and His Son,” the Rule teaches, “a monk must first of all be filled with prayer, because it is not the cassock, but prayer that makes him a monk.” “He must know that as a monk he is always closer to God, in order to fulfill his prayer duty for the benefit of people who do not have much time, like him, for prayer, and also to pray for those who do not know, do not want and do not can pray, and especially for those who have never prayed, because he himself must be eminently a man of prayer, and his mission is primarily the mission of prayer. A monk is a candle of prayer, constantly lit among the people, and his prayer is the first and most beautiful work that he must perform out of love for his brothers, the people of the world."

To the question of a correspondent of the newspaper “Avvenire d'Italia” in 1965 about what function the monasteries performed in society at that time, the Patriarch answered: “A function of an exclusively religious and educational nature. The social activities that they were engaged in at one time (charity, etc. .), has now been transferred to the state. Social institutions of the Church are intended exclusively for serving clergy and monastics, including the existing rest homes and sanatoriums." - Today (1993) it is necessary to add to this answer of the Patriarch: “social institutions of the Church" serve also "to the world".

Monasteries have their own libraries, museums and hospitals. Among the monasteries, it should be noted: the Nyamets Lavra, the monasteries of Chernik, Tisman, Assumption, in the name of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen, etc.

Neamets Lavra first mentioned in a charter dated January 7, 1407, by Metropolitan Joseph of Moldavia. In 1497, a majestic temple in the name of the Ascension of the Lord, built by the governor of Moldova Stephen the Great, was consecrated in the monastery. For the Romanian Orthodox Church, this monastery had the same significance as the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius for the Russian. For many years it was a center of spiritual enlightenment. Many hierarchs of the Romanian Church came from her brethren. She demonstrated high examples of Christian life in her midst, serving as a school of piety. The monastery, which reached a flourishing state thanks to the donations of pilgrims and the contributions of Orthodox Romanian believers, gave all its wealth to the elderly, the sick, and those in need of help. “In times of grave political trials,” Bishop Arseniy testifies, “during famine, fires and other national disasters, the whole of Orthodox Romania was drawn to the Neametsky Monastery, finding here material and spiritual help.” The monastery collected a rich library of Slavic manuscripts from the 14th to 18th centuries. Unfortunately, a fire that occurred in 1861 destroyed most of the library and many buildings in the monastery. As a result of this misfortune, as well as the policy of the government of Prince Kuza, aimed at depriving the monasteries of their possessions, the Nyametsky monastery fell into decay. Most of its monks went to Russia, where in Bessarabia - on the estates of the monastery - it was founded Novo-Nyametsky Ascension Monastery.“In 1864, Russia,” said the first abbot of the new monastery, Archimandrite Andronik, “gave shelter to us, monks, who fled from the Romanian monasteries of Neamtsa and Sekou. With the help of the Mother of God and the prayers of Elder Paisius Velichkovsky, we founded a new monastery here in Bessarabia, also called Nyamuy, like the ancient one: by this we seem to pay tribute to the head of our hostel, Paisius Velichkovsky.”

Currently, about 100 monks live in the Lavra, there is a Theological Seminary, a library and a printing house of the Metropolitan of Moldova. The monastery has two monasteries.

The name of the elder schema-archimandrite Venerable Paisius Velichkovsky, a renovator of monastic life in Romania, a spiritual ascetic of modern times, is closely connected with the history of this Lavra. He was born in the Poltava region in 1722. When he was seventeen years old, the Monk Paisius began to lead a monastic life. For some time he labored on Mount Athos, where he founded a monastery in the name of St. Prophet Elijah. From here, at the request of the Moldavian ruler, he and several monks moved to Wallachia to establish monastic life here. After serving as abbot in various monasteries, the Monk Paisius was appointed archimandrite of the Nyametsky monastery. His entire ascetic life was filled with prayer, physical labor, strict and constant guidance of monks in the rules of monastic life and academic studies. The Monk Paisius rested no more than three hours a day. He and his associates translated many patristic works from Greek into Russian (the Philokalia, the works of Saints Isaac the Syrian, Maximus the Confessor, Theodore the Studite, Gregory Palamas, etc.). The great ascetic and man of prayer, Elder Paisios was granted the gift of insight. He died in 1795 and was buried in this monastery.

In the 60s of the current century, a museum was opened at the monastery, which presents the values of the Lavra sacristy. There is also a rich library storing ancient Slavic, Greek and Romanian manuscripts, printed books of the 16th - 19th centuries, and various historical documents.

Historically and spiritually connected with the Neamets monastery monastery Blueberry, located 20 kilometers east of Bucharest. Founded in the 16th century, the monastery was destroyed several times. Restored through the care of Elder George, a student of Elder Schema-Archimandrite Reverend Paisius Velichkovsky and a follower of the ascetic school of the Holy Mountain.

The spiritual tradition of St. Paisius Velichkovsky was continued by Bishop Kallinik of Rymnik and Novoseverinsky (1850 - 1868), who labored in fasting, prayer, works of mercy, right and constant faith, confirmed by the Lord with the gift of miracles. In 1955, his canonization took place. The holy relics are located in the Chernika monastery, where St. Callinicus humbly carried out monastic obedience for 32 years.

The monastery serves as a witness to Romanian Orthodox antiquity Tisman, erected in the second half of the 14th century in the Gorzha mountains. Its builder was the pious Archimandrite Nicodemus. In the Middle Ages, the monastery was a center of spiritual enlightenment - here church books were translated into Romanian from Greek and Church Slavonic. Since 1958, this monastery has become a women's monastery.

Uspensky The monastery (about 100 monks) was founded by the ruler Alexander Lepusneanu in the 16th century. It is famous for the strictness of the regulations - following the example of St. Theodore the Studite.

Female monastery in the name of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena founded by the ruler of the lands of Romania Constantin Brincoveanu in 1704. Constantine himself became a martyr in Constantinople in 1714. For refusing to accept Mohammedanism, the Turks cut his skin. In 1992 he was canonized by the Romanian Church. There are about 130 nuns in the monastery.

There are also known women’s monasteries in Moldova with many nuns, such as Suchevshcha(founded in the 16th century, rich in interesting frescoes), Agony(built in the 17th century, also located in a mountainous area, surrounded by formidable fortress walls), Varatek(founded in 1785), etc. There is a monastery in the Ploiesti area Gichiu - founded in 1806, rebuilt in 1859; During the Second World War it was destroyed and restored in 1952. The monastery attracts attention with the beauty of its architecture Curtea de Arges, founded in the first quarter of the 16th century.

Concerned about the preservation and transmission to future generations of the culture and art of the past, the Romanian Orthodox Church is working diligently to restore and restore historical monuments church art. In some monasteries and churches, through the efforts of monks or parishioners, museums have been organized in which ancient books, documents and church utensils are collected. The staff of the current State Directorate of Historical Monuments and the Institute of Archeology and Conservation at the Institute of Art History of the Romanian Academy of Sciences also includes individual theologians of the Romanian Church.

The Romanians were the only Romance people who adopted the Slavic language both in the Church and in literature. The first printed books, published in Wallachia at the beginning of the 16th century by Hieromonk Macarius, were, like earlier manuscripts, in Church Slavonic. But already in the middle of the same century, Philip Moldovan published the Catechism in Romanian (not preserved). Some improvement in book production begins in the second half of the 16th century and is associated with the activities of Deacon Korea, who published in Romanian the “Christian Questioning” in questions and answers (1559), the Four Gospels, the Apostle (1561 - 1563), the Psalter and the Missal (1570). The publication of these printed books marked the beginning of the translation of divine services into Romanian. This translation was completed somewhat later - after the release of the Bucharest Bible translated into Romanian by the brothers Radu and Scerban Greceanu (1688) and Menea by Bishop Caesarea of Ramniki (1776 -1780). On turn of the XVII- XVIII centuries, Metropolitan Anthimus of Wallachia (died as a martyr in 1716) made a new translation of liturgical books, which, with minor changes, entered the liturgical practice of the Romanian Orthodox Church. During the reign of Prince Cuza, a special decree was issued that only the Romanian language should be used in the Romanian Church. In 1936 - 1938 a new translation of the Bible appeared.

Until the beginning of the 19th century, spiritual education in Romania was at a low level. There were few books, especially Romanian ones; the court, and following his example, the boyars, spoke Greek until

twenties of the 19th century - the Phanariots hindered the enlightenment of the European country. “For Romania, these Phanariot monks,” Bishop Melchizedek of Romania reproached the Patriarchate of Constantinople, “did nothing: not a single school to educate the clergy and people, not a single hospital for the sick, not a single Romanian educated on their initiative and with their rich funds, not a single Romanian book for language development, not a single charitable institution" . True, at the very beginning of the 19th century (in 1804), as mentioned above, the first Theological Seminary was established in the Sokol monastery, which was soon closed due to the Russian-Turkish wars (1806 -1812; 1828 -1832). Its activities were restored in 1834, when seminaries were opened at the episcopal sees of Wallachia. In the 40s, catechetical schools began to be established, training mainly students in the seminary. By the end of the 19th century, there were two so-called “higher” seminaries with a four-year course of study and two “lower” ones with the same duration of study. Studied the following items: Sacred Scripture, Sacred history, theology - Basic, Dogmatic, Moral, Pastoral, Accusatory, Patrology and spiritual literature, Orthodox confession (Metropolitan Peter Mogila, (1647), Church and state law, Church charter, Liturgics, Homiletics, General and Romanian church and civil history, Church singing, Philosophy, Pedagogy, General and Romanian geography, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany, Mineralogy, Geology, Agronomy, Medicine, Drawing, Drawing, Handicraft, Gymnastics, languages - Romanian, Greek, Latin , French, German and Jewish.

In 1884, the Faculty of Theology was opened at the University of Bucharest. Training program it was adopted on the model of the Russian Theological Academies. This was probably due to the influence of the graduate of the Kyiv Theological Academy, Bishop Melchizedek of Romania, who took an active part in the opening of the faculty. Unfortunately, the program was introduced slowly. This may have been because the faculty soon came under German influence: most of its professors were Germans or had received their education and degrees from German universities. “It is very sad, gentlemen, deputies,” said one of the deputies during a meeting on December 8, 1888, “that the Romanians, who are under the alien, Austrian yoke, have long had an Orthodox Theological Faculty, well organized in Chernivtsi (in Bukovina); meanwhile free

The Romanians were so late with the opening of this great cultural institution that even now they are not able to put it in such conditions that would contribute to the growth of good, desired fruits from it.”

In 1882, the Synodal Printing House was opened in Bucharest.

Currently, spiritual education in the Romanian Orthodox Church is at a high level.

For the training of clergy in the Romanian Orthodox Church there are two Theological Institutes of a university degree - in Bucharest and Sibiu, seven Theological Seminaries: in Bucharest, Neametz, Cluj, Craiova, Caransebes, Buzau and in the Curtea de Arges Monastery. The latter opened in October 1968. Students are fully supported. Their performance is assessed on a ten-point system. The Seminary accepts young men from the age of 14. Teaching lasts five years and is divided into two cycles. After completing the first cycle, lasting two years, seminarians receive the right to be appointed to the parish as psalmists; those who complete the full course are ordained priests for rural parishes of the third (last) category. Those who pass the exams with an “excellent” grade can apply for admission to one of two Theological Institutes. The institutes prepare theologically educated clergy. At the end of the fourth year of study, students take an oral examination and submit a research paper. Graduates of the institute are awarded licentiate diplomas. For those who want to improve their spiritual education, the so-called Doctorate operates in Bucharest. The Doctorate course lasts three years and consists of four (optional) sections: biblical, historical, systematic (dogmatic theology, moral theology, etc. are studied) and practical. Doctorate graduates have the right to write a doctoral dissertation.

Each professor must submit at least one research paper annually. Every priest, after five years of service in a parish, is required to refresh his knowledge with a five-day study and then pass the appropriate exam. From time to time, clergy come together to attend sessions of courses in pastoral and missionary instruction, where they are given lectures on theology. They share their experience of church service in their parishes, discuss together modern problems of theological literature, etc. The Charter of the Romanian Orthodox Church requires clergy to give annual lectures on theoretical and practical topics in deanery or diocesan centers at the discretion of the bishop.

It should be noted here that in the Romanian Orthodox Church special attention is paid to the need for clergy to strictly perform divine services, to the moral purity of their lives and to regular visits by parishioners to the temple of God. The absence or small number of flocks during services calls into question the personality of the priest himself and his activities.

There are some peculiarities in the ritual practice of worship. So, for example, litanies are pronounced in a special rite. All deacons are placed in one row on the sole facing the altar in the middle with the senior protodeacon and take turns reading the petitions. Protodeacons are awarded, like our priests, pectoral crosses with decorations.

Much attention is paid to preaching. Sermons are delivered immediately after the reading of the Gospel and at the end of the liturgy. During communion

clergy read the works of St. fathers, and at the end of the service the life of the saint of that day is read.

Since 1963, Orthodox Theological Institutes in Bucharest and Sibiu and Protestant Institutes in Cluj, which train clergy, periodically hold joint conferences of an ecumenical and patriotic nature.

The publishing work of the Romanian Orthodox Church is at a high level: books of St. Scriptures, liturgical books (prayer books, collections of church hymns, calendars, etc.), textbooks for Theological schools, lengthy and abbreviated catechisms, collections of church laws, church charters, etc. In addition, the Patriarchate and metropolises publish a number of periodical church magazines, central and locals. The central journals of the Romanian Church are Biserica Ortodoxa Romana (Romanian Orthodox Church, published since 1883), Orthodoxia (Orthodoxy, published since 1949), Studii Teologice (Theological Studies, published since 1949). of the year). The first of them, the official bimonthly journal, contains the definitions and official communications of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church and other central bodies of church authority; in the second, a three-month periodical, articles devoted to theological and church problems of an inter-Orthodox and general Christian nature, and, finally, in the third, a two-month periodical organ of theological institutes, studies on various theological issues are published.

In local diocesan church magazines (5 magazines) - official messages are published (decrees of the diocesan authorities, circular orders, minutes of meetings of local church bodies, etc.), as well as articles on various topics: theological, church-historical and current social.

These magazines resemble the former Diocesan Gazette of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Since 1971, the Department of Foreign Relations of the Romanian Patriarchate has published the journal “Romanian Orthodox Church News” quarterly in Romanian and English. The name of the magazine corresponds to its content: it contains reports on current events in the life of the Romanian Orthodox Church, mainly concerning external relations of the Romanian Patriarchate with other Local Orthodox Churches and heterodox confessions.

The church newspaper “Telegraful Roman” (“Romanian Telegraph”) is published weekly in Sibiu. This is the oldest Romanian newspaper in terms of publication (it began publishing in the middle of the 19th century: from 1853 as a civil newspaper for all Romanians; from 1948 it became only a church newspaper).

The Romanian Orthodox Church has seven of its own printing houses.

In Bucharest, under the direct supervision of the Patriarch, the Orthodox Biblical and Missionary Institute functions. The task of the Institute is the general management of all ecclesiastical publications of the Romanian Orthodox Church, as well as the production and distribution of icons, sacred vessels and liturgical vestments.

Much attention is paid to icon painting. A special school of church painting has been created at the Orthodox Biblical and Missionary Institute. Practical classes in icon painting are held in monasteries.

10. Relations of the Romanian Orthodox Church with the Russian Church in the past and present

The Romanian Orthodox Church, both in the past and in the present, has maintained and continues to maintain close ties with all Orthodox Churches. The relationship between the Orthodox Sister Churches - Romanian and Russian - began over 500 years ago, when the first manuscripts containing ritual instructions and orders of worship in the Church Slavonic language were received in Romania. At first, spiritual and instructive books were delivered to the Romanian principalities from Kyiv, and then from Moscow.

In the 17th century, the cooperation of the two Orthodox Churches was marked by the publication of the “Confession of the Orthodox Faith,” compiled by Metropolitan Peter Mogila of Kyiv, originally from Moldova, and adopted in 1642 at the Council in Iasi.

In the same 17th century, Metropolitan Dosifei of Suceava, concerned about the spread of spiritual enlightenment, turned to Patriarch Joachim of Moscow with a request to provide assistance in equipping a printing house. In his letter, he pointed out the decline of enlightenment and the need for its rise. Metropolitan Dosifei’s request was heard; everything requested for the printing house was soon sent. In gratitude for this help, Metropolitan Dosifei placed in the “Paremias” published in the last quarter of the 17th century in the Moldavian language a poem he composed in honor of Patriarch Joachim of Moscow.

The text of this poem reads:

“To His Holiness Mr. Joachim, Patriarch of the royal city of Moscow and all Russia, Great and Little, and so on. Poems are hairy.

Truly, alms should have praise / in heaven and on earth alike / for from Moscow the light shines / spreading long rays / and good name under the sun /: Saint Joachim, in the holy city / royal, Christian /. Whoever turns to him for alms / with a kind soul, he rewards him well /. We also turned to his holy face /, and he responded well to our request /: a matter of the soul, and we like it /. May God grant that he may shine in heaven / and be glorified along with the saints.” (ZhMP. 1974. No. 3. P. 51).

Metropolitan Dosifei sent to Moscow his essay on the transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts in the sacrament of the Eucharist, as well as his translation from Greek into Slavic of the epistles of St. Ignatius the God-Bearer.

At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, cooperation between the two Orthodox Churches manifested itself in the effective spiritual and material support of the Russian Orthodox Church for the Orthodox population of Transylvania in connection with the desire of the Austrian Catholic government to establish a union here. IN mid-18th century century, the union of the two fraternal Churches was strengthened by the elder Reverend Paisius Velichkovsky with his activities aimed at renewing and elevating Orthodox piety in Romania. This ascetic, a native of a Ukrainian spiritual family and the organizer of monastic life in the Nyamets monastery, belongs equally to both Churches.

After the opening of Russian Theological Academies in the 19th century, students of the Romanian Orthodox Church were given a wide opportunity to study there.

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Historical sketch of the Romanian Orthodox Church

1. The period of early Christianity in the territory of modern Romania

According to legend, the first seeds of Christianity were brought to the borders of modern Romania by St. Apostle Andrew and the disciples of St. Apostle Paul. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, Christianity penetrated into the Roman province of Dacia, which existed here, thanks to traders, merchants, and Roman settlers. Priest N. Dashkov notes: “If there is no doubt that the Roman language and morals, Roman orders and society left deep traces in the settlers of Trajan’s Dacia, then justice requires admitting that the main primordial principle of modern historical civilization - Christianity - made its first rays into this region at exactly this time.” Expanding this issue further, he comes to the conclusion that Christianity, “brought to Dacia by Roman colonists, who at first constituted a large contingent of Christians, obviously should be considered not brought here from the east, as some historians led by Mr. Golubinsky, and from the west, since in the 2nd and even 3rd centuries the Byzantine Church... did not yet exist.” The presbyter of the Carthaginian Church, Tertullian, testifies that in his time (end of the 2nd - beginning of the 3rd century) there were Christians among the Dacians, the ancestors of modern Romanians. In his treatise “Against the Jews,” Tertullian, speaking of the fact that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is already glorified in many places, asks: “In whom did the Jews who then lived in Jerusalem, and other peoples from the borders of Getulia, Mauritania, Spain, Gaul, believe? , inhabitants of Britain, inaccessible to the Romans, but submitted to Christ, Sarmatians, Dacians (my italics - K.S), Germans, Scythians, many other countries and islands unknown to us, which cannot even be counted.”

Certificate early development Christianity among the ancestors of the Romanian people, as well as the good organization of their Church, is a large number of martyrs who suffered during the years of persecution of the Roman rulers against the Church of Christ. So, in 1971 the following fact became known. In the spring of this year, Romanian archaeologists discovered an ancient Christian basilica on one of the flood-damaged roads leading to the Niculicele hills (Tulcea County). Under her altar, the tombs of four Christian martyrs were found - Zotikos, Attalus, Camasis and Philip. Research conducted by experts has shown that the righteous death of these martyrs occurred as a result of harsh prison conditions and torture during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98 - 117). In 1972, their holy relics were solemnly transferred to the temple of the Kokosh Monastery (Lower Danube Diocese, Galati County). There were many martyrs in the Danube region before Pannonia and during the last persecutions of Emperor Diocletian (284–305). Among them are Bishops Ephraim of Tomsk and Irenaeus of Sirmium, priests and deacons.

In the 5th century, Christianity was spread in Romania by the Latin missionary St. Nikita Remesyansky (431). “He converted many nations to Christianity and founded monasteries among them,” says F. Kurganov’s work “Sketches and Essays from the Contemporary History of the Romanian Church” about this Apostle of Dacia. It is known that at the Second, Third and Fourth Ecumenical Councils there was already a bishop from the city of Toma (now Constanta). The chronicles of the 6th century mention a bishop from the city of Akve, who fought against the heretics of that time, but only in the 14th century two metropolises were formed: one in Wallachia (founded in 1359. The first metropolitan was Iakinthos Kritopul), the other in Moldavia (founded earlier 1387. The first metropolitan is Joseph Mushat).

The province of Dacia was part of the region of Illyricum, therefore the Dacia bishops were under the authority of the Archbishop of Sirmium, who was subject to the jurisdiction of Rome, and therefore depended on the Pope. After the destruction of Sirmium by the Huns (5th century), the ecclesiastical region of Dacia came under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Thessalonica, who was subordinate either to Rome or to Constantinople. With the establishment in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian I in his hometown - the first Justiniana - of the center of church administration, along with other provinces subordinate to this center, Dacia was also subordinated. “Wanting to exalt his homeland in every possible way,” said Justinian’s rescript, “the emperor wants its bishop to enjoy the rights of the highest hierarch, namely, so that he is not only a metropolitan, but also an archbishop. Its jurisdiction should henceforth extend to the following provinces: Mediterranean and coastal Dacia, upper Mysia, Dardania, Prevalis, second Macedonia and part of second Pannonia. In the old days, it was further noted, the prefecture was located in Sirmium, which served as the center of both civil and church government for all of Illyricum. But during the time of Attila, when the northern provinces were devastated, the prefect of Appenia fled from Sirmium to Thessalonica, and “under the shadow of the prefecture” the bishop of this city acquired the prerogatives of the highest hierarch of Illyricum. At present, in view of the fact that the Danube regions were returned to the empire, the emperor considered it necessary to move the prefecture again to the north, to Mediterranean Dacia, which lies not far from Pannonia, where this prefecture was previously located, and place it in his hometown. In view of such an elevation of Justiniana, her bishops should henceforth possess all the prerogatives and rights of an archbishop and take precedence among the bishops of the above-mentioned district.” In the 8th century, the Church of this region (First Justiniana, and with it Dacia) was placed under the full jurisdiction of Constantinople by Emperor Leo the Isaurian. With the rise of the southern Slavs of Ohrid for the Romanians in the 10th century, this city became a religious center.

2. The Church in the Romanian principalities before the Turkish enslavement

During the years of the existence of the Tarnovo Patriarchate (abolished in 1393. See Chapter IV “Bulgarian Orthodox Church”) the metropolitans of Wallachia (or otherwise: Ungro-Wallachia, Muntenia) were under its jurisdiction, and then again became dependent on Constantinople.

The dependence of the Romanians on the Bulgarian Church had the consequence that the Romanians accepted the alphabet invented by the brothers Cyril and Methodius, and the Slavic language as the church language. This happened naturally, because the Romanians did not yet have their own Romanian writing.

Being dependent on the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Romanian metropolises affirmed and strengthened Orthodoxy among their nation, and also cared about the unity of faith with all Orthodoxy. In recognition of the ecclesiastical merits of the Romanian metropolises and their significance in the history of Orthodoxy, the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1776 awarded the Ungro-Wallachian (Ungro-Vlahian) Metropolitan, who was the first metropolitan in honor in its hierarchy, an honorary title that he retains to this day - Vicar of Caesarea in Cappadocia, the historical see where St. Basil the Great.

However, from the 15th to the beginning of the 18th centuries. dependence on Constantinople was, rather, nominal, although from the middle of the 17th century. (until the 19th century) the metropolitans of the Romanian Church were called Exarchs of the Patriarch of Constantinople, which was also included in their church legal collections (for example, in the Helmsman’s Book of 1652). Romanian metropolitans were elected by local bishops and princes. The Patriarch was only informed about this and asked for his blessing. In all internal affairs Romanian metropolitans were completely independent in governing the Church; even in case of misconduct in church affairs, they were subject not to the jurisdiction of the Patriarch, but to the court of 12 bishops of the Romanian principalities. For violation of state laws they were tried by a mixed court consisting of 12 bishops and 12 boyars.

Romanian metropolitans provided big influence on the course of civil cases. They acted as the main advisers to their sovereigns, and in the absence of the sovereign, they presided over state councils. During the resolution of the most important judicial and criminal cases in the presence of the ruler himself, the first vote was cast by the metropolitan.

It is difficult to say how many dioceses the Romanian Church consisted of in the first centuries of its existence; they were probably few in number and quite extensive. As a result, auxiliary bodies of diocesan authorities supervising the order of church life, the so-called “protopopiates,” received widespread development. Protopopovs were appointed by diocesan bishops. Such an organization of the Romanian Church testifies to the fact that church life in Romania has been on a solid path of development in the national spirit since ancient times. But the enslavement of Romania by the Turks disrupted the normal course of church life in the country.

3. Romanian Orthodox Church under Ottoman rule:

In the 15th and first half of the 16th centuries, Wallachia and Moldavia fought a difficult struggle with the Ottoman Empire, which sought to subjugate these Danube principalities. From the second half of the 16th century, the dependence of Moldavia and Wallachia on the Ottoman Empire increased. Although until the beginning of the 18th century Wallachia and Moldavia were ruled by their princes (sovereigns), the situation of their population was extremely difficult. Since the 18th century it has worsened even more. The fact is that in 1711, Emperor Peter I, in alliance with the Moldavian and Wallachian rulers, undertook the Prut campaign against the Turks. As the Romanian chronicler of the 17th–18th centuries (I. Necul-cha) testifies, for the solemn meeting of the emperor, the boyars and honorable old townspeople, led by Metropolitan Gideon, together with all the clergy, went outside the city of Iasi, where they bowed to Peter I with great joy, giving praise God that the time has finally come to liberate them from the Turkish yoke. But the Romanians' joy was premature. The campaign ended unsuccessfully. Having emerged victorious, the Turks did not stand on ceremony with the rebellious and defenseless “paradise” and brutally dealt with it. The Wallachian prince Branko Veanu and his three young sons were brought to Constantinople and in 1714 publicly executed by beheading. In 1711 and then in 1716, the Turks gave Moldavia and Wallachia under the undivided rule of the Phanariot Greeks.

The rule of the Phanariots, which lasted more than a century, was one of the most difficult periods in the history of the Orthodox Romanian people. Buying power over the country, the Phanariot princes sought to more than compensate for the costs incurred; the population was subjected to systematic extortion, which led to its impoverishment. “Guided only by animal instinct,” Bishop testifies. Arseny, - the Phanariots subjugated all the property and lives of their new subjects to their brutal tyranny... During their reign, a lot of Romanian blood was shed; they used all kinds of torture and torture; the slightest offense was punished as a crime; the law was replaced by arbitrariness; twenty times the ruler could accuse and acquit in the same case; having no significance or power, the people's representatives met only formally. The Romanian people were deeply offended and offended by the vile system of the Phanariots, whose despotism suppressed the nationality and plunged the whole country into ignorance, depleting its funds with arbitrary taxes, with which they satisfied the greed of the officials of the Porte and enriched themselves and their servants, who sought rich booty in the principalities. The moral corruption brought by the Phanariots penetrated all layers of the Romanian people.”

But the hardest thing was that, trying to create a Greek kingdom from the peoples of the Balkan Peninsula in place of the fallen Byzantium, the Phanariot princes tried in every possible way to implant Greek culture here and suppress everything national and original, including the Romanian people. Masses of the Greek population of the “middle and lower classes went to live in Moldova-Wallachia as a promised land,” where princes of their nationality ruled. The Greek hierarchy also assisted the Hellenization of the Romanian people.

If previously the dependence of the Church of Moldavia and Wallachia on the Patriarch of Constantinople was nominal, now Greeks were appointed bishops, services in the cities were performed in Greek, etc. True, the lower clergy continued to remain national, but they were so humiliated and, one might say, without rights, that he did not have the opportunity to exert a significant educational influence on his people. Together with the peasantry, they had to bear all state duties, as well as pay taxes to the treasury.

The simony developing in the country also undermined the normal course of church life. Some Greek bishops, having received an appointment to a lucrative position for money, tried to recoup their expenses by sending to church positions anyone who could contribute a significant amount of money to their treasury. Chasing profit, they installed such a number of priests in the country that were not caused by real needs. As a result, many unplaced priests appeared who, like our former sacral priests, wandered around the country, offering their services for daily bread and dropping even lower the already low-standing clergy.

The liberation of the suffering people of the Balkans was carried out by Russia. The Russian-Turkish wars that began in 1768, the arena of which was usually Moldavia and Wallachia, had a great influence on these principalities, awakening bright hope for the future. Each Russian campaign against the Turks aroused the general joy of the Romanians, and they fearlessly joined the victorious regiments of Orthodox Russia in droves. Already the first Russian-Turkish war during the time of Catherine II ended in 1774 with the Kuchuk-Kainard Treaty, which was very favorable for the Romanians.

According to this treaty, an amnesty was declared to all Romanians who acted during the war against the Porte; freedom of Christian religion was provided within the Turkish Empire; previously confiscated lands were returned; the rulers of Moldavia and Wallachia were allowed to have their own attorneys of the Orthodox confession in Constantinople. In addition, Russia stipulated the right to patronize the principalities in the event of their clashes with the Turkish authorities. The second liberation war between Russia and Turkey (1787–1791) that soon followed ended with the Iasi Treaty of 1791, which confirmed the terms of the previous treaty in relation to the Danube principalities and, in addition, provided the Romanians with a two-year tax exemption. But, naturally, the Romanians sought complete liberation from the Turkish and Phanariot yoke. They saw the fulfillment of their cherished aspirations in joining Russia.

A consistent exponent of these aspirations was the outstanding Moldavian figure, Metropolitan Veniamin Costakis of the early 19th century. Being a Romanian by nationality and a true patriot, Metropolitan Veniamin always expressed the innermost aspirations of the Romanians in their relations with Russia. When a new Russian-Turkish war broke out at the beginning of the 19th century (1806–1812 and Russian troops soon entered Moldova, on June 27, 1807, the following address was submitted to Emperor Alexander I, signed in Iasi by the metropolitan himself and twenty noble boyars: “Destroy the intolerable rule (Turkish ), breathing oppression to this poor people (Moldavians). Unite the rule of this land with your God-protected power... Let there be one flock and one shepherd, and then let us call: “this is the golden age of our state.” This is from the bottom of our hearts the commonality of this people prayer". Metropolitan Veniamin energetically opposed the influence of the Phanariots on the Romanian people. To this end, in 1804, he established a Theological Seminary near the city of Iasi, in the Sokol monastery, in which teaching was conducted in the Romanian language; the Metropolitan himself often preached and took care of publishing books of dogmatic and religious-moral content in his native language.The goal of his works was to increase the mental and moral level of Romanians. But the Phanariots were still strong at that time and were able to deprive the Saint of the throne.

In order to put the affairs of the Romanian Orthodox Church in proper order, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, during the stay of the Russian troops in Moldavia and Wallachia (1808 - 1812), decided to temporarily annex its dioceses to the Russian Church. In March 1808, it was determined that the retired Metropolitan of Kiev Gabriel (Banulescu-Bodoni) “be called again a member of the Holy Synod and its exarch in Moldavia, Wallachia and Bessarabia.” According to Prof. I. N. Shabtina, “historians evaluate this act as very wise: the Moldavian-Vlachian dioceses were freed from subordination to the Patriarchate of Constantinople,” which was at that time in the hands of the Phanariots. These dioceses received in the person of Gabriel, a Romanian by nationality, an intelligent and energetic church leader. In three to four years he did great job. “He found a terrible picture: the majority of Greek bishops did not visit churches,” the Holy Gifts were kept without due reverence; “many priests did not know the order of the liturgy and were simply illiterate.”

Metropolitan Gabriel brought the churches into the same condition as they were in Russia: he introduced metric and income and expenditure books, limited the number of priestly orders to actual necessity, demanded that persons aspiring to the priesthood have a certain educational qualification, and transformed the Theological Seminary in the Sokol Monastery on the model of Russian seminaries, with the Russian language taught there. Metropolitan Gabriel tried with all his might and the means at his disposal to improve the position of the clergy, to raise their authority, instilling in everyone due respect for the bearers of the priesthood. The saint also entered into the fight against the exactions of the Phanariots in the so-called “bowed” monasteries, in which the abbots, trying to get out of subordination to Exarch Gabriel, begged from the Patriarch of Constantinople a “singelia” (letter), which exempted the abbots of these monasteries not only from reporting, but also from any control by the Exarchate. Metropolitan Gabriel encountered many difficulties in his useful church activities, but achieved victory over the enemies of the Romanian National Church. In 1812, after the withdrawal of Russian troops, Moldavia and Wallachia again fell under the Turkish and Phanariot yoke, after which the same unrest with which the Exarch fought began to revive.

With their attitude towards the Romanians, the Phanariots aroused such indignation among them that the Romanians, during the Morean uprising of the Greeks (1821), helped the Turks suppress the rebels. As if in gratitude for this, and mainly counting on further support, the Sultan in 1822 granted the request of the Moldavian and Wallachian boyars to restore the right to elect Romanian rulers. From this moment a new era begins for Romania. Its political dependence on Turkey begins to weaken, as it elects princes of its own nationality. There is a strong rise in national spirit: Romanian schools are established for the people; the Greek language is removed from worship and replaced by the native language; Romanian youth are flocking to study abroad.

The latter circumstance had an unfavorable effect on the younger generation, tore it away from their native traditions and set them on the path of a slavish infatuation with the West, especially France, its language and ideological trends. The new Romanian intelligentsia, brought up in the West, began to display a hostile attitude towards the Orthodox Church. Hatred towards the Phanariots, who professed the Orthodox religion, was unfairly transferred to Orthodoxy. Now Orthodoxy has received the name “Phanariot culture”, a “dead institution” that destroys the people, excludes the possibility of progress and dooms them to gradual dying.

As A.P. Lopukhin testifies, “the hostile attitude towards Orthodoxy did not fail to affect the attitude of the Romanian intelligentsia towards Russia.” There was “a suspicion among extreme nationalists that Russia harbored a secret intention to completely absorb Romania and turn it into its own province, completely losing sight of the fact that Russia itself was concerned about the foundation of their public schools, theatre, gave Romania the organic Statute of 1831, drawn up in the sense of preserving the Romanian nationality.” In 1853, when Russian troops crossed the Prut and approached the Danube, the Romanian principalities even “invited Turkey to occupy them and form a people’s army in order to counteract Russia.”

4. The Orthodox Church in Wallachia and Moldova, united into a single state of Romania:

The movement against the Orthodox Church found support in the Romanian government. In 1859, the principalities of Wallachia and Moldova (a historical region within the Principality of Moldova) were united into one state - Romania. Under pressure from France, Alexander Cuza was elected prince. He carried out a number of reforms, which in previous church literature were explained as directed exclusively against the Orthodox Church. But current Romanian professors at theological institutes claim that Cuza only sought to correct the abuses of the Church. The Church, they say, was too rich and forgot its goals, which is why Cuza’s reforms are justified. Russian church historians expressed the following view of the events of Cuza and the attitude towards them of the most prominent hierarchs of the Romanian Church of that time.

Cuza confiscated all movable and immovable property of the monasteries in favor of the state. The law adopted in 1863 by the Romanian Chamber stated: “Art. 1. All property of Romanian monasteries constitutes state property. Art. 2. Income from these properties will be included in ordinary state budget revenues. Art. 3. The Holy Places to which some of the native monasteries were dedicated will be assigned a certain amount in the form of a benefit, in accordance with the purpose of the benefactors... Art. 6. The government will take from the Greek abbots jewelry, books and dedicated vessels donated by our pious ancestors to these institutions, as well as documents entrusted to these abbots, according to the inventories stored in the archives ... "

As a result of this event, many monasteries were closed, some had to stop their educational and charitable activities. In 1865, without the consent of the Patriarch of Constantinople, the autocephaly of the Romanian Church was proclaimed. The administration of the Church was entrusted to the "General National Synod", which included all Romanian bishops and three deputies from the clergy and laity from each diocese. The Synod had the right to meet only once every two years, and even then it could not itself make any important determination: in all its actions and undertakings it was subordinate to secular power. Metropolitans and bishops were elected and appointed at the direction of the prince. In addition, elements of Western confessions began to be introduced into Orthodoxy: the Gregorian calendar was disseminated; allow the sound of the organ and the singing of the Creed with the Filioque during the service; wide freedom was also given to Protestant proselytism. “The government of Prince A. Kuza,” notes F. Kurganov, “undertaking reforms in the Church, set itself the task of erasing by all means all traces of the former “Phanariot” enlightenment, the former “Phanariot” culture and the customs instilled through it, as completely alien to the spiritual the nature of the Romanians - instead of the “Phanariot” culture, as vicious and corrupting, to fully embrace the culture of the European West, of which the Romanian nation is an integral member of its Western, Latin origin, and thus give it the opportunity to preserve its characteristics in purity, to develop according to them, and not according to principles imposed on it from the outside... The Protestant sects of the West were given complete freedom in the practice of their religion, they were even given some kind of patronage, apparently aimed at their strengthening and spreading among the Orthodox Romanian people.”

Patriarch Sophronius of Constantinople made sharp protests against the new autocephaly. One after another, he sent messages of protest to Prince Alexander Cuza, Metropolitan of Wallachia and Locum Tenens of the Metropolis of Moldova. A special message was also sent to the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church with a call to provide spiritual assistance “to stop dangerous situation deeds that are dragging this (Orthodox Romanian - K.S.) Christian people into the abyss of destruction, whose blood will be exacted at our hands.”

The Holy Synod of the Russian Church, before responding to Constantinople, instructed Philaret (Drozdov), Metropolitan of Moscow, to submit his response to the said message. The Moscow hierarch, having subjected it to a thorough analysis, came to the conclusion that the desire of the Romanian government to make its Church autocephalous was legal and natural, but that this desire was stated in a far from legal way. On the other hand, the Patriarch of Constantinople, who protested against what was done by the Romanians, handled the matter, in the opinion of Metropolitan Philaret, tactlessly: instead of words of peace and advice to consider the matter of declaring autocephaly together with other Local Churches, he resorted to harsh expressions in his message, capable of not calming down, but even more irritating the dissatisfied.

In the official response of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Patriarch of Constantinople, it was stated that the establishment of a “general” Romanian Synod “exceeds the measure of secular power and requires the judgment and approval of the highest Council in the Church, and in particular the Patriarch, to whose region the Church establishing the new Synod belongs.” . The provision that “the Romanian Metropolitan presides over the Synod in the name of the ruler” is recognized as anti-canonical and anti-evangelical (cf. Luke 10:16; Matthew 18:20). “The Metropolitan and other members of the Synod are present in it in the name of Christ and the Apostles.” The appointment of bishops by secular authority alone, without election by the ecclesiastical authority, is also recognized as anti-canonical. “Those who have accepted such an appointment must place themselves before the thirtieth rule, the rule of the holy Apostles, and think with fear whether they will receive true sanctification and extend it to the flock.” At the end of the message it was said that in order to end the disagreements that arose the best remedy could serve as a word of love and peace addressed to the Romanians. “Isn’t there another way,” suggested the Holy Synod, “with the word of this love and conviction to encourage those who are firm in church truth, those who are hesitant to establish, to lead the matter onto the path of peaceful consultations, and to protect the immutability of the essential with some leniency towards what is permissible?”

Government anti-canonical measures were criticized by prominent figures Romanian Orthodox Church: Metropolitan Sofroniy, Bishops Filaret and Neofit Scriban, later Bishop Melchizedek of Romania, Bishop Sylvester of Kush, Metropolitan Joseph of Moldova and other representatives of the clergy.

Metropolitan Sophrony (1861) was a student of the Neamets Lavra, a tonsure monk and a student of Metropolitan Benjamin Costakis.

Heading the Metropolis of Moldova during the reign of Prince A. Cuza, Sophronius fearlessly gave his rich preaching talent to the defense of the Church. The Romanian government sent him into exile, but the struggle did not stop. Other selfless defenders of Orthodoxy also came forward from among the hierarchs. At their head is the great saint of the Romanian land, Filaret Scriban (1873). Describing this hierarch, the Romanian academician prof. Const. Erbiceanu says: “If at present Romania has its defender, its apologist for Christianity, then this is him; If anyone among us boasts of knowledge of Christianity, then this is entirely due to him; if now lamps are still visible in some places in the Romanian Church, then these are his children; if, finally, there is still Christian life between us, then we should be entirely grateful to Philaret for this.” “And this characteristic,” adds A.P. Lopukhin, “is not at all exaggerated.”

Filaret was born into the family of a parish priest. Having excellently graduated from the Iasi Theological School, he worked there for some time as a teacher of geography and French, then in two years he successfully completed the full course of the Kyiv Theological Academy. In the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, Filaret became a monk. During his stay in Moscow for about two months, he was a guest of Moscow Metropolitan Philaret. After returning to his homeland, Filaret headed the Sokol Iasi Theological Seminary for twenty years, which he raised to a high level. For his scholarship and deeply meaningful sermons, he received the name “Professor of Professors” in Romania. Prince A. Cuza offered the talented bishop the post of Metropolitan of Moldova, and his brother Neophytos the post of Metropolitan of Wallachia, thus wanting to attract them to his side. But they both resolutely refused to accept the appointment from the secular ruler and fearlessly came out to fight the prince’s church reforms. Once, during a meeting of the Synod, in the presence of the prince himself, Bishop Filaret brought down a church curse on him for the law on the confiscation of monastery property. Filaret addressed the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church with a request to assist in the deposition of those bishops who were installed by the will of the Romanian secular authorities.

Philaret's brother Neophytos (+ 1884) also appeared at one of the meetings of the Synod with the intention of reproaching the government for its orders on Church affairs. Having announced his protest, he put the manuscript on the table and silently left the hall.

The Scriban brothers combined their academic activities with the struggle against anti-canonical measures of the government. In this regard, Filaret and Neophytos rendered a great service to their Church and their fatherland, since they wrote and translated (mainly from Russian) many works into Romanian. They compiled textbooks on almost all school subjects. In addition, Bishop Neophytos owns: Historical essays (contains general history, including the history of the Romanians), A Brief History of the Moldavian Metropolitans and evidence of the autocephaly of the Moldavian Metropolis (the work was used to approve the autocephaly of the Romanian Church), etc. Bishop Filaret wrote: A Brief Romanian Church History, A Long Romanian Church History (in six volumes; Filaret collected material for this work while he was a student at the Kiev Theological Academy), various works of a critical and polemical direction.

The bold accusers of Prince Kuza were removed from participation in church affairs. The protests of the Patriarch of Constantinople against the violence remained unanswered.

Cuza's arbitrariness ultimately led to the fact that in 1866 he was arrested in his own palace by conspirators who demanded his immediate resignation, and in Cuza's place the Western powers installed a relative of the Prussian king, the Catholic Charles. In 1872, a new “Law on the election of metropolitans and diocesan bishops, as well as on the organization of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Romanian Church” was issued. According to this “Law,” the Romanian Church was given more freedom. The Synod was given a new structure, according to which only bishops could be its members, and the name of the Synod of Bishops “General, National,” borrowed from the Protestant church structure, was abolished. The once all-powerful Minister of Confessions received only an advisory voice in the Synod. But even now the Church has not received complete freedom from government oppression.

The most important issue in the church and at the same time state life in Romania, which was subject to decision by the new prince, was the receipt of legal autocephaly by the Romanian Church. Using the example of his predecessor, Prince Charles became convinced that this issue could be resolved favorably only through peaceful negotiations with the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Without wasting time, he presented the Patriarch of Constantinople with a draft declaration of autocephaly for the Romanian Church with a request to consider it. However, Constantinople was in no hurry. Things moved forward only after the Russian-Turkish war of 1877 - 1878, when Romania received complete political independence from the Sultan. In response to a new request from the Synod of the Romanian Church, Patriarch Joachim III of Constantinople, together with his Synod, drew up an act declaring the Romanian Church autocephalous. It would seem that everything has finally arrived at the desired, legal result. However, what happened was somewhat different. The fact is that the Church of Constantinople, while granting autocephaly to the Romanian Orthodox Church, reserved the right to send it Holy Chrism. But Romanian church leaders strove for complete church independence, and therefore they themselves performed the consecration of the Holy Myrrh in the Bucharest Cathedral in the presence of a crowd of people. To give this act greater importance and solemnity, a special Act was drawn up, which stated when and by whom the consecration was performed. The Act emphasized that it was carried out “in accordance with the holy canons and decrees of the Orthodox Church.” According to the Holy Synod of the Romanian Church, the independent consecration of the Holy Myrrh was supposed to eliminate the influence of the Greeks on the church affairs of Romania and put an end to all attacks on the independent existence of the Romanian Church. This is precisely what explains the special solemnity of the consecration and the drawing up of a special Act for this occasion. Having learned about this act of the Romanian hierarchs, Patriarch Joachim III not only did not send an Act recognizing the autocephaly of the Romanian Church, but also condemned this act as breaking the unity with the “Great Church”. The Synod of the Romanian Church saw in the protest of the Patriarch of Constantinople his claims to universal supremacy in the Church and was not slow to respond. “Church rules do not dedicate the consecration of the World to any one Patriarch,” answered the members of the Synod of the Romanian Church to Patriarch Joachim III. - During visits to Romania by other eastern Patriarchs, the hospodars invited them to consecrate the World. Until recently, even vessels for the consecration of the World were kept, but then, when the Greek abbots left the country, these vessels, along with other treasures, disappeared somewhere. In later times, Miro was received even from Kyiv. Then, Confirmation is a sacrament, and the Church must possess all the means to perform the sacrament for the elevation of Christian life. Seeking this means of sanctification in other Churches would mean that this Church does not possess the fullness of the means for sanctification and salvation. The sanctification of the World is therefore an integral attribute of any Autocephalous Church."

Only with the accession of the new Patriarch Joachim IV to the Patriarchal throne did the protracted matter of declaring autocephaly come to an end. On the occasion of the enthronement of Patriarch Joachim IV in 1884, Metropolitan Kallinikos of Ungro-Wallachia sent him a fraternal greeting, followed by a message asking him to bless and “recognize the Autocephalous Church of the Romanian Kingdom as his sister of the same mind and of the same faith in everything, so that both the clergy and the pious people of Romania would gain the great power of religious feeling that lives the hearts of all Orthodox Christians of the East, and to report this event to the other three Patriarchal Thrones of the East and all other Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, so that they too express greetings and rejoice at the Romanian Church, as a like-minded and Orthodox sister, and continue to maintain fraternal communion with her in the Holy Spirit and the unity of faith." These actions of the Metropolitan accelerated the deportation of the document it needed to the Romanian Church. On May 13, 1885, in Bucharest, this document (Tomos Sinodikos) was solemnly read. The text of the Tomos is as follows:

“In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. “No one can lay the foundations of another,” says the great Apostle of Languages, Paul, “more than the one who lies down, who is Jesus Christ.” And the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ, always built on this one strong and unshakable foundation, preserves indissoluble the unity of faith in the union of love. Thus, when this unity remains unchanged and remains unshakable in all centuries, then it is permissible, according to church consideration, to make changes in matters related to the government of the Churches, in relation to the structure of the regions and the degree of their dignity. On this basis, the Most Holy Great Church of Christ, blessing very willingly and in the spirit of peace and love the changes considered necessary in the spiritual government of the local holy Churches, establishes them for the better structure of the believers. So, since the Most Reverend and Venerable Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Kir Kallinik, on behalf of the sacred assembly of the holy Romanian bishops and with the permission of His Majesty the King of Romania and his royal government, on reasonable and legal grounds, through a message forwarded and certified by the Excellent Minister of Church Affairs and the people's education of Romania by Mr. Dimitri Sturdza, asked from our Church for blessings and recognition of the Church of the Romanian Kingdom as autocephalous, then our measure agreed to this request, as fair and in accordance with church laws, and, having considered it together with the Holy Synod of the Beloved that exists with us in the Holy Spirit of our brothers and colleagues, declares that the Romanian Orthodox Church shall remain, be considered and be recognized by all as independent and autocephalous, governed by its own Holy Synod, under the chairmanship of the present Most Reverend and Most Venerable Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachi and Exarch of all Romania, not recognizing in its own internal governance no other ecclesiastical authority other than the very Head of the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, the God-Man Redeemer, Who alone is the main, cornerstone and eternal Bishop and Archpastor. So, recognizing through this sacred Patriarchal and Synodal act, thus established on the cornerstone of faith and pure teaching, which the Fathers handed down to us intact, the firmly preserved Orthodox Church of the Romanian Kingdom, autocephalous and governed independently in everything, we proclaim its Holy Synod as our beloved brother in Christ , enjoying all the advantages and all sovereign rights assigned to the Autocephalous Church, so that he carries out and builds all church improvements and order and all other church buildings without restrictions and with complete freedom, according to the constant and uninterrupted tradition of the Catholic Orthodox Church, so that he is recognized as such and other Orthodox Churches in the universe and that it be called by the name of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Church. But in order for the union of spiritual unity and connection of the holy Churches of God to remain unchanged in everything - for we have been taught to “maintain the unity of the spirit in the union of peace” - the Holy Synod of Romania must remember in sacred diptychs, according to ancient custom from the holy and God-bearing Fathers, the Ecumenical and other Patriarchs and all the Orthodox saints of God's Church, and communicate directly with the Ecumenical and with the other Most Holy Patriarchs and with all the Orthodox saints of God's Churches on all important canonical and dogmatic issues that need general discussion, according to the sacred custom preserved from ancient times from the Fathers. Equally, he also has the right to ask and receive from our Great Church of Christ everything that other Autocephalous Churches have the right to ask and receive from her. The Chairman of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Church must, upon his accession to the department, send the necessary synodal letters to the Ecumenical and other Most Holy Patriarchs and to all Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, and he himself has the right to accept all this from them. So, on the basis of all this, our holy and Great Church of Christ blesses from the depths of her soul the autocephalous and beloved sister in Christ - the Romanian Church and calls upon the pious people, on the God-protected kingdom of Romania, His divine gifts and mercies, abundantly from the inexhaustible treasures of the Heavenly Father, wishing them to their children throughout all generations every good thing and salvation in everything. The God of peace, who raised from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ, may this holy Church complete in every work of brilliance, do His will, doing in it that which is pleasing in His sight by Jesus Christ; To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. - In the year of the Nativity of Christ one thousand eight hundred and eighty-fifth, April 23.”

In the same year, 1885, when the autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church was declared, a new state law on the Church was issued, restricting its activities. This law prohibited members of the Holy Synod from participating in any meetings to discuss church affairs, except for meetings of the Holy Synod, and also from traveling abroad without special permission from the government. By this they sought to limit the activities of the Romanian hierarchs in order to prevent them from jointly with the bishops of other Orthodox Churches and unanimously fighting for holy Orthodoxy.

The anti-church spirit, unfortunately, also penetrated into part of the clergy, giving rise among them to such an abnormal phenomenon as “Protestant bishops.” Bishop Callistratus Orleanu (a student of the University of Athens) was especially distinguished in this regard, who performed baptism through pouring and did not recognize monasticism, considering it a barbaric institution.

5. Prominent hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church

Fortunately for the Orthodox Romanian people, they found worthy archpastors. Such were Melchizedek Romansky (Stephanescu) and Sylvester Xushsky (Balanescu), both students of Philaret Scriban.

Melchizedek (Stefanescu), Bishop of Romania (1892), a graduate of the Kyiv Theological Academy, acted mainly as a talented publicist and learned man in defending the rights of the Orthodox Church. First of all, he authored the following reports: Response of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the question of the sanctification of the World, Papism and the current position of the Orthodox Church in the Kingdom of Romania (it points out the danger threatening the Orthodox Church from the propaganda of Catholicism and the duty of the Synod to protect its Church from fall); two reports devoted to the scientific criticism of Protestantism: “On the Orthodox Church in the fight against Protestantism and especially Calvinism in the 17th century and on two councils in Moldova against the Calvinists”; “On the veneration of holy icons and miraculous icons in the Orthodox Church.” In the last essay, the story about the miraculous fact of the appearance of a crying woman is of interest. miraculous icon Mother of God (located in the church of the Sokolsky Monastery), which occurred in early February 1854, which was witnessed by the bishop himself and many others. Bishop Melchizedek also owns detailed monographs: Lipovanism, i.e. Russian schismatics, or schismatics and heretics (introduces the doctrine of schismatics and sectarians, the reasons for their emergence, etc.); “Chronicles” of the Khush and Roman bishoprics (a summary of the events of these dioceses by year in the 15th–19th centuries); Gregory Tsamblak (research on the Kiev Metropolitan); Visit to some monasteries and ancient churches of Bukovina (historical and archaeological description), etc.

The most important means In the fight against trends harmful to the Church, Bishop Melchizedek considered improving the spiritual enlightenment of the clergy and people. In this regard, he founded the “Orthodox Romanian Society”, which was charged with the following duties: to translate into Romanian and distribute writings in defense of Orthodoxy; help candidates for the priesthood obtain theological knowledge in Orthodox Theological schools; establish educational institutions for boys and girls in the spirit of Orthodoxy. Through the efforts of Bishop Melchi-sedek, the Faculty of Theology was established at the University of Bucharest, in which future clergy of the Romanian Orthodox Church received higher theological education.

Silvestre (Balanescu), Bishop of Xush (1900) - also a graduate of the Kyiv Theological Academy - even before occupying the episcopal see, heading the Theological Schools, he trained many believers, pastors of the Church and public figures of the country. Having been consecrated bishop, he boldly stood up in defense of the Church. Speaking in the Senate, Bishop Sylvester made a great impression with his talented speeches and often persuaded the legislative assembly in favor of the Church. The fundamental conviction of the Khush bishop was that the religious and moral uplift of society is possible only through close cooperation with the Church.

Bishop Sylvester also left a noticeable mark in the field of literature. Being the editor of the synodal journal “Biserika Orthodoxa Romana”, he published many of his articles in it, such as: “On the rules of the Holy Apostles”, “On the sacraments”, “On the moral law”, “On the holidays of the Holy Orthodox Church”, etc. His sermons and pastoral letters were published in a separate collection.

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Metropolitan Joseph of Moldova became an energetic champion of the Romanian Orthodox Church, defender of its canonical institutions and communion with other Orthodox Churches.

Among the church figures of the 20th century, Metropolitan Irenaeus of Moldova (1949) and Metropolitan Nicholas of Transylvania (1955) should be mentioned. Both are doctors of theology and philosophy, authors of many scientific works. After the First World War, Metropolitan Nicholas diligently promoted the annexation of Transylvania to Romania.

6. Church reforms at the beginning of the 20th century

In the spring of 1907, a powerful peasant uprising took place in Romania, in which many priests took part. This forced the Church and the state to carry out a number of church reforms. The Synodal Law of 1872 was revised towards expanding the principle of conciliarity in the governance of the Church and involving, as far as possible, wider circles of the clergy in the management of church affairs. Basically, the following three issues were resolved: 1) expansion of the contingent of clergy from among whom diocesan bishops are elected (the law of 1872 provided for their election only from among the titular ones); 2) abolition of the institution of titular bishops (those without a diocese); 3) the creation of a Supreme Church Consistory, which would include not only members of the Holy Synod, which consisted only of clergy with monastic rank, but also white clergy and laity. Legislative and administrative measures were taken to improve the financial situation of the white clergy, increase their educational level, as well as streamline the economic situation and discipline in the monasteries.

7. Metropolises of Sibiu and Bukovina

After the First World War, the Romanian Church included two independent metropolises that existed before that time: Sibiu and Bukovina.

1. The Sibiu (otherwise Hermannstadt, or Transylvanian) Metropolis included the regions of Transylvania and Banat.

The Transylvanian metropolitanate was founded in 1599, when the Wallachian prince Michael, having taken possession of this area, achieved the installation of Metropolitan John. However, here, as in previous times under Hungarian rule, Calvinists continued to conduct active propaganda. They were replaced by Catholics in 1689 along with Austrian rule. In 1700, Metropolitan Afanasy with part of the clergy and flock joined the Roman Church. The Transylvanian Orthodox Metropolis was destroyed, and in its place a Uniate Romanian bishopric was established, subordinate to the Hungarian primate. The Romanians who remained faithful to Orthodoxy continued to fight Catholicism. Not having their own bishop, they received priests from Wallachia, Moldavia and from the Serbian bishopric in Hungary. At the insistence of Russia, Orthodox Romanians were allowed to enter into the canonical subordination of the Bishop of Budim, who was under the jurisdiction of the Karlovac Metropolitan. In 1783, the Romanians achieved the restoration of their bishopric. A Serb was installed as bishop, and in 1811 a Romanian, Vasily Moga (1811–1846), was installed. At first, the episcopal see was located in the village of Rashinari, near the city of Hermannstadt (now the city of Sibiu), and under Vasily Moga it was moved to the city of Hermannstadt (Sibiu), which is why the Transylvanian Church is also called Hermannstadt, or Sibiu. The Transylvanian bishop remained under the jurisdiction of the Karlovac metropolitan.

The Church of Sibiu reached its peak under the highly educated Metropolitan Andrei Shagun (1848–1873). Thanks to his work, up to 400 parochial schools, several gymnasiums and lyceums were opened in Transylvania; Since 1850, a printing house began operating in Sibiu (still in operation today), and in 1853 the newspaper Telegraful Romyn began to be published. Among many theological works on the history of the Church and Pastoral Theology, he owns the work “Canon Law,” which was translated into Russian and published in 1872 in St. Petersburg. Metropolitan Andrei is also known for his church-administrative activities; in particular, he convened the Church-People's Council, at which the question of the church unification of all Orthodox Romanians in Austria was considered. Since 1860, the Orthodox Romanians of Transylvania, led by him, have been petitioning the Austrian government with unremitting energy to establish church independence. Despite the opposition of the Karlovac Patriarchate, according to the imperial decree of December 24, 1864, an independent Romanian Orthodox Metropolis was established with the residence of the metropolitan in Sibiu. Its primate received the title “Metropolitan of all the Romanian people living in the Austrian state and Archbishop of Hermannstadt.” In 1869, by decree of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, the National-Church Romanian Congress was convened, which adopted the Charter of the Metropolis, called the “Organic Statute”. The Hermannstadt Church was guided by this Statute until the last time of its existence.

The metropolitanate had under its jurisdiction: the bishoprics of Arad and Caransebes and two bishoprics in the eastern Banat.

2. The current region of Bukovina was formerly part of the Principality of Moldova. In Bukovina there was the bishopric of Radovec (founded in 1402 by the Moldavian prince Alexander the Good) with many churches, subordinate to the Metropolitan of Moldavia, and after the occupation of this region by Austria in 1783, it was subordinated, like the Sibiu bishopric, to the Karlovac metropolitan. The Austrian emperor elected the Bukovina (or Chernivtsi - according to the place of the see) bishop, and the Karlovac metropolitan ordained. The Bukovina bishop had the right to participate in the meetings of the Karlovac Metropolitan Synod, but due to the inconveniences associated with travel, he almost did not attend them. However, if the dependence on the Karlovac Metropolitan was small, the dependence on the Austrian government was felt quite strongly. Under the influence of Sibiu Metropolitan Andrei Shaguna, a movement for separation from the Karlovac Metropolis and unification with the Transylvanian Church into a single Romanian Metropolis also began in Bukovina. But the unification did not take place, and in 1873, the Austrian authorities elevated the Bukovina diocese to the rank of an independent metropolis with the Dalmatian diocese subordinate to it, which is why it received the name “Bukovina-Dalmatia metropolis.”

Two years later (1875) a university was founded in Chernivtsi and with it the Greek-Oriental Theological Faculty. In 1900, the university celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary. On this occasion, an anniversary publication was published, which described the history of the founding of the university, its activities, as well as the structure of its faculties, including the structure of the Orthodox Theological Faculty.

It should be noted that after the annexation of Bukovina to Austria (late 18th – early 19th centuries), many Romanians moved to Moldova, and Ukrainians from Galicia came to Bukovina. In 1900, Bukovina had 500,000 Orthodox population, of which 270,000 were Ukrainians and 230,000 Romanians. Despite this, the Bukovina Church was considered Romanian. Bishops and metropolitans were elected from Romanians. Ukrainians sought the introduction of their language into worship, as well as granting them equal rights in church governance. However, their aspirations, supported by the Austrian government, only caused mutual discontent of both communities, which upset the life of the Bukovinian Church.

Dalmatian diocese, which is why it received the name “Bukovinian-Dalmatian Metropolis”.

Two years later (1875) a university was founded in Chernivtsi and with it the Greek-Oriental Theological Faculty. In 1900, the university celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary. On this occasion, an anniversary publication was published, which describes the history of the founding of the university, its activities, as well as the structure of its faculties, including the structure of the Orthodox Theological Faculty.

The Bukovinian-Dalmatian Metropolis had three dioceses: 1) Bukovinian-Dalmatian and Chernivtsi; 2) Dalmatian-Istrian and 3) Boko-Kotor, Dubrovnik and Spichanskaya.

This continued until 1919, when a Church Council was convened, at which the unification of the dioceses of Romania, Transylvania and Bukovina took place. Bishop Miron of Caransebes (1910–1919) was elected Metropolitan-Primate (the title of Metropolitan-Primate was the Romanian First Hierarch from 1875 to 1925).

As for the Uniate Romanians, their reunification with the Orthodox Church took place only in October 1948. This event will be discussed below.

8. Romanian Church-Patriarchy:

By the decision of the Holy Synod of February 4, 1925, the Romanian Orthodox Church was proclaimed the Patriarchate. This definition was recognized by the Local Orthodox Churches as canonical (the Patriarch of Constantinople recognized it with the Tomos of July 30, 1925). On November 1, 1925, the solemn elevation of the then Romanian Metropolitan-Primate Miron to the rank of His Beatitude Patriarch of All Romania, Viceroy of Caesarea of Cappadocia, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Archbishop of Bucharest took place.

In 1955, during the solemn celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the patriarchate in the Romanian Church, Patriarch Justinian, assessing this act, said: “The Romanian Orthodox Church... was worthy of this special honor both for its past Orthodox Christian life and for its position and role in today’s Orthodoxy, being the second in the number of believers and in size in the bosom of Orthodoxy. This was necessary not only for the Romanian Church, but also for Orthodoxy in general. Recognition of autocephaly and elevation to the level of Patriarchate gave the Romanian Orthodox Church the opportunity to fulfill its religious and moral mission better and with greater benefit for Orthodoxy” (from the speech of the Patriarch. DECR MP archive. Folder “Romanian Orthodox Church”. 1955).

His Beatitude Patriarch Miron headed the Church until 1938. For some time he combined the position of regent of the country with the title of Primate of the Church.

From 1939 to 1948, the Romanian Orthodox Church was cared for by Patriarch Nicodemus. He received his theological education at the Kyiv Theological Academy. His stay in Russia brought him closer to the Russian Orthodox Church, for which he retained sincere love throughout his life. Patriarch Nicodemus is known theologically for his literary activities: he translated from Russian into Romanian A. P. Lopukhin’s “Biblical History” in six volumes, the “Explanatory Bible” (Commentaries on all books of the Holy Scriptures), sermons of St. Demetrius of Rostov and others, and especially known for his concerns about Orthodox Church unity. The saint died on February 27, 1948 at the 83rd year of his life.

From 1948 to 1977, the Romanian Orthodox Church was headed by Patriarch Justinian. He was born in 1901 into a peasant family from the village. Suesti in Oltenia. In 1923 he graduated from the Theological Seminary, after which he taught. In 1924 he was ordained a priest, and the following year he entered the Theological Faculty of the University of Bucharest, from which he graduated in 1929 with a candidate of theology degree. Then he served as a pastor until 1945, when he was consecrated bishop - vicar of the Metropolis of Moldova and Suceava. In 1947, he became the metropolitan of this diocese, from where he was called to the post of Primate. Patriarch Justinian is known for his extraordinary organizational skills. He introduced strict discipline and order in all areas of church life. His pen includes: 11-volume work “Social Apostolate. Examples and Instructions for the Clergy" (the last volume was published in 1973), as well as "Interpretation of the Gospel and Sunday Conversations" (1960, 1973). Since 1949, he was an honorary member of the Moscow Theological Academy, and since 1966 - of the Leningrad Academy. Patriarch Justinian died on March 26, 1977. According to the Greek press, he was “an outstanding personality not only in the Church of Romania, but in the Orthodox Church in general”; distinguished by his “deep faith, devotion to the Church, his Christian life, theological training, writing qualities, commitment to the fatherland, and especially the organizational spirit, signs of which are the various institutions that contribute in various ways to the entire development of the Orthodox Romanian Church.”

From 1977 to 1986, Patriarch Justin was the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church. He was born in 1910 in the family of a rural teacher. In 1930 he graduated with honors from the Seminary in Cimpulung-Muscel. He continued his education at the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens and the Theological Faculty of the Catholic Church in Strasbourg (eastern France), after which in 1937 he received the degree of Doctor of Theology. In 1938–1939 he taught the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament at the Orthodox Theological Faculty at the University of Warsaw and was a professor in the same department at the theological educational institutions of Suceava and Bucharest (1940–1956). In 1956, he was consecrated Metropolitan of Ardal. In 1957 he was transferred to the metropolis of Moldova and Suceava, from which he was called to patriarchal service.

The Christian world knows His Beatitude Patriarch Justin as an outstanding figure in Orthodoxy and the ecumenical movement. While still Metropolitan of Moldova and Suceava, he was a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, was elected one of the seven chairmen of the Conference of European Churches, and headed the delegation of his Church at the First Pan-Orthodox Pre-Conciliar Conference in 1976.

Since November 9 (the day of election) 1986, the Romanian Orthodox Church has been headed by His Beatitude Patriarch Theoctista (in the world Theodor Arepasu). On November 13, he was solemnly presented with the Decree of the President of Romania (then socialist), confirming his election as Patriarch, and on November 16, the celebrations of his enthronement took place in the cathedral in honor of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen.

Patriarch Feoktist was born in 1915 in a village in northeastern Moldova. At the age of fourteen he began monastic obedience in the monasteries of Vorona and Neamets, and in 1935 he took monastic vows at the Bystrica Monastery of the Iasi Archdiocese. In 1937, after graduating from the Seminary at the monastery, Chernika was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon, and in 1945, after graduating from the Bucharest Theological Faculty, to the rank of hieromonk (received the title of licentiate of theology). In the rank of archimandrite he was vicar of the Metropolitan of Moldova and Suceava, studying at the same time at the Faculty of Philology and Philosophy in Iasi. In 1950, he was consecrated Bishop of Botosani, Vicar of the Patriarch, and for twelve years he led various departments of the Romanian Patriarchate: he was secretary of the Holy Synod, rector of the Theological Institute in Bucharest. Since 1962, Theoktist has been Bishop of Arad, since 1973 - Archbishop of Craiova and Metropolitan of Olten, since 1977 - Archbishop of Iasi, Metropolitan of Moldova and Suceava. Occupying the Metropolis of Moldova and Suceava (second in importance after the Patriarchate), Theoktist showed special concern for the Theological Seminary in the Neamets Monastery, pastoral and missionary courses for clergy, special courses for employees of the Metropolis, and expanded publishing activities.

Four months after the accession of Justinian to the Patriarchal Throne - in October 1948 - a significant event took place in the life of the Romanian Orthodox Church - the return to Orthodoxy of the Romanians of Transylvania, who in 1700 were forcibly drawn into the Catholic Church on the basis of a union. Outwardly submitting to the Catholic administration, Uniate Romanians preserved Orthodox traditions for 250 years and sought to return to their father’s home. The reunification of them—more than one and a half million—with the Mother Church spiritually strengthened the Romanian Orthodox Church and helped it to continue its holy mission with new spiritual strength.

Saint Demetrius lived in the 13th century. He was born in the village of Basarabov, located on the Lom River, a tributary of the Dumaya, in Bulgaria. His parents were poor. They raised their son in deep devotion to the Christian faith. From an early age, Dimitri was a shepherd. When his parents died, he went to a small monastery in the mountains. In his cell he led a strict lifestyle. Peasants often came to him for blessings, for advice and were amazed at his kindness, friendliness and height of spiritual life. Feeling the approach of his death, the saint went far into the mountains, where, in a deep cleft between the rocks, he betrayed his spirit to God. His incorrupt remains were later transferred to the temple of his native village. Touching the relics of the saint of one sick girl healed her from a serious illness. The fame of the saint spread far and wide. A new temple was built in his honor, where the relics of the saint were placed. In June 1774, with the assistance of one of the Russian military leaders, the relics of the saint were transferred from Bulgaria to Romania - to Bucharest, where they are still located in the cathedral. Since then, countless Orthodox Christians in the country have been flocking to them to worship, praying for grace-filled help.

9. The current situation of the Romanian Orthodox Church:

Regarding the current situation of the Romanian Orthodox Church, it is necessary first of all to say about the relationship between the Church and the state.

The church is recognized as a legal entity. “Parishes, deaneries, monasteries, bishoprics, metropolitanates and the Patriarchate,” says Article 186 of the Statute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, “are legal entities of public law.” The relationship of the Church with the state is determined by the Constitution of Romania and the law on religion of 1948. The main principles of these laws are as follows: freedom of conscience for all citizens of the Republic, prohibition of any discrimination due to religious affiliation, respect for the rights of all religious denominations in accordance with their beliefs, guaranteeing the right to establish Theological schools for the training of clergy and clergy, respect for the principle of non-interference by the state into the internal affairs of Churches and religious communities.

The state provides the Church with significant financial assistance and allocates large funds for the restoration and protection of religious monuments - ancient monasteries and temples, which are a national treasure and a witness to the historical past. The state pays salaries to teachers of theological institutes. The clergy also partially receives support from the state and is exempt from military service. “The salaries of church employees and employees of institutions of the Orthodox Church, as well as expenses for diocesan and patriarchal centers are contributed by the state according to its annual budget. Payment of the personal personnel of the Orthodox Church is carried out in accordance with the current laws on state employees."

Receiving assistance from the state, the Romanian Orthodox Church, in turn, supports the patriotic initiatives of the state authorities with the funds at its disposal.

Consequently, the basis for good relations between the Church and the state is the combination of freedom of conscience with an awareness of civil rights and responsibilities.

The dioceses of the Romanian Orthodox Church are grouped into 5 metropolises, each of which has 1–2 archdioceses and 1–3 bishoprics (6 archdioceses and 7 dioceses). In addition, the Romanian Orthodox Missionary Archdiocese functions in the USA (department in Detroit), which is under the jurisdiction of the Romanian Patriarchate (founded in 1929 as a bishopric, elevated to an Archdiocese in 1974. It has its own printed organ “Credinta” (“Faith”) .

The Romanian diocese also operates in Hungary (residence in Gyula). It has eighteen parishes and is governed by an episcopal vicar.

The dioceses of the Romanian Orthodox Church on the territory of Romania are divided into 152 proto-presidencies (our deaneries) and have at least 600 parishes each. The clergy numbers 10,000 clergy in 8,500 parishes. In Bucharest alone there are 228 parish churches, in which 339 priests and 11 deacons serve. There are approximately 5–6 thousand monastics of both sexes, living in 133 monasteries, hermitages and farmsteads. The total flock is 16 million. On average there is one priest per one thousand six hundred believers. There are two theological institutes (in Bucharest and Sibiu) and 7 Theological Seminaries. 9 magazines are published.

The Permanent Synod, consisting of the Patriarch (chairman) and all metropolitans, is convened as needed. During the period between sessions of the Holy Synod, he decides current church affairs.

According to the tradition of the Romanian Orthodox Church, each metropolitanate must have the relics of saints in its cathedral. The bishops of the metropolis, together with the metropolitan (chairman), constitute the Metropolitan Synod, which manages the affairs of these dioceses. Their immediate rulers are either metropolitans (in archdioceses) or bishops (in dioceses). Each archdiocese or diocese has two administrative bodies: an advisory one - the Diocesan Assembly, and an executive one - the Diocesan Council. The Diocesan Assembly is composed of 30 delegates (10 clergy and 20 laity), elected by the clergy and flock of each diocese for four years. It is convened once a year. The resolutions of the Assembly are carried out by the Diocesan Bishop together with the Diocesan Council, consisting of 9 members (3 clergy and 6 laymen), elected by the Diocesan Assembly for four years.

Dioceses are divided into protopopias or protopresbyterates, headed by protopriests (protopresbyters) appointed by the diocesan bishops.

The bodies of the spiritual court are: the Main Church Court - the highest judicial disciplinary authority (consists of five clergy members and one archivist); Diocesan Courts, existing under each diocese (of five clergy); judicial disciplinary bodies operating under each deanery (of four clergy) and similar ones - at large monasteries (of two to four monks or nuns).

Monasticism in the Romanian Orthodox Church, both in the past (excluding the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century) and in the present, was and is at a high level. “The great educational role that Orthodox monasteries played in the past of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Romanian people is known,” we read in the publication of the Orthodox Biblical and Missionary Institute in Bucharest “L"eglise Orthodoxe Roumaine.” “For many centuries they were genuine centers of culture. In these monasteries, with zeal and painstaking patience, the monks copied wonderful manuscripts, decorated with miniatures, which constitute a true treasure for Orthodoxy in general and for the Romanian Orthodox Church in particular.In the distant past, when the state was not involved in education, the monasteries organized the first schools that trained calligraphers and historians and chroniclers. In the monasteries, translations into Romanian were carried out of the works of the Holy Fathers of the Eastern Church - these treasures of thought and spiritual life."

The presence of monasticism in Romanian lands was noted already in the 10th century. This is evidenced by the temples built at that time on the rocks in Dobrudja.

Among the monastic ascetics of the Middle Ages, Orthodox Romanians especially revered the Athonite monk of Greek-Serbian origin, Saint Nicodemus of Tisman (1406). During the years of his exploits on Mount Athos, Saint Nicodemus was hegumen in the monastery of Saint Michael the Archangel. He ended his righteous life in Romania. Saint Nicodemus laid the foundations of organized monasticism in the Romanian lands, created the monasteries of Voditsa and Tisman, which were the first-born of a number of currently operating monasteries. In 1955, the Romanian Orthodox Church decided to venerate him everywhere.

Before the reign of Prince Alexander Cuza, anyone who aspired to monastic life could enter the monastery, and therefore in Romania at the beginning of the 19th century, according to the “Gazette” presented by the Exarch of Moldavia and Wallachia Gabriel Banulescu-Bodoni to the Holy Synod, there were 407 monasteries. But in 1864, a law was passed according to which only presbyters who graduated from the Theological Seminary, or those who pledged to devote their lives to caring for the sick, were allowed to become monastics. The age for accepting monasticism was also determined: for men - 60 years, for women - 50 (later lowered: for men - 40, for women - 30). In addition, as noted above, the monastery property was confiscated to the state.

Monasteries in Romania were divided into cenobitic and special. The latter included rich monks who built their own houses in the area of the monastery, in which they lived alone or together.

According to the Charter and later definitions of the Synod, a cenobitic (coenobitic) system was introduced in all monasteries of the Romanian Church. The abbots of monasteries are called “elders” and manage the monasteries together with the council of monks. To become a monk, you must have the appropriate education. “Not a single brother or sister,” says Article 78 of the Charter, “receives monastic tonsure without having a seven-year primary school certificate or a monastery school certificate and a certificate of specialization in some craft that he learned in a monastic workshop.” The main thing in the life of monks is the combination of feats of prayer and labor. The commandment “Ora et labora” is found in many articles of the Charter. All monks, not excluding highly educated ones, must know some kind of craft. Monks work in church printing houses, candle factories, bookbinding workshops, art workshops, sculpture workshops, making church utensils, etc. They are also engaged in beekeeping, viticulture, breeding silkworms, etc. Nuns work in weaving and sewing workshops, in workshops for the production of sacred vestments and national clothes, church decorations, carpets, famous for their high artistic skill. The “secular” products of the monasteries (national clothes) are then distributed by the Romanian Export Society, which, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, enters into contracts with large monastic centers that unite several monasteries.

But the introduction of compulsory performance of any handicraft work did not turn the monasteries into workshops for the manufacture of various things. They continue to remain centers of spiritual achievement. The center of monastic life is constant participation in divine services and individual prayer. In addition, the monastic Rules prescribe that prayer accompany external affairs. “Any work,” says Article 62 of the Charter, “must be sanctified by the spirit of prayer, according to the words of St. Theodore the Studite". “As a person who with all his heart has decided to live for the glory of God and His Son,” the Rule teaches, “a monk must first of all be filled with prayer, because it is not the cassock, but prayer that makes him a monk.” “He must know that as a monk he is always closer to God, in order to fulfill his prayer duty for the benefit of people who do not have much time, like him, for prayer, and also to pray for those who do not know, do not want and do not can pray, and especially for those who have never prayed, because he himself must be eminently a man of prayer, and his mission is primarily the mission of prayer. A monk is a candle of prayer, constantly lit among the people, and his prayer is the first and most beautiful work that he must perform out of love for his brothers, the people of the world."

To the question of a correspondent of the newspaper “Avvenire d'Italia” in 1965 about what function the monasteries performed in society at that time, the Patriarch answered: “The function was exclusively of a religious and educational nature. The social activities that they were engaged in at one time (charity, etc. .), has now been transferred to the state. Social institutions of the Church are intended exclusively for serving clergy and monastics, including the existing rest homes and sanatoriums." - Today (1993) it is necessary to add to this answer of the Patriarch: “social institutions of the Church" serve also "to the world".

Monasteries have their own libraries, museums and hospitals.

Among the monasteries, it should be noted: the Nyamets Lavra, the monasteries of Chernik, Tisman, Assumption, in the name of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helen, etc.

The Neamets Lavra was first mentioned in a charter dated January 7, 1407, by Metropolitan Joseph of Moldavia. In 1497, a majestic temple in the name of the Ascension of the Lord, built by the governor of Moldova Stephen the Great, was consecrated in the monastery. For the Romanian Orthodox Church, this monastery had the same significance as the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius for the Russian. For many years it was a center of spiritual enlightenment. Many hierarchs of the Romanian Church came from her brethren. She demonstrated high examples of Christian life in her midst, serving as a school of piety. The monastery, which reached a flourishing state thanks to the donations of pilgrims and the contributions of Orthodox Romanian believers, gave all its wealth to the elderly, the sick, and those in need of help. “In times of grave political trials,” Bishop Arseniy testifies, “during famine, fires and other national disasters, the whole of Orthodox Romania was drawn to the Neametsky monastery, finding here material and spiritual help.” The monastery housed a rich library of Slavic manuscripts from the 14th to 18th centuries. Unfortunately, a fire that occurred in 1861 destroyed most of the library and many buildings in the monastery. As a result of this misfortune, as well as the policy of the government of Prince Kuza, aimed at depriving the monasteries of their possessions, the Nyametsky monastery fell into decay. Most of its monks went to Russia, where in Bessarabia - on the estates of the monastery - the Novo-Nyametsky Ascension Monastery was founded. “In 1864, Russia,” said the first abbot of the new monastery, Archimandrite Andronik, “gave shelter to us, monks, who fled from the Romanian monasteries of Neamtsa and Sekou. With the help of the Mother of God and the prayers of Elder Paisius Velichkovsky, we founded a new monastery here in Bessarabia, also called Nyamuy, like the ancient one: by this we seem to pay tribute to the head of our hostel, Paisius Velichkovsky.”

Currently, about 100 monks live in the Lavra, there is a Theological Seminary, a library and a printing house of the Metropolitan of Moldova. The monastery has two monasteries.

The Chernika Monastery, located 20 kilometers east of Bucharest, is historically and spiritually connected with the Neamets monastery. Founded in the 16th century, the monastery was destroyed several times. Restored through the care of Elder George, a student of Elder Schema-Archimandrite Reverend Paisius Velichkovsky and a follower of the ascetic school of the Holy Mountain.

A witness to Romanian Orthodox antiquity is the Tisman Monastery, erected in the second half of the 14th century in the Gorzha Mountains. Its builder was the pious Archimandrite Nicodemus. In the Middle Ages, the monastery was a center of spiritual enlightenment - here church books were translated into Romanian from Greek and Church Slavonic. Since 1958, this monastery has become a women's monastery.

The Assumption Monastery (about 100 monks) was founded by the ruler Alexander Lepusneanu in the 16th century. It is famous for the strictness of the regulations - following the example of St. Theodore the Studite.

The convent in the name of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine and Helena was founded by the ruler of the lands of Romania, Constantin Brincoveanu, in 1704. Constantine himself became a martyr in Constantinople in 1714. For refusing to accept Mohammedanism, the Turks cut his skin. In 1992 he was canonized by the Romanian Church. There are about 130 nuns in the monastery.

Also known are the female monasteries of Moldova with many nuns, such as Sucevita (founded in the 16th century, rich in interesting frescoes), Agapia (built in the 17th century, also located in a mountainous area, surrounded by formidable fortress walls), Varatek (founded in 1785) and etc. In the Ploesti region there is a monastery called Gichiu - founded in 1806, rebuilt in 1859; During the Second World War it was destroyed and restored in 1952. The monastery of Curtea de Arges, founded in the first quarter of the 16th century, attracts attention with the beauty of its architecture.

Concerned about the preservation and transmission to future generations of the culture and art of the past, the Romanian Orthodox Church is working diligently to restore and restore historical monuments of church art. In some monasteries and churches, through the efforts of monks or parishioners, museums have been organized in which ancient books, documents and church utensils are collected. The staff of the current State Directorate of Historical Monuments and the Institute of Archeology and Conservation at the Institute of Art History of the Romanian Academy of Sciences also includes individual theologians of the Romanian Church.

The Romanians were the only Romance people who adopted the Slavic language both in the Church and in literature. The first printed books, published in Wallachia at the beginning of the 16th century by Hieromonk Macarius, were, like earlier manuscripts, in Church Slavonic. But already in the middle of the same century, Philip Moldovan published the Catechism in Romanian (not preserved). Some improvement in book production begins in the second half of the 16th century and is associated with the activities of Deacon Korea, who published in Romanian the “Christian Questioning” in questions and answers (1559), the Four Gospels, the Apostle (1561 - 1563), the Psalter and the Missal (1570). The publication of these printed books marked the beginning of the translation of divine services into Romanian. This translation was completed somewhat later - after the release of the Bucharest Bible translated into Romanian by the brothers Radu and Scerban Greceanu (1688) and Menea by Bishop Caesarea of Ramniki (1776–1780). At the turn of the 17th - 18th centuries, Metropolitan Anthimus of Wallachia (died as a martyr in 1716) made a new translation of liturgical books, which, with minor changes, entered the liturgical practice of the Romanian Orthodox Church. During the reign of Prince Cuza, a special decree was issued that only the Romanian language should be used in the Romanian Church. In 1936 - 1938 a new translation of the Bible appeared.

Until the beginning of the 19th century, spiritual education in Romania was at a low level. There were few books, especially Romanian ones; The court, and following its example, the boyars, spoke Greek until the twenties of the 19th century - the Phanariots hindered the enlightenment of the European country. “For Romania, these Phanariot monks,” Bishop Melchizedek of Romania reproached the Patriarchate of Constantinople, “did nothing: not a single school to educate the clergy and people, not a single hospital for the sick, not a single Romanian educated on their initiative and with their rich funds, not a single Romanian book for language development, not a single charitable institution." True, at the very beginning of the 19th century (in 1804), as mentioned above, the first Theological Seminary was established in the Sokol monastery, which was soon closed due to the Russian-Turkish wars (1806–1812; 1828–1832). Its activities were restored in 1834, when seminaries were opened at the episcopal sees of Wallachia. In the 40s, catechetical schools began to be established, training mainly students in the seminary. By the end of the 19th century, there were two so-called “higher” seminaries with a four-year course of study and two “lower” ones with the same duration of study. The following subjects were studied: Holy Scripture, Sacred History, Theology - Basic, Dogmatic, Moral, Pastoral, Accusatory, Patrology and Spiritual Literature, Orthodox Confession (Metropolitan Peter Mohyla, (1647), Church and State Law, Church Charter, Liturgics, Homiletics, General and Romanian ecclesiastical and civil history, Church singing, Philosophy, Pedagogy, General and Romanian geography, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany, Mineralogy, Geology, Agronomy, Medicine, Drawing, Drawing, Handicraft, Gymnastics, languages - Romanian, Greek, Latin, French, German and Hebrew.

In 1884, the Faculty of Theology was opened at the University of Bucharest. Its curriculum was modeled after the Russian Theological Academies. This was probably due to the influence of the graduate of the Kyiv Theological Academy, Bishop Melchizedek of Romania, who took an active part in the opening of the faculty. Unfortunately, the program was introduced slowly. This may have been because the faculty soon came under German influence: most of its professors were Germans or had received their education and degrees from German universities. “It is very sad, gentlemen, deputies,” said one of the deputies during a meeting on December 8, 1888, “that the Romanians, who are under the alien, Austrian yoke, have long had an Orthodox Theological Faculty, well organized in Chernivtsi (in Bukovina); Meanwhile, the free Romanians were so late with the opening of this great cultural institution that even now they are not able to put it in such conditions that would contribute to the growth of good, desired fruits from it.”

In 1882, the Synodal Printing House was opened in Bucharest.

Currently, spiritual education in the Romanian Orthodox Church is at a high level.

Each professor must submit at least one research paper annually. Every priest, after five years of service in a parish, is required to refresh his knowledge with a five-day study and then pass the appropriate exam. From time to time, clergy come together to attend sessions of courses in pastoral and missionary instruction, where they are given lectures on theology. They share the experience of church service in their parishes, discuss together modern problems of theological literature, etc. The Charter of the Romanian Orthodox Church instructs clergy to give annual lectures on theoretical and practical topics in deanery or diocesan centers at the discretion of the bishop.

Much attention is paid to preaching. Sermons are delivered immediately after the reading of the Gospel and at the end of the liturgy. During communion, the clergy read the works of St. fathers, and at the end of the service the life of the saint of that day is read.

Since 1963, Orthodox Theological Institutes in Bucharest and Sibiu and Protestant Institutes in Cluj, which train clergy, periodically hold joint conferences of an ecumenical and patriotic nature.

The publishing work of the Romanian Orthodox Church is at a high level: books of St. Scriptures, liturgical books (prayer books, collections of church hymns, calendars, etc.), textbooks for Theological schools, lengthy and abbreviated catechisms, collections of church laws, church charters, etc. In addition, the Patriarchate and metropolises publish a number of periodical church magazines, central and locals. The central journals of the Romanian Church are Biserica Ortodoxa Romana (Romanian Orthodox Church, published since 1883), Orthodoxia (Orthodoxy, published since 1949), Studii Teologice (Theological Studies, published since 1949). of the year). The first of them, the official two-month journal, contains the definitions and official communications of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church and other central bodies of church authority; in the second, a three-month periodical, articles devoted to theological and church problems of an inter-Orthodox and general Christian nature, and, finally, in the third, a two-month periodical organ of theological institutes, studies on various theological issues are published.

Local diocesan church magazines (5 magazines) contain official messages (decrees of the diocesan authorities, circular orders, minutes of meetings of local church bodies, etc.), as well as articles on various topics: theological, church historical and current social.

These magazines resemble the former Diocesan Gazette of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Romanian Orthodox Church has seven of its own printing houses.

10. Relations of the Romanian Orthodox Church with the Russian Church in the past and present

The text of this poem reads:

“To His Holiness Mr. Joachim, Patriarch of the royal city of Moscow and all Russia, Great and Little, and so on. Poems are hairy.

Truly, alms should have praise / in heaven and on earth alike / for from Moscow a light shines / spreading long rays / and a good name under the sun /: Holy Joachim, in the holy city / royal, Christian /. Whoever turns to him for alms / with a kind soul, he rewards him well /. We also turned to his holy face /, and he responded well to our request /: a matter of the soul, and we like it /. May God grant that he may shine in heaven / and be glorified along with the saints.” (ZhMP. 1974. No. 3. P. 51).

At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, cooperation between the two Orthodox Churches manifested itself in the effective spiritual and material support of the Russian Orthodox Church for the Orthodox population of Transylvania in connection with the desire of the Austrian Catholic government to establish a union here. In the middle of the 18th century, the union of the two fraternal Churches was strengthened by the elder Reverend Paisius Velichkovsky with his activities aimed at renewing and elevating Orthodox piety in Romania. This ascetic, a native of a Ukrainian spiritual family and the organizer of monastic life in the Nyamets monastery, belongs equally to both Churches.

After the opening of Russian Theological Academies in the 19th century, students of the Romanian Orthodox Church were given a wide opportunity to study there. And indeed, in our Theological Academies a number of enlightened hierarchs and figures of the Romanian Orthodox Church were educated, such as Bishops Filaret Scriban, Melchizedek Stefanescu, Silvestre Balanescu and Patriarch of Romania Nicodemus Munteanu. The good traditions of admitting students from the Romanian Orthodox Church to Russian Theological schools are alive and active at the present time.

At the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church (1917 - 1918), which restored the Moscow Patriarchate, the Romanian Orthodox Church was represented by the learned bishop Nicodemus Munteanu, who then ruled the Xushi diocese (later the Romanian Patriarch). During the period between the First and Second World Wars, relations between the two fraternal Churches were weakened, but since 1945 they have resumed and are developing successfully. Thus, Bishop Joseph of Arges was present at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1945. In the same year, a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church headed by Bishop Jerome of Chisinau and Moldova visited Romania. In 1946, Romanian Patriarch Nicodemus arrived in Moscow (the delegation included his future successor, Patriarch of Romania Justinian), and in 1947, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy I visited Romania. In June 1948, a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church attended the enthronement of the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church Justinian. In July of the same year, a delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church led by Patriarch Justinian participated in the celebrations dedicated to the 500th anniversary of autocephaly of the Russian Orthodox Church, and in the work of the Conference of Heads and Representatives of Local Orthodox Churches. In the summer of 1950, the Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church was again a guest of the Russian Orthodox Church. In the same year, two representatives of the Romanian Patriarchate - Patriarchal Vicar Bishop Theoktist and Professor of the Theological Institute in Bucharest Ioan Negrescu - came to Moscow to obtain fragrant substances for the Holy Myrrh. In 1951 and 1955, Patriarch Justinian, accompanied by bishops and presbyters of the Romanian Church, took part in the celebration of the discovery of venerable relics St. Sergius Radonezh. In October 1955, a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by Metropolitan Gregory of Leningrad and Novgorod participated in celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of autocephaly and the 30th anniversary of the patriarchate of the Romanian Church, as well as the glorification of newly canonized Romanian saints. In 1957, Metropolitan Justin of Moldova and Suceava (later Patriarch of Romania) visited the Moscow Patriarchate and was received by Metropolitan Nicholas of Krutitsky and Kolomna. His Beatitude Patriarch Justinian, together with other delegates of his Church, attended the anniversary celebrations in Moscow in 1958 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the restoration of the patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church. In June 1962, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy I visited the Romanian Church for the second time. As a result of conversations with Patriarch Justinian, a joint communique was drawn up on the possibility and necessity of strengthening ties between both Sister Churches and intensifying the struggle for peace throughout the world. The next month of the same 1962, the guest of the Russian Orthodox Church was Metropolitan Justin of Moldova and Suceava, who arrived in Moscow to participate in the work of the World Congress for General Disarmament and Peace.

In the 60s and early 70s, His Beatitude Patriarch Justinian, together with delegates of his Church, was a guest of our Church several times. Thus, His Beatitude visited the Russian Orthodox Church: in 1963 (on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the episcopal service of Patriarch Alexy I), in October 1966, in the summer of 1968 (on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church) and in May– June 1971 in connection with the election and enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Pimen.

The newly elected His Holiness Patriarch Pimen, together with delegates of the Russian Orthodox Church, paid an official visit to the Romanian Orthodox Church at the end of October 1972 (after visiting the Serbian and Greek Orthodox Churches at the same time).

In October 1973, the guest of our Holy Church was Metropolitan Justin of Moldova and Suceava, who participated in the World Congress of Peace Forces in Moscow.

In June 1975, at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen, His Beatitude Patriarch Justinian was in the Soviet Union, accompanied by Metropolitan Justin of Moldova and Suceava and other hierarchs and clergy of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

In the autumn of the same year (from November 1 to 3), a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by His Holiness Patriarch Pimen visited Bucharest, where they took part in celebrations in connection with the 50th anniversary of the patriarchate and the 90th anniversary of autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

In November 1976, the Bucharest University Theological Institute, highly appreciating the theological and ecumenical activities of Metropolitan Nikodim of Leningrad and Novgorod, awarded him the academic degree of Doctor of Theology “honoris causa”.

On the occasion of the earthquake that struck Romania on March 4, 1977, His Holiness Patriarch Pimen sent the Romanian Orthodox Church sincere condolences to the Russian Orthodox Church.

In March 1977, delegates of our Church, led by Metropolitan Alexy of Tallinn and Estonia (now Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus') participated in the funeral of His Beatitude Patriarch Justinian of Romania, who suddenly died, and in June, a delegation of our Church participated in the solemn enthronement of the new Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Patriarch Justina.

In the same month of 1977, delegates of the Romanian Orthodox Church, led by Metropolitan Nicholas of Banat, participated in the World Conference “Religious Leaders for lasting peace, disarmament and fair relations between peoples" and were guests of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In March 1992, a meeting took place between His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' and His Beatitude Patriarch Theoctistos I of Romania in Istanbul and the joint celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the St. George Patriarchal Cathedral of the Church of Constantinople.

However, at the end of 1992, the relationship between the two Churches became darkened due to the anti-canonical actions of the hierarchy of the Romanian Church in relation to the Orthodox Church in the Republic of Moldova. On December 19 - 20, 1992, Patriarch Theoctist of Romania received Bishop Peter of Balti, who was under the ban of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, into communion with several clergy of the Orthodox Church in the Republic of Moldova. At the same time, the Patriarchal and Synodal Act was issued on the restoration of the Bessarabian Metropolis on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, the administration of which was entrusted to Bishop Peter until the election of a permanent metropolitan from among the episcopate of the Romanian Church. At the same time, the act noted “that the issue of restoring the Bessarabian Metropolis was discussed by Patriarch Theoctistus I of Romania with Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' during their meeting in Istanbul in March of this year.”

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, at its meeting on December 22, 1992, expressed deep concern about these actions as “grossly trampling on the sacred canons, which prohibit the extension of the power of the bishop into the territory of another diocese and the Primate of the Church into the territory of another Church, as well as the admission into liturgical communion of persons , prohibited in the clergy... The issue of the jurisdictional affiliation of the Orthodox Church in Moldova must be resolved through the canonically expressed free will of the archpastors, clergy, monastics and laity of this Church, whose voice must be heard at the Local Council of the Moscow Patriarchate, authorized to make a final decision on this issue in accordance with other Local Orthodox Churches." In addition, “no decisions were made on the status of Orthodox communities in Moldova during the meeting of Patriarchs Alexy II and Theoctistus I in Istanbul.” It was decided to send the Patriarch of Moscow’s protest to the Romanian Patriarch and “call on the Hierarchy of the Romanian Church to correct the violations as soon as possible.” In the event “if this call does not meet with an appropriate response,” the decision of the Holy Synod stated, “the Russian Orthodox Church reserves the right to appeal to the Ecumenical Orthodox Plenitude with a demand for a pan-Orthodox court on this problem”... The protest of the Moscow Patriarchate stated: “The Chisinau- The Moldavian diocese has been part of the Russian Orthodox Church since 1808. From 1919 to 1940, in connection with the inclusion of Bessarabia into the Kingdom of Romania, this diocese was separated from the Russian Church and was included as a metropolitanate in the Romanian Church, which had been autocephalous since 1885. Thus, the Chisinau diocese became part of the Russian Church more than seven decades before the formation of the canonically independent Romanian Church. Currently, the Orthodox Church in Moldova is an integral part of the Moscow Patriarchate, enjoying independence in matters of internal governance. At the diocesan meeting held on December 15, 1992, the episcopate, clergy and representatives of the overwhelming majority of the communities of the Orthodox Church in Moldova spoke out in favor of maintaining its current status... The leadership of the Romanian Orthodox Church... created the threat of a new schism that could destroy relations between the two Churches, as well as cause enormous damage pan-Orthodox unity."

11. Relations with other Orthodox and non-Orthodox Churches

For centuries, the Romanian Orthodox Church has maintained fraternal relations with other Sister Churches. Both in the past and now she has guided and continues to guide her students to receive education in the theological schools of the Greek Church. The Romanian Orthodox Church at one time supported the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in recognizing its autocephaly and in the same regard helped the Albanian Orthodox Church.

By sending its students to receive theological education in the Theological Schools of the Local Churches of Moscow and Greece, the Romanian Church, for the same purpose, accepts students from other Autocephalous Orthodox Churches into its higher theological schools.

After the Second World War, the Romanian Patriarchate took an active part in all the most important meetings of representatives of the Orthodox Churches.

The Romanian Orthodox Church has always highly valued initiatives aimed at mutual understanding and bringing together all Christians. Since 1920 she has been actively involved in the ecumenical movement.

The Romanian Church widely supports and takes an active part in the recently developing dialogue with the Ancient Eastern (non-Chalcedonian) Churches - Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Malabar, Jacobite and Syro-Chaldean, as well as with the Anglican and Old Catholic Churches, with many Protestant Churches. She actively participates in the Conference of European Churches. Its relations with the Anglican Church are especially active. Back in 1935, Romanian-Anglican interviews took place in Bucharest, at which discussions were held and agreed upon decisions were made on the doctrinal significance of the 39 members of the Anglican Confession, on the sacrament of the Priesthood and the validity of Anglican ordinations, on St. The Eucharist and other sacraments, about Holy Scripture and Tradition, about salvation. Regarding the sacrament of the Priesthood, it should be said that the members of the Romanian delegation at the interview, having studied the reports of the Anglican commission, in which they saw the correct view of episcopal ordination and the apostolic succession of grace, recommended that the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church recognize the validity of the Anglican hierarchy. In 1936, the Holy Synod ratified the conclusions of its representatives with the proviso that this recognition would become final after the highest authority of the Anglican Church also approved the conclusions of its envoys, and the agreement on this issue of all Local Orthodox Churches must also be expressed.

The agreement reached in Bucharest was adopted by the Anglican Church in 1936 at the York and in 1937 at the Canterbury Assemblies. The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, in its meeting on June 6, 1966, once again examined the documents of the Bucharest interview and again adopted them.

As for the attitude of the Orthodox Plenitude to the question of the validity of Anglican ordination, it should be noted that it was raised at the Moscow Conference of the Heads and Representatives of the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches in 1948. The decision of this Conference states that in order to recognize the validity of the Anglican hierarchy, it is necessary to establish the unity of faith with Orthodoxy, which must be approved by the governing bodies of the Anglican Church and the conciliar decision of the entire Holy Orthodox Church. “We pray,” we read in the resolution on the issue “On the Anglican Hierarchy,” “that this, by the ineffable mercy of God, will happen.”

Regarding ecumenical cooperation with the Roman Catholic Church, theologians of the Romanian Orthodox Church oppose the acceptance of the dialogue of love proposed by Constantinople and Rome as a threshold to theological dialogue. They believe that the dialogue of love and the theological dialogue should go in parallel. If this condition is violated, one can come to dogmatic indifferentism, and yet the cornerstone of any unity of the Churches is precisely dogmatic unity. In this aspect, they consider the unity of Churches on the basis of only minimal dogmatic community unacceptable.

In March 1972, a delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church, led by Patriarchal Vicar Bishop Anthony of Ploesti, visited the Vatican for the first time in the history of relations between this Church and the Roman Catholic Church at the invitation of the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity. The delegates were received by Pope Paul VI, whom they informed about the life of their Church, paying special attention to the good relations existing in Romania at that time between all Christians. They also visited the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, the Congregation for Theological Education, a number of higher theological educational institutions, theological and monastic institutions.

In Romania itself, in recent years, “local ecumenism” has emerged between the country’s Christians, and “good relations based on mutual respect have been established with non-Christian religions - Jewish and Muslim.”

12. Fight for peace

Representatives of the Romanian Church contribute to the work of pan-Christian forums dedicated to serving people. The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church decided that every year on August 6, special prayers would be offered in all churches of the Patriarchate for the sending of peace, for the deliverance of humanity from wars and from the suffering that wars bring. The Romanian Orthodox Church fervently prays for peace. Its representatives took an active part in the work of the World Congress of Peace Forces (Moscow, 1973) and the World Conference “Religious Leaders for Lasting Peace, Disarmament and Fair Relations between Nations” (Moscow, 1977), etc.

Bibliography for Chapter III “Romanian Orthodox Church”

In Russian

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Arseny Stadnitsky, bishop. From modern church life in Romania. Sergiev Posad, 1901.

Arseny (Stadnitsky), bishop. Research and monographs on the history of the Moldavian Church. 4.1. The history of the Moldavian dioceses and their saints from the time of the founding of the dominion to the present day. Part II. Main moments and most important figures of Romanian church life in the 19th century. St. Petersburg, 1904.

Arseny (Stadnitsky), bishop. The situation of the Orthodox clergy in Romania. Chisinau, 1890.

Arseny (Stadniy), bishop. Romanian Orthodox Church. St. Petersburg, 1904.

His Beatitude Justinian, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church//JMP. 1977. No. 6.

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Butkevich T.I., prof. prot. Higher administration in the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches. Kharkov, 1913.

Vedernikov A. The Romanian Orthodox Church in the struggle for peace // ZhMP. 1951. No. 6.

Veniamin (Grossu), abbot. In memory of Gabriel Banulescu-Bodoni//JMP. 1971. No. 6.

Vladimirov V. Theological and ecumenical issues in the Romanian church press // ZhMP. 1966. No. 1.

Vladimirov V. Life and Theology of the Romanian Church//JMP. 1967. No. 4.

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Hermogenes, Archbishop. On the question of the Vatican’s intrigues against Ecumenical Orthodoxy in Poland, the Balkans, Romania, Ukraine and the Caucasus (1908–1948) // ZhMP. 1948. No. 8.

Golubev P. Kyiv Metropolitan Peter Mogila. Kyiv, 1883. T. 1; 1898. T. 2.

Golubinsky E. A brief outline of the history of the Orthodox Churches of Bulgarian, Serbian and Romanian. M., 1871.

David P., deacon Newly discovered ancient Christian shrines in the Romanian Church//JMP. 1973. No. 11.

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Epiphanius (Norochel), hierod. Russian-Romanian church relations of the first half of the 19th century. (Scholarship report - candidate's essay). MDA, 1964. Typescript.

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Leonid (Polyakov), priest. Schema-Archimandrite Paisiy Velichkovsky and his literary activity. (Master's dissertation). L., 1956. Book. 1-2. Typescript.

Lucian (Florea), Hierom. The spread of Christianity in Romania before the establishment of the metropolitanate: Ungrovlachia (1359) and Moldovalachia (1401). (Course essay). MDA, 1960.

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In Romanian

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Cef/ericou S. Paisie Velicicovski. Traducere de Nicodim Munteanu. Mănăstirea Neamţ, 1933. (Paisiy Velichkovsky. Translation by Nicodemus Munteanu).

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Serbânescu Niculae. Optzeci de ani de la dobîndirea autocefaliei Bisericii Ortodoxe Române//BOR. 1965. An. LXXXIII, nr3 - 4. (Eighty years since the receipt of autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church).

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Stan Liviu. Legislaţia Bisericii Ortodoxe Române în Timpul arhipăstoririi Prea Fericitului Părinte Patriarh Justinian/“Ortodoxia”. 1968. Aii. XX, no. 2. (Legislation of the Romanian Orthodox Church during the archpastorship of His Beatitude Father Patriarch Justinian).

(Constantinople Orthodox Church)

Like other officially registered religious organizations in Romania, has de facto state status: the salary of the clergy is paid from the state treasury.

Story

The church organization in Romania has been known since the 4th century. The Roman province of Dacia that existed here was part of the region of Illyricum, which is why the Dacian bishops were under the authority of the Archbishop of Sirmium, who was subject to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome. After the destruction of Sirmium by the Huns (5th century), the ecclesiastical region of Dacia came under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Thessalonica, who was subordinate either to Rome or to Constantinople. Established in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian I in his hometown - the first Justiniana ( Justiniana prima) - the center of church administration, Dacia was subordinated to the latter.

Around 1324 Wallachia became an independent state; in 1359, the Wallachian governor Nicholas Alexander I obtained from the Patriarch of Constantinople the elevation of the church organization in Wallachia to the dignity of a metropolitanate. The Metropolis was in canonical dependence on the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which until the beginning of the 18th century was mainly of a formal nature.

Unlike other lands subject to the Ottoman Empire, in Wallachia and Moldova, under the patronage of local rulers, complete freedom of worship was maintained, it was allowed to build new churches and found monasteries, and convene church councils. Church property remained inviolable, thanks to which the Eastern Patriarchates, as well as the Athonite monasteries, acquired estates here and opened farmsteads, which served as important sources of their income.

In 1711 Moldavia, and in 1716 Wallachia came under the control of princes appointed by the sultan from several families of Phanariot Greeks. Church life underwent significant Hellenization: the Church Slavonic language was replaced in the cities by Greek, and in the villages it was replaced by the Romanian language. In 1776, the Wallachian Metropolitan was granted the title of “Vicar of Caesarea of Cappadocia” - the most senior department in honor of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which was headed by St. Basil the Great in the 4th century.

As a result of the Russian-Turkish wars in the 18th century, Russia received the right to patronize the Orthodox in these territories. In 1789, during the Russian-Turkish War of 1787-1792, the Russian Holy Synod established the “Moldo-Vlachian Exarchy”, the locum tenens of which on December 22 of the same year was appointed by the former Archbishop of Ekaterinoslav and Chersonese Tauride Ambrose (Serebrenikov). In 1792, Gabriel (Benulescu-Bodoni) was appointed Metropolitan of Moldo-Vlachia with the title of Exarch of Moldavia, Wallachia and Bessarabia; but in 1793, after imprisonment in Constantinople and condemnation by the Synod of the Church of Constantinople, he was appointed to the See of Catherine, retaining the title of “exarch”.

A well-known figure of the early 19th century was Metropolitan Benjamin of Moldova (1803-1842 with interruptions), who opposed the power of the Phanariots and welcomed the transition of Moldova to Russian rule.

During the period of the presence of Russian troops in Moldova and Wallachia (1808-1812), the church resubordination of the territory of the principalities was carried out: in March 1808, the Russian Holy Synod determined that the retired former Metropolitan of Kiev Gabriel “be called again a member of the Holy Synod and its exarch in Moldova, Wallachia and Bessarabia." At the conclusion of the Bucharest Peace Treaty, Bessarabia was ceded to Russia, where in 1813 the Diocese of Chisinau and Khotyn was established, headed by Metropolitan Gabriel.

In 1918, Romania annexed Bessarabia. In 1919, a Council was held that united the dioceses of Romania, Transylvania and Bukovina. On February 1, 1919, the Gregorian calendar was adopted in Romania.

The Romanian Constitution of 1923 recognized the Romanian Orthodox Church as the country's national church.

On October 1/14, 1924, the Romanian Orthodox Church officially adopted the New Julian calendar.

In June 1940, Bessarabia became part of the USSR; church structures were reassigned to the Moscow Patriarchate. Bishop Alexy (Sergeev) was sent to the Chisinau diocese with his elevation to the rank of archbishop.

On June 22, 1941, the Kingdom of Romania, together with Germany, attacked the USSR. According to the Romanian-German agreement concluded in Bendery on August 30, 1941, the area between the Dniester and Southern Bug rivers was transferred to Romania under the name Transnistria; it included the left bank regions of Moldova, the Odessa region and part of the territory of the Nikolaev and Vinnitsa regions. The Romanian Church extended its jurisdiction to Transnistria; in September 1941, an Orthodox mission was opened in Transnistria, headed by Archimandrite Julius (Scriban). Temples and monasteries that had ceased their activities under Soviet rule were opened. Particular attention was paid to the restoration of church life on the territory of Moldova. In Transnistria, the activities of other Orthodox organizations were prohibited, including the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church, which existed freely in the Reichskommissariat Ukraine. On November 30, 1942, the Theological Seminary was opened in Dubossary. On March 1, 1942, theological courses for students of all faculties began at Odessa University. Since January 1943, an Orthodox Theological Seminary operated in Odessa. The Romanian language, Romanian liturgical traditions, and the Gregorian calendar were introduced into worship.

After the restoration of Soviet control over Transnistria in August 1944, the territory came under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate.

In 1948, a communist regime was established in Romania. Unlike most other communist states, in Romania the Orthodox Church was not subjected to serious persecution or oppression, although all church life was strictly controlled by the state. The church was obliged to follow the instructions of the state Ministry of Cults. For example, the Ministry obliged the Romanian clergy to study Russian.

Legally, the Romanian Orthodox Church was not separated from the state. The Romanian Constitution of 1965 proclaimed only the separation of the school from the Church (Article 30). In accordance with the decree “On the general structure of religious confessions,” the Church had the right to create charitable organizations, religious societies, conduct publishing activities, own movable and immovable property, use state subsidies and subsidies for the clergy and religious teachers.

The communist regime also paid salaries from public funds to a large part of the Romanian Orthodox clergy. As of 1955, out of 30 thousand priests of the Romanian Orthodox Church, 12 thousand people received state salaries (including the patriarch and all bishops).

From 1948 to 1977, the Church was led by Patriarch Justinian.

The Primate of the Church since 1986, Patriarch Theoktist, resigned after the fall of the communist regime in January 1990, but was reinstated by the Synod in April of the same year. In 1990, the previously banned Greek Catholic Church of Romania was restored, which has since been striving to return lost property.

In 1992, the former Bishop of the Moscow Patriarchate Peter (Peduraru) headed the restored Bessarabian Metropolis as a locum tenens; in 1995 he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.

On July 30, 2002, the government of Vladimir Voronin granted the Bessarabia Metropolis official status, its coat of arms and charter were registered; The metropolitanate within the Romanian Patriarchate was recognized as the legal successor of the Bessarabia Metropolis, which existed in Bessarabia from the time of its annexation by Romania in 1918 until it became part of the USSR in 1940.

On May 9, 2011, the Holy Synod of the Jerusalem Patriarchate unanimously decided to interrupt Eucharistic communion with the Romanian Orthodox Church due to the construction of a temple belonging to the Romanian Patriarchate on the canonical territory of the Jerusalem Church without the latter's approval.

On 25 February 2013, the Romanian and Jerusalem churches restored eucharistic communion with each other, and the controversial Romanian Patriarchate compound in Jericho was recognized as a "home" for Romanian pilgrims.

On November 25, 2018, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew led the consecration of the new cathedral of the Romanian Patriarchate - the Cathedral of National Salvation.

Modern device and control

At the end of October 2007, the conflict escalated again after the Holy Synod of the Romanian Church adopted a decision on October 24 to create seven new episcopates within the Romanian Patriarchate: in particular, in the Bessarabia Metropolis it was decided to revive the Balti episcopate (formerly Khotyn), the episcopate of Southern Bessarabia with its center in Cantemir and Orthodox episcopate of Dubossary and all of Transnistria with its center in Dubossary. As stated in the Romanian Patriarchate, the said dioceses existed in the Bessarabia Metropolis until 1944, and now a decision has been made to restore them at the request of the Romanian Orthodox believers. The Tiraspol and Dubossary diocese of the Orthodox Church of Moldova (ROC) called the decision of the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church to establish three of its own dioceses on the territory of Moldova and Transnistria, the center of one of which will be the city of Dubossary (Transnistria), illegal. Metropolitan Kirill (Gundyaev) assessed the decision of the Romanian Synod as “a step that destroys Orthodox unity and will not remain without consequences.”

On November 6, 2007, the media disseminated a statement by Metropolitan Peter (Peduraru), head of the Bessarabian Metropolis, that “the Romanian Patriarchate intends to expand its influence in Moldova and Ukraine, in particular, by increasing the number of parishes and dioceses here.”

On November 7, 2007, a statement by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church “in connection with the decision of the Romanian Orthodox Church to establish its dioceses on the territory of Moldova and Ukraine” expressed “deep concern and sorrow” in connection with such a decision of the Romanian Orthodox Church, regarding such a step as “violation of the very foundations of the church system ", as well as "a decisive protest against a new invasion of its canonical limits."

On November 14, 2007, the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) recognized the actions of the Russian Orthodox Church to create its dioceses on the territory of Ukraine as unlawful and issued a statement.

In January 2008, the Moldovan authorities intervened in the conflict, demanding that four clergy and a nun of the Bessarabia Metropolis leave the country; The Romanian Patriarchate saw this as an attempt to intimidate the clergy of the metropolis and appealed to the Council of Europe with a complaint against the President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin. In January 2008, in Moscow, Moldovan President Voronin and Patriarch Alexy II jointly condemned the policies of the Romanian Patriarchate on the territory of Moldova; in particular, Voronin stated that “the creation of the so-called “Bessarabian Metropolitanate” and its structures is part of Romania’s aggressive policy against the sovereign Moldovan state.” On the same day, Voronin received from Patriarch Alexy II the International Public Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples Award “For outstanding activity in strengthening the unity of Orthodox peoples.”

The editors have received the 3rd part of the research material by Metropolitan Alexander of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky and Vishnevsky on the language of worship - as part of the discussion that is being conducted on the Kievan Rus website.

Doubts about the legality or appropriateness of use in Orthodox worship Ukrainian language It is often argued that serving in ancient languages is a common practice in the Local Orthodox Churches. However, this statement needs clarification.

Ancient Eastern Patriarchies. Worship at ancient Greek(which we wrote about above in connection with the practice of the Greek Orthodox Church) is celebrated today in the Ancient Eastern Patriarchates: Constantinople, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, as well as in the Cyprus, Greek and Autonomous Sinai Churches. At the same time, in Antioch And Jerusalem In patriarchates, the majority of whose flocks are ethnic Arabs, worship is also performed on Arabic(book language, which is an analogue of book English and is understandable to modern Arabs, since in Arabic-speaking countries this language is not only the sacred language of the Koran and worship, but is also used in the media, books, school textbooks, etc.).

While caring for the Orthodox diaspora in the USA and Western Europe, the Patriarchates of Constantinople and Antioch sanction the use of national languages in worship, first of all, English. English is also the main liturgical language of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA, English Orthodox Church in America), which, thanks to its fidelity to the ecclesiological principles of protopresbyters Alexander Schmemann and John Meyendorff, largely managed to overcome the format of the “Church of the Russian minority” and approach the format of the “local Church” of the American continent. On Finnish And Karelian Divine services are performed in languages in the autonomous (as part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople) Orthodox Church of Finland, which traces its history back to the Valaam Monastery, whose monks preached Orthodoxy to the pagan tribes of Karelia in the Middle Ages.

The linguistic situation in ancient times is interesting Patriarchate of Alexandria. “By the beginning of the twentieth century, the number of Orthodox Christians here was about one hundred thousand people (63 thousand Greeks, the rest are Orthodox Arabs of Syrian and Lebanese origin).” However, thanks to active missionary activity on the African continent in the second half of the twentieth century, the situation in the Patriarchate changed radically. In 1963, the Orthodox Christians of Uganda and Kenya came under the jurisdiction of this Local Church, and new dioceses were established in other African countries. As a result, today the Patriarchate has more than a million believers and is growing rapidly. It is important to note that the missionary activity of the Patriarchate of Alexandria is facilitated by its flexible, creative policy regarding liturgical languages. Divine services are held here not only on ancient Greek And Arabic, but also on modernAfrican languages. So, in particular, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom has been translated and published by the Church of Alexandria in 50 African languages. In addition, books containing all the liturgies of the Orthodox Church, other sacraments and services are published in these languages.

IN GruzinskOth OrthodoxOth ChurchesAnd There is an ancient tradition of translating liturgical texts into the national language. The first translations of liturgical books into Georgian have been known since the 5th century. The Georgian liturgical language has overcome a long path of development. Its modern edition was formed in the second half of the 18th – 19th centuries. At this time, the Orthodox Church in Georgia came under strong Russian influence. Catholicos-Patriarch Anthony I (Bagrationi, 1720-1788) played an important role in this process. He edited Georgian liturgical books according to Church Slavonic models that were in use in the Russian Empire. In particular, he edited the Missal, the Octoechos, the Book of Hours and the Lenten Triodion. In these books, not only the headings changed, but also the texts themselves. New chants were added that were previously absent from the Georgian tradition. Despite numerous shortcomings in the books prepared for publication by Catholicos Anthony and his collaborators, it is this edition of liturgical texts that still prevails in the Georgian Orthodox Church.

The language of the liturgical books of the Georgian Orthodox Church is qualified as drevnegeorgian. But modern Georgians understand it more than, for example, the Church Slavonic language - modern Ukrainians. The fact is that the ancient Georgian language contains, first of all, archaic vocabulary. And Church Slavonic retains grammatical and syntactic norms that do not exist in the modern Ukrainian language. There are almost no initiatives to translate divine services from ancient Georgian into modern Georgian, since the Church does not see any particular need for this.

Language situation in Serbscoth OrthodoxOth ChurchesAnd has its own specifics. Traditionally, in the Serbian lands, services were performed in Church Slavonic. Until the 18th century, there was a Serbian version of this language (in Serbian scientific literature it is usually called the “Serbian-Slavic language”). However, in the 18th – early 19th centuries it was supplanted by the Russian version of the Church Slavonic language (or “Russian-Slavic language”, as it is called in Serbia). This happened as a result of powerful Russian influence on the church life of the Serbs. In church communities both on the territory of the Serbian state and in Austria-Hungary and Montenegro, liturgical books published in Russia are distributed. Most Serbian bishops and clergy (especially in the 19th century) received their education in theological academies of the Russian Empire. All this leads to the gradual displacement of the “Serbian-Slavic language” from liturgical use.

At the end of the 19th century, there were already calls for both the revival of the traditional liturgical language of the Serbs (“Serbian-Slavic”) and the translation of liturgical texts into modern Serbian. As a result, the first Serbian translations of liturgical texts appeared in the first half of the twentieth century. For example, back in the 1930s, the famous Serbian ascetic of piety, the Monk Justin Popovic, translated the liturgy of John Chrysostom into modern Serbian. By the beginning of the 1960s, the Service Book, the Small and Large Trebniks, and certain parts of the Oktoechos had already been translated into Serbian. In the early 1960s, some Serbian bishops and clergy advocated the official introduction of the modern Serbian language into worship. Finally, in 1964, the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church officially sanctioned the liturgical use of modern Serbian. In fact, this meant the recognition of Serbian and Church Slavonic as two equal languages of worship. This approach has been repeatedly confirmed by the highest authority of the Serbian Church. In particular, on May 23, 1986, the Council of Bishops of the Serbian Church determined that the liturgical languages in it are Church Slavonic and modern Serbian. Today, every parish of the Serbian Church can freely choose one of these languages of worship. At the same time, church authorities are taking measures to ensure that the introduction of the Serbian language into worship does not lead to the complete displacement of Church Slavonic. Thus, on July 20, 2012, His Holiness Patriarch Paul of Serbia issued an order that in all parishes in the territory of the Belgrade-Karlovac Archdiocese, the Divine Liturgy should be celebrated at least once a month in Church Slavonic.

Over the past decades, work has been underway in Serbia to translate liturgical books. Although there is still no complete corpus of liturgical books in the Serbian language. Depending on the locality and the characteristics of parish life, either Serbian or Church Slavonic languages may be used in worship. It is common to see both languages co-existing in the same worship service. Some texts are read (sung) in Serbian, while others are in Church Slavonic.

Romanian Orthodox Church. Until the 17th century, in Moldavia and Wallachia (from which the Romanian state was formed in the 19th century), it was used in worship. Church Slavonic language. Work on translating the Holy Scriptures and liturgical texts into Romanian began in the 17th century, since the local population did not understand Church Slavonic well. By the beginning of the 18th century, thanks to the works of the outstanding hierarch, publisher and church writer, Hieromartyr Anthimus of Iveron, Metropolitan of the Ugro-Wallachian Church, the translation of the service was completed. In fact, Saint Anthimus revived Christian identity in Wallachia and Moldavia. Since then and to this day, worship in the Romanian Orthodox Church has been performed on literary Romanian language. Since the Slavic language was used here as a liturgical language for several centuries, many Slavicisms are found in modern Romanian church vocabulary. It should be noted that in order to replace outdated and obscure words and expressions, liturgical texts are regularly edited in Romania. This work is carried out by the Biblical Institute of the Romanian Patriarchate, which prepares liturgical texts for printing. The last revision was carried out in 2009, so that ordinary Romanians perfectly understand their liturgical language.

BulgarianIOrthodoxIChurchov. The beginning of translations of liturgical texts into modern Bulgarian and their use in worship dates back at least to the beginning of the twentieth century, when Metropolitan Boris of Ohrid (Georgiev, 1875-1938) published the Trebnik (1908) and the Service Book with parallel Church Slavonic and Bulgarian texts (1910). The decision on the desirability of holding services in modern Bulgarian was made by the IV Church-People's Council (July 2–4, 1997), which issued a resolution: “To encourage the use of modern Bulgarian in worship.”

Currently, in most churches of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, both Church Slavonic and Bulgarian languages are present in divine services, and these languages are distributed, as a rule, as follows: what is read (and, above all, the Holy Scripture, i.e. the Gospel, Apostle and proverbs), sounds in Bulgarian, what is sung is in Church Slavonic. This way of coexistence of two languages is explained primarily by the fact that practically no hymnography has been translated into Bulgarian (Minea, Octoechos, Triodion [Lenten and Colored]). As in the 18th–19th centuries, today Russian editions of these liturgical books are used in Bulgarian churches. The described state of affairs is violated in some cases: for example, in Sofia there are churches where services are performed exclusively in the national language; at the same time, there are parishes where the Church Slavonic language predominates (however, Scripture is read almost everywhere in Bulgarian).

Feature Polish Orthodox Churches is that most of its flock are ethnic Belarusians and Ukrainians. Until the 1920s, the Orthodox population in Poland belonged to the Russian Church. Therefore, the traditional language of worship here was Church Slavonic. But in the 1920-30s, largely under pressure from the state, which sought to eradicate the Russian heritage in Poland, the process of “nationalization” of church life began. Already in 1922, the Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in Poland decided to introduce the Polish language into the educational process in theological seminaries and to encourage preaching in Polish. Soon after the Orthodox Church in Poland received autocephaly from the Patriarchate of Constantinople (1924), Metropolitan Dionysius (Waledinsky) of Warsaw created a commission whose responsibilities included translating liturgical texts into Polish. However, by the mid-1930s, the activities of this commission were not particularly active.

In 1935, a new translation commission was created, which included professors from the Orthodox Theological Studio of the University of Warsaw, as well as representatives of the Orthodox military clergy (they were subordinate not only to church, but also to state authorities; the mandatory introduction of worship in Polish in military churches was a requirement of the state ). Soon the first Polish translations of liturgical texts began to appear, which were used primarily in military churches. The state, when appointing Orthodox military chaplains, paid special attention to their loyalty to the Polish state and fluency in the Polish language. Therefore, in fact, in the introduction of the Polish language into worship in the 1930s, it was Orthodox chaplains who played the main role.

It should be noted that in the 1920-30s, as part of the “nationalization” of church life in Volyn, work was carried out to translate the Holy Scriptures and liturgical texts into Ukrainian.

In the second half of the twentieth century, the Orthodox Church in Poland almost did not translate liturgical texts. Therefore, today in most parishes in Poland the Church Slavonic language is preserved. At the same time, certain parts of the service are sounded in Polish (for example, certain litanies, Apostle, Gospel, etc.). However, there are also communities that conduct services entirely in Polish. For example, in Warsaw, services in Polish are performed in the chapel of St. George (rector - priest Henryk Paprocki). With the blessing of Metropolitan Sava of Warsaw and All Poland, active translation work is also underway at this parish. Many liturgical texts in Polish are posted on the parish website.

Particular attention should be paid to the language situation in Albanian Orthodox Church. In the Middle Ages, worship in Albania was conducted in Greek. At the same time, ethnic Albanians did not understand the Greek language well. By the beginning of the Ottoman conquest in Albania, the Holy Scriptures and liturgy had not been translated into the national language. As a result, the national Christian culture turned out to be quite weak. In addition, Albania was the area of traditional struggle between the Roman throne and Constantinople. The ratio between Orthodox and Catholics in Albania in the 14th-15th centuries was approximately fifty to fifty percent. The lack of a strong national church culture and the constant confrontation between Eastern and Western Christians, according to modern researchers, became the reasons for the mass Islamization of Albanians. During the Ottoman period (throughout the 16th and 17th centuries), the vast majority of Albanians (as opposed to Greeks, Serbs and Bulgarians) converted to Islam.

The first attempts to translate the Holy Scriptures into Albanian date back only to the 18th-19th centuries. After the creation of an independent Albanian state (which received international recognition in 1914), a movement began among Orthodox Albanians for the autocephaly of their own Church, an integral part of which was the desire to introduce state language to worship. In particular, in the 1920s, the famous Albanian church and political figure Bishop Fan (Feofan) Noli was involved in translations of liturgical and other church texts into the Albanian language and insisted on the introduction of the Albanian language into worship instead of Greek. However, in the second half of the 1940s, the communist era in the history of Albania began, distinguished by brutal persecution of the Church. At this time, the service was not translated.

In the 1990s, the revival of the Orthodox Church in Albania began after its almost complete destruction during the communist period. Since 1992, the Primate of the Albanian Church has been His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios (Janulatos). Being an ethnic Greek, he, however, in his ministry in Albania relied on the development of Albanian church traditions. As a result, an extensive translation and publishing program was initiated. Today, in the Albanian Orthodox Church, the languages used in worship are mainly Greek and modern Albanian. The choice of language for worship depends on the ethnic composition of the parish. Thanks to the thoughtful missionary concept of Archbishop Anastasius, the active development of Orthodoxy in Albania has continued over the past two decades. In fact, a new Albanian church tradition was born, an integral part of which is worship in the Albanian language.

Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. Eastern Christianity was brought to the territory of modern Czech Republic and Slovakia by the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius back in the 9th century. But later the Western rite won here. Therefore, Orthodox worship in the Czech Republic was almost unknown until the 19th century. In the second half of the 19th century, Russian Orthodox churches appeared on the territory of the Czech Republic in Prague, Karlovy Vary, Marianske Lazne and Frantiskovy Lazne. From this time on, ethnic Czechs raised in the Catholic tradition began to convert to Orthodoxy. They almost do not understand the Church Slavonic language. That is why in late XIX century, Russian priests in Prague begin to carry out the first translations of liturgical texts into Czech.

Orthodoxy developed most actively in the Czech Republic in the 1920-30s. It was then that Hieromartyr Gorazd (Pavlik), Bishop of Czech and Moravian-Silesian, translated the corpus of main liturgical texts into modern Czech. He also developed original chants for church voices, aimed at ethnic Czechs. Thus was born the modern practice of Czech Orthodox worship, which takes into account both the liturgical traditions of other Local Churches and the peculiarities of the Czech mentality. Today, worship in the Czech Republic can be performed both in modern Czech and in other languages. In particular, in parishes that unite ethnic Russians, the Church Slavonic language is used. There are also Romanian-speaking parishes.

As for Slovakia, the linguistic situation in the Orthodox Church here has its own specifics. The place of compact residence of the Orthodox population is Eastern Slovakia (the so-called Pryashevshchyna, bordering Transcarpathian Ukraine). Here, the Church Slavonic language with a special local pronunciation is preserved in worship. The Slovak language as a liturgical language is not widely used here.

As you can see, modern languages are used in worship in almost all Local Orthodox Churches. Moreover, the nature of their use is determined both by the peculiarities of local liturgical traditions and the specifics of the current state of affairs in each individual Church, in particular, by the missionary tasks facing it.

It should be noted that non-recognition autocephaly For the Orthodox Church in America (this autocephaly was granted by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1970), the Patriarchate of Constantinople complicates the process of consolidating Orthodoxy in America and creates certain diplomatic difficulties for the OCA, but does not violate the grace-filled life of this Church and does not interfere with its main mission: preaching The Gospel and the creation of the Eucharistic life.

Alexandria Orthodox Church // Local Orthodox Churches: Sat. - M.: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2004. - P. 28.

See: Orthodox Encyclopedia. Volume 12. - M., 2006. - pp. 88-92.

[Ill.: Ancient "Euchologion" in Arabic].
[Ill.: December 6, 2015 in the Patriarchal Church of St. Nicholas in Cairo, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodore II committed the chitonia of Bishop Athanasius of Kisuma and Western Kenya (in the world - Amos Akunda Masaba)].
[Ill.: Rev. Justin Popovich, translator Divine Liturgy into modern Serbian].
[Ill.: Mosaic image of the holy martyr. Anfim Iverskogo, through whose work the translation of liturgical texts into Romanian was carried out].
[Illustration: Boris (Georgiev), Metropolitan of Ohrid. He worked on the compilation of the synodal missal and took part in editing the synodal translation of the Bulgarian Bible. Together with Met. Strumitsky Gerasim translated the Bulgarian Service Book (1908), compiled and published the collections “Christian on St. Liturgy" (1935) and "Prayer Treasure" (1937)].
[Ill.: Holy Martyr. Gorazd (Pavlik), Bishop of Czech and Moravian-Silesian, who translated the corpus of main liturgical texts into modern Czech].

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