New Decisions of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church
21/2/2012
The Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate, informs us:
On 16 and 17 February 2012, the working session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church was held in the Synodal Hall of the Patriarchal Residence, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel.
1. The Holy Synod appreciated the results of the collection organised in the parish churches and monasteries of the Romanian Patriarchate as a result of the Pastoral Letter of the Holy Synod on the theme The Christian Family Today on the first Sunday of the Advent of the Nativity of the Lord (20 November 2011). So, over 400,000 kg of agricultural products, almost 300,000 alimentary products, 34,000 school supplies and over 92,000 kg clothing and donations of over 2,300,000 lei, 78,000 euro and 200,000 forints were collected. As a result of this collection over 65,000 poor families, over 118,000 children and almost 84,000 single persons have been helped.
2. The Holy Synod evaluated the results of the social programme entitled Joy Meal implemented by the Romanian Patriarchate and Salegros Cash&Carry S.R.L. society in 13 eparchies of the country. In 2011, almost 18,000 assisted persons (double compared to 2010) of 210 social-philanthropic institutions of the Romanian Patriarchate benefited of alimentary products and hygienic-sanitary products amounting to 2,800,000 lei offered by Selgros Cash&Carry S.R.L.
3. The Holy Synod analysed the social-philanthropic activity of the Church unfolded in 2011, in the context of the present economical crisis, and urged the clergy and faithful to intensify the pastoral-social activity designed to help the most disadvantaged social categories (aged families with low pensions, poor families with many children, and low revenues, and poor single persons). Special attention must be paid to looking after the sick who can be helped through prayer, pastoral visits, and material aid for purchasing medicines or have emergency surgeries.
At the same time, the Holy Synod considers it is necessary to identify urgent practical solutions for solving the social problems the majority of the Romanians are faced with, through a viable efficient cooperation between the church units of the Romanian Patriarchate and the central and local administrative authorities, NGO-s, as well as other institutions authorised both in the field of financial support of the institutions, projects and social-philanthropic programmes and in that of the social assistance of the church units.
4. The Holy Synod took notice of the free expressed desire of the clergy and faithful of the Eparchial Assemblies of the Archdioceses of Alba Iulia, Diocese of Oradea and Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara concerning their return to the jurisdiction of the Metropolitanate of Transylvania. Therefore, the modification of the territorial jurisdiction of the two Metropolitanates of Transylvania and of the Metropolitanate of Banate was approved, as follows:
– Metropolitanate of Transylvania with suffragan eparchies: Archdiocese of Sibiu, Archdiocese of Alba Iulia, Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Oradea, Diocese of Covasna and Harghita and Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara;
– Metropolitanate of Cluj, Maramures and Salaj with the suffragan eparchies: Archdiocese of Vad, Feleac and Cluj, Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Maramures and Satmar and Diocese of Salaj;
– Metropolitanate of Banat with the suffragan eparchies: Archdiocese of Timisoara, Archdiocese of Arad and Diocese of Caransebes.
