New decisions of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church
On Thursday, February 9, 2023, in the Aula Magna "Teoctist the Patriarch" in the Palace of the Patriarchate, under the presidency of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, the working session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church took place.
The Holy Synod elected, by secret vote, the Rev. Fr. Archimandrite Gherontie Ciupe as the vicar-bishop of the Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara. The new vicar-bishop will bear the title of His Grace Gherontie of Hunedora vicar-bishop. The ordination as a bishop will take place in Deva on Sunday, February 19, 2023.
During the same meeting, the following decisions were also taken:
- Declaring the year 2024 in the Romanian Patriarchate as the Homage Year of pastoring and caring for the sick and the Commemorative Year of all Holy Wonderworking Unmercenary Physicians;
- Approval of the program of the International Encounter of Orthodox Youth (ITO 2023), an event that will take place in Timișoara between August 31 and September 3, 2023;
- Approval of the text of the Akathist of Saint Pious Porfirie Cavsocalivitul (December 2) and its inclusion in the liturgical books of the Romanian Orthodox Church;
- Approval of the text of the Religious Services (Matins and Vespers) of Saints Varsanufius and John of Gaza (February 6) and its inclusion in the liturgical books of the Romanian Orthodox Church;
- Approval of the recognition of autocephaly granted to the Church of the Republic of North Macedonia under the name "Archbishopric of Ohrid and North Macedonia, with headquarters in Skopje", by the Patriarchate of Serbia through the synodal Tomos issued on June 5, 2022. Its primate will be mentioned with the title "His Beatitude Stefan, Archbishop of Ohrid, Skopje and North Macedonia";
- Approval of the organization at the level of the Romanian Patriarchate of a collection for the victims affected by the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria;
- In relation to the situation of the Romanian Orthodox parishes in the area of Northern Bucovina, under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church firmly maintains its favorable position to respect the rights and freedoms of Romanian communities throughout Ukraine, as Ukrainians throughout Romania are respected.
The Holy Synod took note of the results of the social-philanthropic activity of the Romanian Orthodox Church from the year 2022, which indicate the amount of 339.925.775 RON (approximately 69.000.000 EUROS), including the amount of 42.904.050 RON offered to support refugees from Ukraine.
Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate
(basilica.ro)
