Pastoral Letter of the Holy Synod
of the Romanian Orthodox Church
on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the year of the Lord 2021
To the Most Reverend Clergy and
the beloved faithful of the Romanian Patriarchate,
Grace, peace and joy from God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
and from us, hierarchical blessings!
Most Reverend Fathers and Nuns,
Beloved Faithful, Brothers and Sisters,
We give glory to God the One worshipped in the Trinity, Who, - despite all the trials and temptations that all humanity has contended with, and still does, - has given us this year the opportunity to walk on the path of repentance, beginning the "journey of virtues [...] girded with the endeavor of fasting"[1] in order to "see the most precious Passion of Christ God and the Holy Resurrection, with spiritual joy."[2]
This Sunday, called of Orthodoxy, the first pause during our spiritual journey of Great Lent, was established by the Holy Patriarch Methodius of Constantinople, following the local Synod of Constantinople in March 843, which officially enshrined the definitive proclamation of venerating the holy icons.[3]
This dogmatic proclamation, however, followed a long crisis, spread over the 8th and 9th centuries. It manifested itself in the fight against the icons and those who were venerating them, being called, because of this, the iconoclastic crisis or iconoclasm. The disturbances generated by the iconoclastic crisis manifested themselves over two periods, marked by many persecutions of the Byzantine emperors against icons, but also by a strong resistance of brilliant theologians and godly people, defenders of the holy icons. The latter, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, revealed to all the theological, liturgical, and catechetical value of the icon in the life of the Church and of the Christian believers who strengthen their communion with God and His saints. During the first period of persecution against icons (730-787), we note among the defenders of Orthodoxy, the Holy Patriarch Herman the 1st of Constantinople (715-730) and St. John of Damascus (675-749). The first gave the first testimony of Orthodoxy against iconoclasm, stating that the tradition of depicting the Lord Jesus Christ in the icons derives from His revealed Theophany, that is, from His Incarnation, life in the flesh, Passion and redeeming death.[4] For his part, Saint John of Damascus managed to admirably summarize the Orthodox teaching about icons in his three treatises on icons. In this sense, he says: In the old days, God, without body or form, could not be depicted in any way (in the icon). But today, because God has revealed Himself in the flesh and lived among men, I can portray what is visible in God. I do not venerate the matter, but the Creator of the matter, who became matter for me, who assumed life in the flesh, and who, through matter, achieved my salvation.[5]
The first iconoclastic period ended with the Seventh Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, in 787, convened by the Holy Empress Irina, where the clear and unequivocal distinction between the veneration or relative honor of the icon and the adoration that is due to God alone was precisely expressed.
The second iconoclastic period broke out under the secular reign of the iconoclastic emperor Leon the VthArmenian (813-820) and lasted until 843. But still during this time God ordained wonderful, godly people, such as Saint Theodor the Studite (759-826) and Holy Patriarch Nicephorus the Confessor of Constantinople (806-828). Saint Theodor the Studite justifies the practice of painting the icon of the Lord Jesus Christ on the basis of the Incarnation of the eternal Son of God. Thus, the icon of Christ is not only the face of the man Jesus of Nazareth, but the image of the unique Hypostasis of the Son and Word of God, who became man, for the salvation of men.
The second period of the iconoclastic crisis ended during the Holy Empress Teodora[6] and the Holy Patriarch Methodius of Constantinople, by restoring the veneration of the holy icons at the local Synod convened in Constantinople in 843. The decisions of the 7th Ecumenical Council of Nicaea of 787 are now reaffirmed, and the iconoclasm is definitively condemned along with all heresies up to that time.
Due to the fact that the works of the Synod in 843 ended on the Saturday before the first Sunday of Lent (March 11), the official document, called the Orthodox Synodicon, was solemnly read the following day, on Sunday the 5th the first Sunday of Lent.
Ever since then, it has been decided that every year, starting in 843, on the first Sunday of the Holy and Great Lent, called the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the Triumph or the Victory of Orthodoxy, be celebrated throughout the Orthodox world.
Beloved spiritual sons and daughters,
The veneration of the holy icons, as established by the Holy Fathers in the Holy Synods, is an act of confession of the truth about the Incarnation of the eternal Son of God, an act of communion with God and His saints, but also an exhortation to saintly life and deeds of merciful love in every place and at all times.
For the confession of the Orthodox faith, we are called to cleanse our minds of all passions and to do the good and right deeds, to renew and enlighten ourselves with virtues, bearing in mind the words of the Apostle James: "faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:17). This way, we move towards the likeness of God, to the deification by grace, of which Saint Gregory of Nyssa says: "Each of us is the painter of his own life: the soul is the canvas, the virtues are the colors, and Christ is the model that we must paint."[7]
By today’s celebration of the Sunday of Orthodoxy or the Victory of the right Faith, we are also called to be victorious, by the grace of God, over the passions of greed and pride within us, which always lurk, replacing them with the virtues of humility and merciful love towards the people around us, so that we may rediscover in them the image of the humble Christ.
Beloved faithful,
The year 2021, - proclaimed by the Holy Synod as the Homage Year of Romanians abroad and the Commemorative Year of the fallen asleep in the Lord; the liturgical and cultural value of cemeteries, - offers the opportunity to manifest more intensely our love and longing for the Romanian brothers outside the country's borders, but also the opportunity to think about the departed ones.
In this context, we remind you that in 2021 we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the First celebration of Romanians from everywhere, a missionary and cultural event that took place in 1871 at Putna Monastery, initiated by the poet Mihai Eminescu, which enjoyed the participation of personalities such as the writer Ioan Slavici and the historian Alexandru D. Xenopol. The anniversary of a century and a half of this event will again be marked this year at the Church founded by Saint Voivod Stephan the Great, on August 15th, on the feast of the Dormition of Mother of God, in order to affirm and strengthen the unity of Romanians who live in the country and abroad and to reinforce our brotherly ties, the communion of love and cooperation for the common good of the Romanian people.
At the same time, in order to reaffirm our gratitude and love for those asleep in the Lord, it is the moral duty of every Orthodox Christian to mention in their private prayers, at the Divine Liturgy and other religious services, those who are no longer with us, to honor their memory and commemorate their good deeds, as well as to care for their graves, but also the monuments of Romanian heroes. Also, according to the tradition established by our Church, the Orthodox Sunday initiates a collection for the Central Missionary Fund, for the assistance of the parishes within the country and abroad who are in difficulty and for sustaining the social, philanthropic and educational activities that preserve the spiritual and cultural identity of Romanian Orthodox Christians.
The generous giving and opening toward those in need, represents a luminous example of Christian life, of a person, a community and of an entire nation. Throughout history, the Romanian Orthodox Christian learned that only by giving he would receive, which led him to give from his little to the deprived, so that he too would be helped in moments of trying times. Thus, the kindness and generosity of our ancestors and parents has become a blessed opportunity for the people to increase spiritually in faith and good deeds, to maintain a strong bond of brotherhood with Romanians who live in foreign lands, but also to preserve the reputation of good Christians, showing that love for God is beautifully intertwined with love for fellowmen.
We have the conviction and hope that this year you will again respond with Christian generosity to the call to help those in need, contributing to the continuation of the missionary and social-philanthropic work of the Church, for the benefit of Romanian Orthodox believers everywhere.
Wishing you to have a blessed Great Lent, with many spiritual achievements, we embrace you with holy blessing: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!" (2 Corinthians 13:13).
PRESIDENT OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
† D A N I EL
Archbishop of Bucharest,
Metropolitan of Muntenia and Dobrogea,
Locum Tenens of the throne of Caesarea of Cappadocia and
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
- † Teofan
Archbishop of Iaşi and Metropolitan of Moldova and Bucovina - † Laurentiu
Archbishop of Sibiu and Metropolitan of Transylvania - † Andrei
Archbishop of Vad, Feleac and Cluj and the Metropolitan of Cluj, Maramures and Salaj - † Irineu
Archbishop of Craiova and Metropolitan of Oltenia - † Ioan
Archbishop of Timisoara and Metropolitan of Banat - † Petru
Archbishop of Chisinau, Metropolitan of Basarabia and Exarch of the Plains - † Iosif
Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of Western Europe and Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe - † Serafim
Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of Germany, Austria and Luxembourg and Metropolitan Romanian Orthodox of Germany, Central and North of Europe - † Nicolae
Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of the United States and Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of of the Americas - † Nifon
Honorary Metropolitan, Archbishop of Târgovişte and the Exarh Patriarchal - † Theodosie
Archbishop of Tomis - † Calinic
Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuţi - † Irineu
Archbishop of Alba Iulia - † Varsanufie
Archbishop of Râmnic - † Ioachim
Archbishop of Roman and Bacau - † Calinic
Archbishop of Arges and Muscel - † Ciprian
Archbishop of Buzau and Vrancea - † Casian
Archbishop of the Lower Danube - † Timotei
Archbishop of Arad - † Ignatie
Bishop of Huşilor - † Lucian
Bishop of Caransebes - † Sofronie
Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Oradea - † Iustin
Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Maramures and Satmarului - † Nicodim
Bishop of Severin and Strehaia - † Antonie
Bishop of Bălți - † Veniamin
Bishop of Southern Basarabia - † Vincentiu - Bishop of Slobozia and Calarasi
- † Andrei
Bishop of Covasna and Harghita - † Galaction
Bishop of Alexandria and Teleorman - † Ambrosie
Bishop of Giurgiu - † Sebastian
Bishop of Slatina and Romanati - † Visarion
Bishop of Tulcea - † Petroniu
Bishop of Salaj - † Gurie
Bishop of Deva and Hunedoara - † Daniil
Episcopul Daciei Felix - † Siluan
Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Hungary - † Siluan
The Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Italy - † Timotei
Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Spain and Portugal - † Macarie
Romanian Orthodox Bishop of North Europe - † Mihail
Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Australia and New Zealand - † Ioan Casian
Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada - † Varlaam Ploiesteanul
Patriarchal Auxiliary - Bishop - † Ieronim Sinaitul
Patriarchal Auxiliary - Bishop - † Timotei Prahoveanul
Auxiliary - Bishop of Bucharest Archdiocese - † Ilarion Fagarasanul
Auxiliary - Bishop of the Archdiocese of Sibiu - † Benedict Bistriteanul
Auxiliary - Bishop of the Archdiocese of Vad, Feleac and Cluj - † Paisie Lugojanul
Auxiliary – bishop of the Archdiocese of Timisoara - † Marc Nemteanul
Auxiliary - Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western Europe - † Sofian Brasoveanul
Auxiliary - Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxembourg - † Damaschin Dorneanul
Auxiliary – Bishop of Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți - † Emilian Crisanul
Auxiliary – Bishop of Archdiocese of Arad - † Timotei Satmareanul
Auxiliary – Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar - † Atanasie of Bogdania
Auxilary - bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Dicoese of Italy - † Teofil of Iberia
Auxiliary - bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Spain and Portugal
_________
[1] Triod, printed with the approval of the Holy Synod and with the blessing of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Ed. of Biblical Institute and Orthodox Mission, Bucharest, 2010, p. 110.
[3] On March 11, we commemorate the Holy Hierarch Sophronius, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, a great defender of Orthodoxy against Monothelite heresy.
[4] John Meyendorff, Byzantine Theology. Historical Trends and Doctrinal Themes, Ed. Institute
of Bible and Mission of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bucharest, 1996, p. 64.
[5] St. John of Damascus, The Three Treaties against Iconoclasts, trad. Fr. Dumitru Fecioru, EIBMO, Bucharest, 2016, pp. 65-66.
[6] On the island of Kerkyra (Corfu), known place of pilgrimage due to the presence of the relics of St. Hierarch Spiridon of Tremithus the Wonder-worker, great defender of the dogma of the Holy Trinity at the I Ecumenical Synod of Nicaea (325), by the famous demonstration of the melted brick, - through the prayers of the Saint, - in the three constituent elements, fire, earth and water, holy relics placed in the Church dedicated to the Great Wonderworker, in the Metropolitan Cathedral of the island are located, for veneration, in front of the iconostasis of the Holy Altar, the intact holy relics, as well as those of St. Spiridon, and of the Holy Empress Theodora, the defender of the Holy Orthodoxy.
[7] Sf. Gregory of Nyssa, On holiness, to the monastic Olympius, in Sf. Gregory of Nyssa, Writings II, in coll. Church Fathers and Writers, no. 30 - Old series, Ed. of Biblical Institute and
Mission of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bucharest, 1982, pp. 467-468.
