A MISSIONARY PATRIARCH – Significance of the Visits of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Romania
Article of Patriarch of Romania for Pneumatiki Diakonia of the Metropolitanate of Konstantia and Ammochostos, Church of Cyprus, on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s Election (22 October 1991) and of his Enthronement (2 November 1991):
During his numerous visits to Romania, the main co-ordinates that His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch, focused on, have defined the view of the Ecumenical Patriarchate concerning the mission of Orthodoxy in the contemporary context, the importance of the relations with the Romanian Orthodox Church, as well as the need for a practical approach to the inter-Orthodox relations. While evaluating the first visit that His Holiness paid to Romania, we underlined the fact that it had a profound ecclesiological and theological content, which pointed out, on the one hand, the place and role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Orthodoxy and, on the other hand, the Orthodox unity between freedom and responsibility, which does not ignore the national identity and freedom (Mother and Sister Church), as well as the Orthodox solidarity and inter-aid that must be manifested to a greater extent.
As regards the relations of the Romanian Patriarchate with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the period of pastoral service of our predecessor, the worth to remember Patriarch Teoctist, was one of the richest. The frequency of the meetings between the Primates and representatives of the two Churches was unprecedented, bringing a new inspiration in the centuries old relations between the two Sister Orthodox Churches. There are, certainly, objective explanations for that, besides the personal factor. One of the main objective elements is the fall of Communism and the release of the Romanian Orthodox Church from under the pressure and control of the atheist totalitarian state, which created a effervescence in the manifestation of faith, stemmed from the feeling of the freedom re-gained and of the responsibility assumed.
Patriarch Bartholomew has greatly contributed to this dynamics of the relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Romanian Patriarchate. Once elected on the 22nd of October 1991 and enthroned on the 2nd of November 1991, His Holiness imprinted a new style of presence and action to the activity of the Ecumenical Throne, in the field of inter-Orthodox relations, animated by enthusiasm, by his solid theological education, with a wide vision and rich experience in inter-Christian and interreligious relations. He has always considered himself a good friend of the Romanian Orthodox Church and, thus, of the entire Romanian people. As His Holiness confessed, during the centuries of terrible poverty the Ecumenical Patriarchate passed through, the “Christ’s Church of the poor” has almost exclusively relied on the aid given by the princes of Wallachia and Moldova who have always helped their “Suffering Mother”. In this sense, His Holiness pointed out the following: “History shows us that, in the 17th century, the Romanian rulers, the only Christian princes in the Ottoman Empire, had their throne in the Patriarchal Cathedral in Constantinople just in front of the patriarchal throne, namely where the throne of the Byzantine emperors used to be long time before” (Bucharest, 18 August 1993).
Here we review the meetings of the Primates of the Romanian Patriarchate and of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in order to have a broad picture of the relations between the two Churches throughout the two decades since, by God’s grace, His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew was elected and invested with the dignity of Ecumenical Patriarch.
The first visit of an Ecumenical Patriarch to Romania after the fall of Communism, an official visit not occasioned by any anniversary, took place from 12 – 18 August 1993. This visit can be considered one of the most important ones that Patriarch Bartholomew paid to Romania, taking into account its duration, the very rich programme, the dense content of his many speeches and the inclusion of Transylvania in the programme of the visit. The celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the consecration of the new church in the precincts of the monastic settlement of Brâncoveanu Monastery – Sâmbăta de Sus and His Holiness’ participation in a solemn Meeting of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church as central elements of the visit emphasise the unity and fraternity existing between the two Patriarchates, as well as the manifestation of the spiritual vitality of the Romanian Orthodoxy in the pan-Orthodox context. In fact, at his departure from the airport, Patriarch Bartholomew concluded the visit with regards to the relations between the two Sister Orthodox Churches by saying: “We feel blood brothers with the Romanian people, not only in our common faith, but also in the participation in the same civilisation whose power exceeds the national boundaries and becomes a good of all people”.
At the solemn Meeting of the Holy Synod, His Holiness Bartholomew has prophetically characterised our time as a kairos of Orthodoxy: “the time of Orthodoxy has come and we are already living it”. At this time of changes and challenges of all kinds, His Holiness appreciated, in many of his speeches, the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Church leadership, clergy and faithful people. “Even during the atheist regime, the Orthodox Church of Romania inspired much optimism and admiration. She succeeds in doing the same thing also today… We repeat the wish to overcome the economic crisis rather quickly, so that the Romanian people may be able to build the great cathedral in Bucharest, worthy of the greatness of this people.”
Only two years afterwards, from 21 October – 1 November 1995, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew participated in the festivities occasioned by the anniversary of 110 years of autocephaly and of 70 years of patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church. A characteristic feature of the visit, which we underlined in an article entitled: “Dignity of a faithful people. Universal Orthodoxy gathered in Romania”, is that the Romanian Patriarchate succeeded in organising, on that occasion, a meeting that was almost pan-Orthodox, only a few months after the summit in Patmos, with the participation of several Primates of Orthodox Churches.
Two years later, as a response to the big spiritual and ecological challenges concerning the humankind at the end of the second Christian millennium, from 20 – 28 September 1997, His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew organised an International Symposium for the Environment Protection, on the theme “The Black Sea in Crisis”. The symposium wanted to signal the danger of the growing pollution of the creation of God and a call to co-responsibility of the decisive factors in the prevention of these dangers, which can be tragic for the entire humankind. His Holiness’ involvement in this project confirms, once again, his progressive-minded and pro-scientific spirit, as well as the fact that the Orthodox Churches are in solidarity as regards the specific contribution which they bring in solving contemporary humanitarian crises.
From 11 – 16 October 1997, His Holiness visited Romania again in order to participate in the 500th anniversary of the consecration of the big church of Neamţ Monastery (1497 – 1997) and in the feast of Saint Parascheva in Iaşi. On that occasion, he consecrated the new church of Neamţ Theological Seminary and the new church of Sihăstria Monastery, and appreciated once again the piety and steadfastness in faith of the Romanian Orthodox believers. On 15 October 1997, the University of Iaşi awarded him the doctor honoris causa title, eulogising in this way the personality and work of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
From 26 – 28 October 1999, His Holiness came to Romania at the International Ecological Symposium, on the theme: The Danube, River of Life. On that occasion, he has also participated in the feast of Saint Dimitrios the New, protector of Bucharest. In the three speeches delivered at the time, His Holiness underlined the need to involve the youth in the life of the Church, the role of the Orthodox Church in contemporary Europe, as well as the importance and place of Theology among the academic sciences. On the same occasion, His Holiness was awarded the doctor honoris causa title by the University of Bucharest, while the President of Romania awarded him the “The Star of Romania” National Order, in Great Cross grade.
A new visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Romania took place from 10 – 14 October 2000. The Romanian Academy awarded him the doctor honoris causa Diploma as a sign of deep appreciation of His Holiness’ academic activity, while the University of Galaţi awarded him the title of doctor honoris causa. From 12 – 14 October 2000, he participated in the feast of Saint Parascheva as well as in the festivities of Iaşi City, having been awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Iaşi.
Four years later, Patriarch Bartholomew came to Romania, from 15 – 21 October 2004, to participate in the festivities occasioned by the commemoration of 500 years since the passing away of Saint Prince Steven the Great. On that occasion, he was awarded the title of Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy and became doctor honoris causa of Babeş Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca and of Ovidius University of Constanţa.
From 4–7 March 2005, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew participated in the festivities dedicated to the anniversary of 120 years of autocephaly and of 80 years of patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church. On that occasion, during the solemn Session of the Holy Synod, we underlined in our paper entitled “Gratitude and Renewal” the role and place of every local Orthodox Church in strengthening and deepening the pan-Orthodox unity.
The brotherly relations between the Romanian Patriarchate and the Ecumenical Patriarchate developed also in the period after our enthronement as Patriarch of Romania (30 September 2007), through the continuation of the work of our predecessors, as we expressed, on various occasions, our esteem both for the love and friendship that His Holiness constantly shows towards our Church and to the Romanian people, and for the wisdom and dynamism that he shows in witnessing Orthodoxy in Constantinople and in other great cities of the world: “During the official visits to Romania, you had the opportunity to notice personally the appreciation the Romanian Orthodox clergy and faithful feel for you, as the respect for the first among the Orthodox Patriarchs, as well as for the traditional relations cultivated between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.”
In his turn, His Holiness confessed several times how much he appreciates the Romanian Orthodox Church and the faithfulness of the hierarchs, clergy and believers for the preservation of the Orthodox faith throughout the centuries. In this sense, Ecumenical Patriarch affirmed, on the occasion of his participation in the festivities occasioned by the anniversary of 125 years of autocephaly and 85 years of patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, on 27 October 2010, at the patronal feast of the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest: “The fact that we lost count of our visits to Romania in our capacity as Ecumenical Patriarch gives testimony to this love […] (We thank God) that He gave us, several times, the opportunity to come here, in order to live together the joy of the communion in the same Holy Spirit, to liturgically affirm, in the Eucharist, the fact that there is an indestructible relationship in the Lord, between the two Churches, between their Primates and hierarchy”.
It is in this light of fraternal communion and pastoral co-responsibility for the good of the entire Orthodoxy that we pray God to bestow His rich gifts upon His Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, now, at the anniversary of 50 years of his Church service and 20 years of pastoral service of the Archdiocese of Constantinople and of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, having been, at the same time, a diligent missionary promoting the contemporary Orthodoxy in a world increasingly secularised and in turmoil.
May Christ, our Lord, “the High Priest” give him many good years of life!
† DANIEL
Patriarch of Romania
During his numerous visits to Romania, the main co-ordinates that His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch, focused on, have defined the view of the Ecumenical Patriarchate concerning the mission of Orthodoxy in the contemporary context, the importance of the relations with the Romanian Orthodox Church, as well as the need for a practical approach to the inter-Orthodox relations. While evaluating the first visit that His Holiness paid to Romania, we underlined the fact that it had a profound ecclesiological and theological content, which pointed out, on the one hand, the place and role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Orthodoxy and, on the other hand, the Orthodox unity between freedom and responsibility, which does not ignore the national identity and freedom (Mother and Sister Church), as well as the Orthodox solidarity and inter-aid that must be manifested to a greater extent.
As regards the relations of the Romanian Patriarchate with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the period of pastoral service of our predecessor, the worth to remember Patriarch Teoctist, was one of the richest. The frequency of the meetings between the Primates and representatives of the two Churches was unprecedented, bringing a new inspiration in the centuries old relations between the two Sister Orthodox Churches. There are, certainly, objective explanations for that, besides the personal factor. One of the main objective elements is the fall of Communism and the release of the Romanian Orthodox Church from under the pressure and control of the atheist totalitarian state, which created a effervescence in the manifestation of faith, stemmed from the feeling of the freedom re-gained and of the responsibility assumed.
Patriarch Bartholomew has greatly contributed to this dynamics of the relations between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Romanian Patriarchate. Once elected on the 22nd of October 1991 and enthroned on the 2nd of November 1991, His Holiness imprinted a new style of presence and action to the activity of the Ecumenical Throne, in the field of inter-Orthodox relations, animated by enthusiasm, by his solid theological education, with a wide vision and rich experience in inter-Christian and interreligious relations. He has always considered himself a good friend of the Romanian Orthodox Church and, thus, of the entire Romanian people. As His Holiness confessed, during the centuries of terrible poverty the Ecumenical Patriarchate passed through, the “Christ’s Church of the poor” has almost exclusively relied on the aid given by the princes of Wallachia and Moldova who have always helped their “Suffering Mother”. In this sense, His Holiness pointed out the following: “History shows us that, in the 17th century, the Romanian rulers, the only Christian princes in the Ottoman Empire, had their throne in the Patriarchal Cathedral in Constantinople just in front of the patriarchal throne, namely where the throne of the Byzantine emperors used to be long time before” (Bucharest, 18 August 1993).
Here we review the meetings of the Primates of the Romanian Patriarchate and of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in order to have a broad picture of the relations between the two Churches throughout the two decades since, by God’s grace, His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew was elected and invested with the dignity of Ecumenical Patriarch.
The first visit of an Ecumenical Patriarch to Romania after the fall of Communism, an official visit not occasioned by any anniversary, took place from 12 – 18 August 1993. This visit can be considered one of the most important ones that Patriarch Bartholomew paid to Romania, taking into account its duration, the very rich programme, the dense content of his many speeches and the inclusion of Transylvania in the programme of the visit. The celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the consecration of the new church in the precincts of the monastic settlement of Brâncoveanu Monastery – Sâmbăta de Sus and His Holiness’ participation in a solemn Meeting of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church as central elements of the visit emphasise the unity and fraternity existing between the two Patriarchates, as well as the manifestation of the spiritual vitality of the Romanian Orthodoxy in the pan-Orthodox context. In fact, at his departure from the airport, Patriarch Bartholomew concluded the visit with regards to the relations between the two Sister Orthodox Churches by saying: “We feel blood brothers with the Romanian people, not only in our common faith, but also in the participation in the same civilisation whose power exceeds the national boundaries and becomes a good of all people”.
At the solemn Meeting of the Holy Synod, His Holiness Bartholomew has prophetically characterised our time as a kairos of Orthodoxy: “the time of Orthodoxy has come and we are already living it”. At this time of changes and challenges of all kinds, His Holiness appreciated, in many of his speeches, the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Church leadership, clergy and faithful people. “Even during the atheist regime, the Orthodox Church of Romania inspired much optimism and admiration. She succeeds in doing the same thing also today… We repeat the wish to overcome the economic crisis rather quickly, so that the Romanian people may be able to build the great cathedral in Bucharest, worthy of the greatness of this people.”
Only two years afterwards, from 21 October – 1 November 1995, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew participated in the festivities occasioned by the anniversary of 110 years of autocephaly and of 70 years of patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church. A characteristic feature of the visit, which we underlined in an article entitled: “Dignity of a faithful people. Universal Orthodoxy gathered in Romania”, is that the Romanian Patriarchate succeeded in organising, on that occasion, a meeting that was almost pan-Orthodox, only a few months after the summit in Patmos, with the participation of several Primates of Orthodox Churches.
Two years later, as a response to the big spiritual and ecological challenges concerning the humankind at the end of the second Christian millennium, from 20 – 28 September 1997, His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew organised an International Symposium for the Environment Protection, on the theme “The Black Sea in Crisis”. The symposium wanted to signal the danger of the growing pollution of the creation of God and a call to co-responsibility of the decisive factors in the prevention of these dangers, which can be tragic for the entire humankind. His Holiness’ involvement in this project confirms, once again, his progressive-minded and pro-scientific spirit, as well as the fact that the Orthodox Churches are in solidarity as regards the specific contribution which they bring in solving contemporary humanitarian crises.
From 11 – 16 October 1997, His Holiness visited Romania again in order to participate in the 500th anniversary of the consecration of the big church of Neamţ Monastery (1497 – 1997) and in the feast of Saint Parascheva in Iaşi. On that occasion, he consecrated the new church of Neamţ Theological Seminary and the new church of Sihăstria Monastery, and appreciated once again the piety and steadfastness in faith of the Romanian Orthodox believers. On 15 October 1997, the University of Iaşi awarded him the doctor honoris causa title, eulogising in this way the personality and work of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
From 26 – 28 October 1999, His Holiness came to Romania at the International Ecological Symposium, on the theme: The Danube, River of Life. On that occasion, he has also participated in the feast of Saint Dimitrios the New, protector of Bucharest. In the three speeches delivered at the time, His Holiness underlined the need to involve the youth in the life of the Church, the role of the Orthodox Church in contemporary Europe, as well as the importance and place of Theology among the academic sciences. On the same occasion, His Holiness was awarded the doctor honoris causa title by the University of Bucharest, while the President of Romania awarded him the “The Star of Romania” National Order, in Great Cross grade.
A new visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Romania took place from 10 – 14 October 2000. The Romanian Academy awarded him the doctor honoris causa Diploma as a sign of deep appreciation of His Holiness’ academic activity, while the University of Galaţi awarded him the title of doctor honoris causa. From 12 – 14 October 2000, he participated in the feast of Saint Parascheva as well as in the festivities of Iaşi City, having been awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Iaşi.
Four years later, Patriarch Bartholomew came to Romania, from 15 – 21 October 2004, to participate in the festivities occasioned by the commemoration of 500 years since the passing away of Saint Prince Steven the Great. On that occasion, he was awarded the title of Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy and became doctor honoris causa of Babeş Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca and of Ovidius University of Constanţa.
From 4–7 March 2005, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew participated in the festivities dedicated to the anniversary of 120 years of autocephaly and of 80 years of patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church. On that occasion, during the solemn Session of the Holy Synod, we underlined in our paper entitled “Gratitude and Renewal” the role and place of every local Orthodox Church in strengthening and deepening the pan-Orthodox unity.
The brotherly relations between the Romanian Patriarchate and the Ecumenical Patriarchate developed also in the period after our enthronement as Patriarch of Romania (30 September 2007), through the continuation of the work of our predecessors, as we expressed, on various occasions, our esteem both for the love and friendship that His Holiness constantly shows towards our Church and to the Romanian people, and for the wisdom and dynamism that he shows in witnessing Orthodoxy in Constantinople and in other great cities of the world: “During the official visits to Romania, you had the opportunity to notice personally the appreciation the Romanian Orthodox clergy and faithful feel for you, as the respect for the first among the Orthodox Patriarchs, as well as for the traditional relations cultivated between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.”
In his turn, His Holiness confessed several times how much he appreciates the Romanian Orthodox Church and the faithfulness of the hierarchs, clergy and believers for the preservation of the Orthodox faith throughout the centuries. In this sense, Ecumenical Patriarch affirmed, on the occasion of his participation in the festivities occasioned by the anniversary of 125 years of autocephaly and 85 years of patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, on 27 October 2010, at the patronal feast of the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest: “The fact that we lost count of our visits to Romania in our capacity as Ecumenical Patriarch gives testimony to this love […] (We thank God) that He gave us, several times, the opportunity to come here, in order to live together the joy of the communion in the same Holy Spirit, to liturgically affirm, in the Eucharist, the fact that there is an indestructible relationship in the Lord, between the two Churches, between their Primates and hierarchy”.
It is in this light of fraternal communion and pastoral co-responsibility for the good of the entire Orthodoxy that we pray God to bestow His rich gifts upon His Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, now, at the anniversary of 50 years of his Church service and 20 years of pastoral service of the Archdiocese of Constantinople and of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, having been, at the same time, a diligent missionary promoting the contemporary Orthodoxy in a world increasingly secularised and in turmoil.
May Christ, our Lord, “the High Priest” give him many good years of life!
† DANIEL
Patriarch of Romania
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