Russian Orthodox Church Denounces Romanian Orthodox Church’s Actions in Ukraine and Moldova

DECR – OCP News Service – 13/03/2024

Moscow – Russia: On March 12, 2024, at a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, those gathered had a judgment on the decisions of the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church of February 29, 2024 on the establishment of the “Romanian Orthodox Church in Ukraine” and the non-recognition of the validity of canonical penalties imposed on the clergy of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, accepted without vacation pay letters to the “Bessarabian Metropolis” of the Romanian Patriarchate (magazine No. 29), reports Patriarchia.ru.

The communiqué of the meeting of the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church dated February 29, 2024 stated the “blessing, encouragement and support of the initiatives of the Romanian Orthodox communities of Ukraine to restore communication with the Mother Church – the Romanian Patriarchate through their legal organization in the religious structure called the Romanian Orthodox Church in Ukraine “” and also that “all Romanian Orthodox clergy… from the Republic of Moldova returning to the Metropolis of Bessarabia are canonical clergy… and any disciplinary sanction imposed on them due to their belonging to the Romanian Orthodox Church is considered invalid and untenable according to synodal resolution No. 8090 of December 19, 1992” on the establishment of the “Bessarabian Metropolis”.

Similar acts of the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church have previously repeatedly received a fair canonical assessment of the Councils of Bishops and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church:

in the resolution of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church adopted in connection with the creation of the “Bessarabian Metropolis” of December 22, 1992 (magazine No. 105); the position of the Primate and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on this issue was approved at the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1994;

at the Council of Bishops in 2004, which noted with concern the emergence of information “about attempts to expand the activities of the “Bessarabian Metropolis” beyond the borders of Moldova, which could only aggravate the already existing inter-church tensions”;

in the statement of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church dated November 7, 2007 (magazine No. 108) in connection with the establishment of dioceses within the “Bessarabian Metropolis” on the territory of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine with centers in the cities of Balti, Cantemir and Dubossary, where there were already legally established Orthodox bishops, and the names of the mentioned cities are contained in the titles of the diocesan bishops of the Orthodox Church of Moldova. The statement of the Holy Synod dated November 7, 2007 also emphasized that the South Bessarabian diocese “includes the former Belgorod-Dniester and Izmail diocese,” that is, a region that is part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and has bishops named after the names of these cities “;

at the 2008 Council of Bishops, which expressed concern about the unilateral actions of the Romanian Patriarchate, which undermine the traditional foundations of relations between the Orthodox Churches and pose a threat to Orthodox unity as a whole.

October 25, 2023 Synod of the Orthodox Church of Moldova (journal No. 11) on the basis of canonical decrees (Apostolic canons 12, 15, 32, 33; IV Ecumenical Council, canons 11, 13, 20, 23; Trullo Council, canon 17; Antioch Council, canon 3, 6, 7, 8, 11; Laodicean Council, rules 41, 42; Sardician Council, rule 9; Carthage Council, rules 23, 106; First Ecumenical Council, rules 15, 16) defrocked six clergy who arbitrarily transferred to the “Bessarabian Metropolis” of the Romanian Patriarchate , into whose clergy they were accepted without letters of leave.

A number of clergy of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, who later in a similar manner made a willful transition to the “Bessarabian Metropolis”, are prohibited from serving until their possible repentance.

Members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church stated with deep regret that the mentioned resolutions of the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church are in direct contradiction with the sacred canons, in particular, with 11, 12, 31 and 32 canons of the Holy Apostles, 2 canons of the Second Ecumenical Council, 5 and 8 rules of the III Ecumenical Council, 13 rules of the IV Ecumenical Council, 17 rules of the Fifth-Sixth (Trullo) Council, 13 and 22 rules of the Antioch Council.

Having expressed strong disagreement with these resolutions, the Synod of the Russian Church warned that if they are further implemented, grave consequences are inevitable both for the bilateral relations of the Russian and Romanian Churches, and for the unity of the Orthodox Church as a whole.

It is noted that the “Romanian Orthodox clergy… returning to the Bessarabian Metropolis” mentioned in the decision of the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church never actually belonged to the latter, as well as to the Romanian Patriarchate as a whole. They received holy orders in the Russian Orthodox Church, and they suffered punishment for violating the priestly oath and other canonical crimes, and not at all “because of their belonging to the Romanian Orthodox Church,” to which they cannot belong due to the lack of a letter of release.

Also, the participants of the meeting recalled that the 17th rule of the Trullo Council prescribes that “none of the clergy, no matter what degree they may be, have the right, without a letter of dismissal from their bishop, to be assigned to another church,” pointing out that those who violated this the rule “both he and the one who incorrectly accepts it will be cast out.”

The Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, has been instructed to further study the issue of the actions of the Romanian Patriarchate and promptly submit proposals for consideration by the Holy Synod.

Members of the Synod expressed support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Moldova, their First Hierarchs, the episcopate, the clergy, monastics and laity in connection with non-canonical attacks by the Synod of the Romanian Patriarchate.

Source:

OCP News Service and DECR