A New Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest

November 2014

On 30 October 2014, Rev Archimandrite Timotei Aioanei was ordained Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest, in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest. The Divine Liturgy and ordination as bishop were celebrated by His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, together with a group of hierarchs as follows: His Eminence Casian, Archbishop of Lower Danube, His Grace Corneliu, Bishop of Husi, His Grace Ambrozie, Bishop of Giurgiu, His Grace Visarion, Bishop of Tulcea, His Grace Siluan, Romanian Orthodox Bishop in Hungary, His Grace Timotei, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Spain and Portugal, His Grace Macarie, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Northern Europe, His Grace Mihail, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Australia and New Zealand, His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch and Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, His Grace Ieronim Sinaitul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch, His Grace Emilian Lovisteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Ramnic and His Grace Ignatie Muresanul, Vicar Hierarch to the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Spain and Portugal. Today, during the ordination service Archimandrite Timotei Aioanei answered the questions of His Beatitude and of the hierarchs present through a confession of faith. Then, the candidate was ordained Bishop receiving the specific vestments: omophorion, engolpion, cross and mitre.

To end with the Divine Liturgy, His Grace Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch and Secretary of the Holy Synod read the Patriarchal Document by which the new hierarch was recognised as Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest, with the title of Prahoveanul and presented the duties of the new assistant bishop: “He must work in communion with the other hierarchs with responsibility for the mission he was called to as Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest; show love for nation and Church; defend and promote the values of the Orthodox faith; show fatherly care for parishes and monasteries; support Christian culture and protect the church patrimony; manifest fatherly love for the Christian clergy and faithful, young and old, making himself guide for keeping intact the right faith and the good order of our ancient Church”.

Then, the Patriarch of Romania offered the new Assistant Bishop the cloak and walking staff, insignia of the hierarchical service, and His Grace Timotei blessed the faithful in his new dignity. “We are glad because God gave us as Assistant Bishop a man with great love for God and Church ever since his childhood, which was verified through much devotion, sacrifice, and efforts at the Archdiocese of Iasi, and especially in the liturgical service of His Grace Timotei Prahoveanul as archdeacon, as Cultural exarch of the monasteries, and then during his service here, as Great ecclesiarch of the Patriarchal Cathedral where there are lots of renewals. We wish him much help of Christ, our Lord, the High Priest, of the Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen, of Saint Pious Dimitrios the New, of Saint Hierarch Nectarie of Egyna, protectors of this Cathedral and of all saints for which he has special devotion.

May you live many blessed years!” His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania said. His Grace Timotei Prahoveanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest, thanked God for the responsibility received. “The call to hierarchy supposes the beginning of a new life which needs, first of all, a great awareness of the huge responsibility I shall have in front of God and of the people because the one who receives the grace of the Holy Spirit in this stage of service for the implementation of all the holy things will answer to God about how he advised the faithful on the way to salvation, how he taught them and blessed their life so that he could present them as a pure offering to the Heavenly Throne. I shall endeavour to follow the words of Saint Paul the Apostle who urged bishop Timothy, saying: “Keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth”, His Grace said. His Grace Timotei was elected Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest during the working session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church on 29 September 2014, at noon, at the Patriarchal Residence. Wednesday night, 29 October 2014, after the Vesper service, his call to this stage of service took place.

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