The Working Session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church

The Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate informs us:

On 5 July 2012, the working session of the Romanian Orthodox Church took place in the Synodal Room of the Patriarchal Residence under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel. We mention some of the decisions taken and issues analysed:

-the continuation of the social programmes either with the Romanian Patriarchate funds or with European funds in transparent efficient manner for helping the persons and families distressed during this period of economical crisis;
– approval of the proposals of the Deans’ College of the Faculties of Orthodox Theology of Romania concerning the improvement of the educational process and of the spiritual life in the high theological education;

– approval to set up the Antim Ivireanul confessional school in Timişoara city following the proposal of the Archdiocese of Timişoara;

-analyses of the present stage of the local dialogue between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Romanian Church United with Rome (Greek Catholic). The hierarchs of the Holy Synod have noticed with anxiety the fact that the Romanian Church United with Rome (Greek Catholic) has filed several trials against the Orthodox parishes. At the same time, large Orthodox communities are evicted from the places of worship by small Greek Catholic communities, which fact generates local conflicts. The Holy Synod reaffirms its intention to settle the patrimonial disagreements between the Orthodox and Greek Catholic communities through local dialogue in order to identify practical solutions;
– after analysing the present relations of the Romanian Patriarchate with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Serb Patriarchate, the Holy Synod approved the texts of the two letters that will be sent to the Primates of the two sister Orthodox Churches for solving the disagreements emerged through brotherly dialogue.

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