To the Monastic and Parish Clergy
And
To Beloved Faithful of the Romanian Patriarchate,
Grace, joy and peace from God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
and from us hierarchical blessings!
Distinguished ministers of the Holy Altars,
Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord,
We are in a particularly rich spiritual time, having a special spiritual beauty, uniquely expressed through the liturgical order we went through in the first week of the Lent. The call of the liturgical texts to acknowledge our state of sin and to endeavor, through repentance, to strive towards "the measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13), illuminated the soul in the early days of this time of the Lent before the Easter.
This spiritual journey to the feast of the Resurrection will be continued with Christ the Lord - the Great Pilgrim, who accompanies us, through the Sacraments of the Church, especially through a more often Confession and Communion, with a more careful and intense preparation.
The first Sunday of the Great Lent is called the Sunday of Orthodoxy and is a real calling to cultivate our spiritual identity and to respond to the call of Jesus Christ: "Come after me" (John 1:43), as the text of today's Gospel shows us. In the confused contemporary society, the Orthodoxy of life means to unite the confession of the right faith with the right daily living. In this way, we can also send to our fellows the invitation of St. Philip the Apostle: "Come and see!" (John 1:46).
The sharing or communication of true faith is achieved through word, but also by the light of human living in communion with Christ. In this regard, Father Dumitru Staniloae stated: "The words of Christ have an exceptional unifying power through the evidence of the truth they express, through the love they communicate ... In fact, the word is a person, or the person is a word. It cannot be one without the other. The word is person to person and person is word to person. Even if it is silent, the person speaks to me ... because it is a life that palpitate for me, that is attentive to me and tells me it through words or by its mere presence.”[1] In a crowded and yet lonely spiritually world, Orthodoxy proposes to get out of this crisis through the communion of persons in the love of God, communion "deeper when (people) think together and communicate their thoughts through words about God, as their origin, and to the world as a common and necessary environment for them as persons."[2]
Beloved Christian faithful,
This vivid and luminous expression of our righteous faith through liturgical communion is celebrated especially on the Sunday of Orthodoxy. The origin of this feast is found in an extremely troubled period, held between the years 726-843, when the worshipers of the holy icons met the contempt of those who ignored the icons, called iconoclasts. The pride and adversity of Emperor Leo III Isaurian (717-741) determined that the iconoclasm would become the official religious policy of the empire. Overwhelmed by the impassionedness and lacking in credible arguments, Emperor Leon Isaurian justifies his decisions against the honoring of icons by an absolutist and radical principle: "I am emperor and priest at the same time."[3] This arrogant and abusive attitude was brilliantly and firmly resisted by St. John of Damascus, of St. Sava Monastery near Jerusalem. He protested both the fact that the emperor took on him unfounded rights to the Christian teaching, and to the new imperial policy that rejected the icons.
In his attempt to define the icon, arguing that it is not a carved face or an idol, St. John of Damascus offers a logical explanation of the icon, this being a likeness that depicts the original. In this sense, he says: "The icon is therefore not identical to the original but differs from it with something and in something. The icon is a likeness, a model, a footprint of someone, who shows in it the one who is depicted in the icon."[4] In other words, the icon shows us the Person depicted on it, which we cannot physically have in front of us, because if the Person were physically next to us, we would not need the icon. Thus, the icon aims to orient the soul towards the Person represented on the icon, because "the man, being circumscribed in time and space, cannot have a direct knowledge of the unseen, neither the past or the future, nor those distant in space."[5] Christ the Lord became man in a substantial and real way, lived on earth, lived with people, worked wonders, suffered, was crucified, resurrected from the dead and ascended to heaven, all of which actually happened in the sight of people. Therefore, "when these were done, His face was displayed in the icon to remind us of Him and to learn teachings, we whom were not present then, because without seeing, but hearing and believing, that we may have part of the happiness of the Lord."[6] The tradition of worshiping icons is unwritten, as unwritten is the worshiping facing the east or making the sign of the holy cross, and by worshiping the holy icons we bring honor to the Person who is depicted in the icon, but not the material from which it is made. Therefore, St. John of Damascus said, "I do not worship matter, but He who has made Himself matter for me," that is, the incarnated Christ, who has become man.
The Seventh Ecumenical Council, held in Constantinople between September 24 and October 13, 787, debated the problem of iconoclasm. By the consent of the Holy Fathers the participants confirmed the church tradition regarding the honoring of the holy icons, formulating, in the last session, the orthodox teaching about the holy icons. However, the reception of the decisions of the VII Ecumenical Council was difficult especially after the coronation of the iconoclastic emperor Leon Armenian (813-820), who shortly after the proclamation of the teaching on the recognition of icons, reopened another period of rejection of the icons and of persecution of those who were honoring the holy icons. For this reason, the definitive victory of Orthodoxy against the iconoclasts was proclaimed only in the year 843, on the first Sunday of the Great Lent. This victory was largely due to the blessed Empress Theodora, but also to Patriarch Methodius of Constantinople (843-847), who, together with the orthodox faithful, definitively and officially proclaimed the cult of the Holy Icons through a triumphal procession in the capital of the Empire. As a sign of remembrance of this victory, until now at the feast of the Sunday of Orthodoxy, there are organized processions of Orthodox believers carrying holy icons.
Beloved Christians,
By honoring the holy icons, this Sunday of Orthodoxy calls us to discover the image of the Eternal God imprinted in man (cf. Acts 1:26-27), but also the immortality of the human soul resulting from this quality. St. Athanasius the Great, in the "Treaty on the Incarnation of the Word," states that God gave man not only the existence, but also the ability to know God and to live eternally in communion with Him.
Overwhelmed by the many problems and temptations, which he is no longer able to cope with, today's man can no longer find time to cultivate the image of God in him, to reach the likeness of the Holy God, that is, to holiness. By neglecting the communion with God and the growth according to the image of God in him, but also by overbidding the body as the interface of dialogue, man becomes alien to himself and to his vocation to acquire eternal life. And in the vacuum of his sorrow, he aggressively proclaims that God has forsaken him or that God does not exist, and man's life ends with the death of the body. Or, "only in loving God and only in the consciousness that he (human person) is loved by God, man goes on in a life that he never becomes saturated with. Even who truly loves a man, and is loved by him, would not want him to die either,” says Father Dumitru Stãniloae.[7]
In this regard, the saints of God in the heavens, painted in icons, are our teachers and intercessors for us, at any time and in any place, because in them the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ works, who "yesterday, today and forever is the same ”(Hebrews 13: 8). Coming to this knowledge of man's vocation, to attain holiness through communion with God the Holy One, we will understand the man's need to heal from sin as a selfish existence, to discover the joy of communion with God and with the fellow humans, in time and in eternity. That is why the Holy Apostle Paul exhorts us, saying, "Seek peace with all men and holiness, without which no one will see God" (Hebrews 12:14).
Beloved Spiritual Sons and Daughters,
In order to highlight the generous contribution of the church communities in helping those in need, as a concrete response to the merciful love of Christ celebrated in the Eucharistic Liturgy, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church consecrated the year 2020 as "Commemorative year of the Romanian Orthodox philanthropists". The organization of the philanthropy by the Church over time is a model assumed by our Church today. The more than 800 institutions, projects and social-philanthropic programs, organized and supported by the Romanian Orthodox Church, represent a living testimony of the value of the human image being in poverty and suffering. Thus, the vocation of the merciful love of the faithful believer can be expressed in Christian philanthropy, in concrete deeds to help the people in difficulty.
That is why, especially during the Lent before the Easter, we have the opportunity to show our merciful and humble love towards the suffering people. Whenever they were called to support their fellows in need and suffering, our believers showed brotherly love and affection. Such an exhortation addresses our Church and on the first Sunday of the Great Lent by organizing a collection for the Central Missionary Fund, in order to support the pastoral, missionary and social-philanthropic projects of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
We therefore urge you, with all our fatherly love, to help the missionary work of the isolated and aging parishes in our country, where hard-working and devoted priests serve God and the people. Through the contribution of all, the philanthropic work of the Church in society, to support our neighbor in difficulty, will be broader and more effective, because "the one who has mercy on the poor lends to God, and He will repay him according to his gift." (Proverbs of Solomon 19:17). By answering this call, through our mutual support, the Romanian parish communities from the diaspora will feel closer to their home, strengthening their identity of faith and as nation.
Thanking the Lord for shedding His generosity and His perfect gift upon us, we wish you all to have a beneficent spiritual ascension toward Easter, at the end of which we will meet Christ Jesus, the crucified and resurrected One, "that our joy may be complete” (2 John 1:12). We bless you paternally through the words of the Saint Apostle Paul: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the sharing 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
† Pimen
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
† Siluan
Romanian Orthodox Bishop
of Hungary and Locum Tenens of Dacia Felix
† 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
† Calinic Botoşăneanul
Auxiliary - Bishop
of the Archdiocese of Iaşi
† Ilarion Fagarasanul
Auxiliary - Bishop
of the Archdiocese of Sibiu
† Benedict Bistriteanul
Auxiliary - Bishop of the Archdiocese
of Vad, Feleac and Cluj
† Paisie Lugojeanul
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
† Teofil of Iberia
Auxiliary - bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Spain and Portugal
† Atanasie of Bogdania
Auxilary - bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Dicoese of Italy
[1] Rev. Fr. Dumitru Staniloae. The Immortal Image of God in "Complete Works", Volume 5, Basilica Publishing House: Bucharest 2013, p. 667-668.
[2] Ibidem p. 668.
[3] St. John of Damascus. The three treatises against the iconoclasts (translation from the ancient Greek language, introduction and notes by Father Dumitru Fecioru), Biblical and Orthodox Missionary Institute’s Publishing House: Bucharest 2016, p. 26.
[4] Ibidem p. 29.
[5] Ibidem p. 30
[6] St. John of Damascus. Dogmatic. Biblical and Orthodox Missionary Institute’s Publishing House: Bucharest 2005, p. 214.
[7] Rev. Fr. Dumitru Staniloae, The Immortal Image of God ..., p. 26-27.
