The proclamation of the year 2024 in the Romanian Patriarchate as the "Homage Year of Pastoral Care and Care of the Sick" and the "Commemorative Year of all Holy Doctors Unmercenary"

(Patriarchal Cathedral, Monday, January 1, 2024)

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, in its working session on February 9, 2023, examined the report of the Chancellery of the Holy Synod regarding the declaration of the year 2024 in the Romanian Patriarchate as the "Homage Year of Pastoral Care of the Sick" and the "Commemorative Year of all Holy Doctor Unmercenary".

The proposal of the Chancellery of the Holy Synod for two themes, homage and commemorative, for the year 2024, is supported in particular by the accelerated growth in recent years of the number of people affected by classic diseases and current multiple addictions.

Considering that human life and health are gifts of God towards which the Church always shows her care and responsibility, the dedication of the year 2024 to increased attention to people who are sick or affected by addictions (dependencies, passions) will also be reflected also in the social-philanthropic and social-medical plan in medical institutions established and administered by the Church (medical offices, recovery centers, hospitals), but also in state medical institutions, through the cooperation between priests and doctors or psychologists.

Likewise, the commemoration in the year 2024 of all Holy Doctors Unmercenary in the piety of the Romanian people is a favorable moment to increase prayer for the healing of the sick and to appreciate those who take care of the sick in their homes or in hospitals.

According to the framework program (liturgical, cultural and media),

1. In the first semester of 2024, the theme will be treated: "Homage year of pastoral care of the sick", which will be presented as follows:
2. Forms of pastoral care and care of the sick in the Holy Scripture;
3. The pastoral work of the Church and its servants for the care of the sick;
4. The social-philanthropic and medical work of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

1. In the second semester of 2024, the theme will be dealt with: "The commemorative year of all Holy Doctors Unmercenary", which will be presented as follows:
2. Christ, the doctor of our souls and bodies;
3. The Holy Doctors Unmercenary and the meaning of honoring them;
4. The Holy Doctors Unmercenary in the history of the Church.

Following discussions in plenary, at the proposal of the Pastoral, Monastic and Social Commission, the Holy Synod decided:

1. approves the declaration of the year 2024, in the Romanian Patriarchate, as the "Homage Year of Pastoral Care of the Sick" and "Commemorative Year of all Holy Doctors Unmercenary";
2. approves the framework program (theological-educational, cultural and media) entitled "2024 - The Homage Year of Pastoral Care of the Sick and the Commemorative Year of all Holy Doctors Unmercenary".

President of the Holy Synod

† Daniel

Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church