Pastoral Letter of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church

on Sunday of Orthodoxy in the Year of the Lord 2023

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, Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

After the first week of fasting in which we participated in the service of the Canon of Repentance of Saint Andrew of Crete, we live this Sunday, the Sunday of Orthodoxy, moments of spiritual joy, since, at the Divine Liturgy, we partake of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ever since the apostolic period, the Church had to deal with heresies and schisms, i.e. deviations from the truth of faith, for centuries. Heretics and all those who have fallen into various errors have caused division among Christians, some out of ignorance and others for personal reasons. To stop the wanderings, the Church organized local synods, and when the extent of the heresies was found, the Ecumenical Councils were organized, in which hierarchs from the whole Church participated.

Thus, starting with the first Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, from the year 325, and until the sixth Ecumenical Council in Constantinople, from the years 680-681, the Church formulated and established essential truths of the teaching of faith, such as: the divinity of the Son of God and the Holy Spirit, the union of the divine nature and the human nature through the Incarnation of the Son of God, the existence of two wills, corresponding to the two natures - human and divine - in the Person of the Savior Jesus Christ. However, all these were not simple theories or philosophical formulations. The Holy Fathers, inspired by God, understood that any teaching of faith is directly related to salvation or the acquisition of eternal life (cf. Matthew 5, 19). "If Christ is not God, He cannot deify me," said St. Athanasius the Great.

Beloved Christians,

In the 8th century, a new heresy appeared, according to which the veneration of icons and holy relics would be idolatry. In front of it, important representatives of the Church showed that the icons are not worshiped, but by honoring them, the holy persons, painted, depicted on them, are venerated. It is not the matter from which the icons are made that is honored, but the saints that the icons represent.

Emperors, such as Leo III Isaurus (717-741) and his son Constantine V Copronimus (741775), fought a fierce battle against icons. They ordered the removal of the icons from the Churches and from the houses of the believers. Works of great historical and artistic value were collected and burned. During this period, many hierarchs, monks, priests, and believers, who professed the right veneration of the holy icons, were mutilated, exiled and even killed.

Numerous monasteries were set on fire, demolished, or transformed into barracks. The painting and mosaics were destroyed or covered with plaster. During the reign of Leo IV the Hazarus (775-780), many dignitaries who venerated the icons were deposed, ill-treated or sent to monasteries and were forced to become monks. Also, the empress Irina was exiled because she honored icons and was on the side of those who defended the cult of icons.

In 780, after the death of Leo IV, Empress Irina became regent for her minor son, Constantine VI (780-797). Through her care, under the presidency of Patriarch Tarasius of Constantinople, the 7th Ecumenical Council was organized in the Church of Saint Sophia in Nicea, in the year 787, and the cult of honoring icons was restored. A number of 343 bishops participated, to which were added prominent representatives from among monks and lay priests. At this synod the following teaching of faith was formulated:

"We preserve unchanged all the written or unwritten church traditions entrusted to us, in which there is also the iconic printing by painting, which is in accordance with the history of the evangelical preaching, to the conviction that the incarnation of God the Word was true, and not imagined, bringing us a similar benefit. [...] As things stand, following the royal path and following the God-inspired teachings of our Holy Fathers, as well as the Tradition of the Universal Church, because we recognize that this is of the Holy Spirit, Who dwells in it, we decide with all accuracy and the care that, like the model of the venerable and life-giving Cross, the venerable and holy icons, whether of colors or of mosaic or of any other suitable material, should be raised in the holy churches of God, on the holy vessels and on the vestments, on walls and on wood, in houses and by roads; [namely] the icon of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ and of our Most Pure Lady, the Holy Mother of God, of the venerable angels and of all holy and pious men. For the more often these are seen in iconic representation, the more those who look upon them will be raised to remember and desire the prototypes and give them a kiss and a righteous veneration. But not the true adoration, which, according to our faith, belongs only to the divine nature, but like that brought to the image of the venerable and life-giving Cross, the Holy Gospels, and the other holy liturgical objects; in their honor incense will be brought and lights will be lit, according to the pious custom of the ancients. For the veneration [brought] to the icon passes to the prototype, and the one who venerates the icon venerates the hypostasis painted in it."^[1]

Shortly after this victory, the peace of the Church was disturbed again. Emperor Leo V the Armenian (813-820), although he swore before the Patriarch that he would respect the decisions of the 7th Ecumenical Synod, he turned out to be an iconomach, i.e. a new persecutor of icons. Icons and holy crosses were collected and burned, and holy relics destroyed. Patriarch Nicephorus of Constantinople (806-815), the author of two treatises against the iconoclasts, together with the

bishops, abbots and monks defending the icons, including St. Theodore the Studite, were removed, some of them being ill-treated and killed. St. Theodore the Studite, abbot of the Studion Monastery, states very clearly that the veneration of the icon of Christ is directed towards the Person of Christ: "The icon of Christ is nothing but Christ, obviously apart from the difference of substance, as has already been shown several times. That is why its worship is also a worship of Christ, since nothing is worshiped from the matter of the icon, but only Christ, the One who is likened in it. And those that have only one similarity have only one worship."^[2]

Beloved Spiritual Sons and Daughters,

In 843, when Empress Theodora convened a synod in Constantinople, the decisions of the 7th Ecumenical Councils and the cult of icons were confirmed, and Patriarch Methodius of Constantinople (843-847) testified to the victory of the Church over all the heresies of the first eight centuries. He created a Synodicon, in which he presented the Orthodox teaching, condemning all heresies, and ordered the restoration of the worship of icons in the holy churches. On March 11, 843, at the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy, performed in the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople, Patriarch Methodius made public the fact that the first Sunday of Great Lent will be called the Sunday of Orthodoxy, that is, of the right faith.

On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the victory of the Church against all heresies is celebrated, year after year, and those who remained faithful to the Church in moments of great trial are commemorated.

In the Holy Scriptures there are many proofs that highlight the duty of each of us to venerate the holy icons. Already, in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis, it is said that God created man in His image and likeness (cf. Genesis 1, 26-27). Therefore, man was created in the image (icon) of God.

God so loved the world, that he gave His Only-Begotten Son so that the world might have life, and more abundantly (cf. John 3, 16; 10, 10). Therefore, the Son of God became incarnate and became Man, because He is the icon of the Father (cf. Hebrews 1, 2-3). That is why Jesus Christ Himself said: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 12, 45; 14, 9). St. John Damascene refers to the representation of God in the icon, saying: “I paint the invisible God, not as invisible, but as One Who has made Himself visible to us by participation in flesh and blood. I do not paint the unseen divinity but paint the visible Body of God."^[3]

The holy icons painted in our churches represented the bible of the ignorant, because they have an important role in increasing Christian piety. The icon is a means to better understand the work of salvation brought by the Savior Jesus Christ. "We do not make a mistake when we make the icon of God Who became incarnate, Who appeared on earth in the flesh and dwelt among men,

Who took, because of His unspeakable goodness, the nature, materiality, shape and color of the body."^[4]

The pious Christians honored the icons representing royal holidays, the Mother of God and the icons depicting the faces of the saints. Present at the Divine Liturgies, at the various religious services and blessings celebrated in our churches, the faithful increase in piety, thanks to the spiritual presence of the saints painted in the icons. The The iconostasis, as a support with special icons, symbolizing the Kingdom of Heaven, helps the believer to enter into communion with God and His saints. Everyone's mind is enlightened by seeing the light of Christ's presence, and the heart rejoices. The joy of the Orthodox believer continues at home, where, in front of the icons on the east wall, he performs his special prayer.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

The icon can be a beautiful and chosen gift given to our loved ones: relatives, friends, colleagues, or acquaintances, on different moments in their lives, among which we remember the birthday or name day. By donating Holy Icons, Bibles, Psalters, or Prayer Books, we perform deeds pleasing to God.

Likewise, a good deed of great value is charity towards those in need, suffering or sick, who have no one left. By supporting parish churches or monasteries, like the founders, faithful rulers, or nobles from the past of our ancestral Church, we commit deeds that are written in the Book of Life. These good deeds represent the spiritual endowment or light of our soul in eternal life.

In this sense, the Savior Jesus Christ commanded: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful!" (Luke 6, 36). In the Book of the Acts of the Apostles we read that "the prayers and acts of charity of Cornelius went up for remembrance before God" (Acts 10, 4). St. Basil the Great, referring to acts of almsgiving, affirms that these remain counted before the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity. He who gives from his little to the poor becomes spiritually rich: "You gave to the hungry; but what you gave remains yours and it comes back to you with more."^[5]

That is why the Romanian Orthodox Church ordered, seven decades ago, that on Orthodoxy Sunday, a collection called the Central Missionary Fund should be made in all the churches of the Romanian Patriarchate. The sums collected were and are used for the development of social and philanthropic assistance projects and programs. There is still a need to support places of worship and social establishments belonging to the Church. Through this fund, some Romanian communities outside the country's borders will also be supported, especially those that do not have a place of worship.

Let each of us strive to contribute as much as possible to this collection, considering the words of St. John Chrysostom: "Whatever those who give alms ask from God, they immediately receive the gift of the request. Charity towards God has so much honor and courage that not only

does it wash away the sins of the merciful, even it banishes death also, and it is proved that charity rules overall and conquers death."^[6]

Let's use the time of the Holy Easter Fasting to increase in prayer and good deeds, hoping that we will spiritually enjoy the Great Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We embrace you with paternal love and pray that "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and 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

† VARLAAM PLOIEȘTEANUL,

Patriarchal Auxiliary - Bishop

† TIMOTEI PRAHOVEANUL,

Auxiliary - Bishop of Bucharest Archdiocese

† ILARION FĂGĂRĂȘANUL,

Auxiliary - Bishop of the Archdiocese of Sibiu

† PAISIE LUGOJEANUL,

Auxiliary – Bishop of Archdiocese of

Timisoara

† SOFIAN BRAȘOVEANUL, Auxiliary – Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox

Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxembourg

† EMILIAN CRIȘANUL,

† IERONIM SINAITUL,

Patriarchal Auxiliary – Bishop

† NICHIFOR BOTOȘĂNEANUL

Auxiliary-bishop  of Iași Archdiocese  

† BENEDICT BISTRITEANUL,

Auxiliary - Bishop of the Archdiocese of Vad, Fealea and Cluj

Archdiocese of Iaşi

† MARC NEMȚEANUL,

Auxiliary – Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox

Archdiocese of Western Europe

† DAMASCHIN DORNEANUL,

Auxiliary - bishop of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuţi

† TIMOTEI SĂTMĂREANUL,

Auxiliary – Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox

Auxiliary - bishop of the Archdiocese of Arad                Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar

       † GHERONTIE HUNEDOREANUL,                       † ATANASIE DE BOGDANIA,

Auxiliary – Bishop      Auxiliary – Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox of Deva and Hunedoara Diocese    Diocese of Italy

† TEOFIL DE IBERIA,

Auxiliary – Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox

Diocese of Spain and Portugal

__________________

[1] Fr. Sorin Șelaru (coord.). The dogmatic decisions of the seven Ecumenical Synods. Basilica Publishing House, Bucharest, 2018, pp. 567-571.

[2] St. Theodore the Studite. In Defense of the Holy Icons. The file of a theological resistance, Antiheretic III (14) (trans. Deacon Ioan Ică jr, Deisis Publishing House, Sibiu, 2017, p. 291.

[3] St. John Damascene. Veneration of holy icons. The three treatises against the iconoclasts, Biblical and Mission

Institute Publishing House of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bucharest, 1998, p. 41 

[4] St. John Damascene. Cult of holy icons. The three treatises against the iconoclasts, p. 123.

[5] St. Basil the Great. Homilies and speeches, III, in coll. Church Fathers and Writers, new series, vol. 1. (trans., introduction, notes and indexes by Fr. Dumitru Fecioru) Basilica Publishing House, Bucharest, 2009, p. 116.

[6] Deacon Gheorghe Băbuț. The Pearls of St. John Chrysostom, Pelerinul roman Publishing House, Oradea, 1994, p.

68.