Teoctist
Teoctist.jpg
His Beatitude Teoctist (born February 7, 1915) is Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
| Contents |
Biography
● 7 February 1915 - He was born in the village of Tocileni, Botoşani County, as the tenth child of the eleven his parents, Dumitru and Marghioala Arapaşu; after Christening, he received the name Toader.
● 1921-1926 - He attended the courses of primary school in his native village, Tocileni.
● 1928, St. Toma`s Sunday - He became a monastic brother, at Sihastria Voronei Hermitage, Botoşani County, and, afterwards, at Vorona Monastery, from the same county.
● 14 September, 1930 - He was sent to the monastic seminary as a pupil, at Neamţ Monastery
● 1932 - He is accepted, as pupil, at the Cernica Monastery Seminary, near Bucharest.
● 1940 - He graduated form the Cernica Monastery Theological Seminary.
● 1940-1944 - He attended the courses of the Faculty of Theology, University of Bucharest.
● 1945 - He became a graduated in Theology.
● 1946-1948 - He attended the courses at the Literature and Philosophy Faculty, University of Iaşi.
● 1949 - He attended the pastoral courses for priests.
Elevations into the hierarchy and responsibilities
● 6 August 1935 - He took up the monastic vows at Bistriţa-Neamţ Monastery, receiving the name of Teoctist.
● 4 January 1937 - He was ordained as hierodeacon.
● 1 August 1943 - He was appointed as deacon to the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest.
● 1 March 1945 - He was transferred, in Iaşi, to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Moldova, and was ordained hieromonk, on 25 March 1945, to the position of priest.
● 1945-1950 - In Iaşi, he was appointed, once after the other, to several administrative offices: Great Ecclesiarchos (Chief of the Metropolitan Cathedral), Exarchos of the monasteries, and Administrative Vicar of the Archdiocese of Iaşi.
● 1 March 1950 – Following the proposal of Patriarch Justinian, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church elected him as Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch.
● 5 March 1950 - Patriarch Justinian, together with Firmilian, Metropolitan of Oltenia and Chesarie, Bishop of Lower Danube, ordained him as Bishop, in the Cathedral of Saint Spiridon the New in Bucharest.
● 1950-1954 - He was the Secretary of the Holy Synod and also Rector of the Theological Institute of Bucharest.
● 1954-1962 - He headed the Chancery of the Archdiocese of Bucharest.
● 28 July 1962 - He was elected as Bishop of Arad, Ienopole and Halmagiu, having been enthroned on 16 September.
● 1963 - Bishop of the Romanians from the Romanian Orthodox Diocese in the United States and Canada.
● In December 1969-1970 - The Holy Synod entrusted him as locum tenens (substitution) to the Diocese of Oradea.
● 28 January 1973 – He was elected as Archbishop of Craiova and Metropolitan of Oltenia.
● 25 September 1977 – He was elected as Archbishop of Iaşi and Metropolitan of Moldova and Suceava.
● July 1980 – January 1982 – He was delegated by the Holy Synod as locum tenens to the Metropolitan See of Transylvania.
● 9 November 1986 – He was elected as Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Muntenia and Dobrogea and Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
● 19 November 1986 – He was enthroned as Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, in Sts Emperors Constantine and Helene Patriarchal Cathedral, by the metropolitans of the country: Antonie of Transylvania, Nestor of Oltenia and Nicolae of Banat. The members of the Holy Synod, the Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Bulgaria, of the representatives of all the Orthodox Churches, of the Vatican, of the Anglican Communion, of the Old Catholic Church, of the Protestant Churches, of the World Council of Churches, of the Conference of European Churches, of Churches and Religious Cults from Romania, of the clergy and the faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Church from within and from outside the country and of the state authorities were present.
● From 1986 until 1990 - He also headed, as substitute, the Metropolitan See of Moldova and Suceava.
After the Revolution of December 1989, while understanding that there were politically contested reasons, in connection with the demolition of some churches by the dictatorial regime from Romania, in the session of the Holy Synod of 10 January, 1990, as a sign of penitence, Patriarch Teoctist has asked in writing to be released from his position. After receiving requests from faithful, clergy in parishes and monasteries, from all over the country, asking that the Patriarch ought to return to his position, as well as letters coming from the Patriarchs of the local Orthodox Churches, in its April session, the Holy Synod took the decision to ask the Patriarch to return to his official duties. Consequently, Patriarch Teoctist has accepted the decision of the Holy Synod and returned to his position to which he was elected in November 1986. In the following years, the Romanian Orthodox Church has made considerable efforts in order to use the freedom achieved through sacrifices of lives, young and old, in December 1989, so that together, clergy and faithful may work hand in hand for the pastoral and missionary service of all its spiritual sons and daughters from Romania and from abroad.
Pastoral missionary activity
The fifth Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church has been very concerned with the inner mission of the Church, namely with meeting the spiritual needs of the faithful. After 1989, the religious assistance got to everywhere the need to relieve human sufferance was felt or where the call to promote the word of God was heard, in hospitals, prisons or military barracks, where he appointed priests. He has been concerned both with the welfare of our ancient Church, in its entirety, and with that of the parishes, deaneries or eparchies that he served. He kept direct contact with the faithful through the Pastoral letters that he addressed on the occasion of the feasts of the Nativity of our Lord and of the Resurrection of the Lord. He has been very concerned with and chaired many religious conferences, supported the canonization of some Romanian saints or the introduction of Religion in school.
He initiated and completed the restoration and building of new monasteries and churches, building many churches anew, in all the eparchies he served
● During the pastoral rule of His Beatitude, next to the Patriarchal Residence and the Patriarchal Cathedral, the Romanian Patriarchate received the Patriarchal Palace, which completes the Patriarchal complex on the hill of the Metropolitan See.
● He resumed the initiative of the first Patriarch of Romania, Miron Cristea, to build a Patriarchal Cathedral, taking the proper steps needed for beginning the construction works in the near future.
Educational activities
He has carefully taken care of the organisation and development of the theological education, in Seminaries and Faculties of Theology, with different sections (Social Assistance, Archaeology, Philology, etc.) for the better training of the future servants of the Church, including new buildings for the seminaries and scholarships given to students in order to pursue their theological education. A special place was given to the introduction of religious education in the state schools.
Publishing activity
● He promoted the cultural and scientific activity permanently promoting actions that increased the mission of the Church.
● He reorganised and promoted, in the course of time, the religious editorial activity.
● He published many articles, sermons, speeches and studies delivered both in the country and abroad.
● He published the monographs:
- “Metropolitan Jacob Putneanul” with an English version
- “Saint Basil The Great In The Devotion Of The Romanian Orthodox Faithful”
- “Metropolitan Dosoftei, Founder Of The Romanian Liturgical Language” a work included in the book The Romanian Orthodox Church On The Eve Of The 3rd Millennium, 2nd part, called The Romanian Orthodox Church Today (to be published)
- He edited in transliteration:
- “The Divine Liturgy” of Metropolitan Dosoftei (1679) Iaşi, 1980
- He printed, in 1988, in very harsh circumstances, the jubilee edition of the Bible of Bucharest (1688), reprinted in 1994
- He supervised the printing, twice, of the official version of the Holy Scripture (the first time, during the communist regime), as well as the jubilee Bible of the Holy Synod (2002)
- From 1982 – 2002 he published 16 volumes of homilies, speeches and meditations, with the general title “Steps of Christian Service” comprising about 7000 pages with almost 1300 of titles and a book with the title “Serving the Ancient Altar”
- He wrote prefaces to many books and monographs of some monasteries and churches within the framework of the Romanian Patriarchate.
- During his pastoral rule and with His blessing all the religious books and most of the text books for the high and higher theological education were reprinted, with revised text and prefaces by His Beatitude.
Relations with the sister Orthodox churches
● He was member of or headed delegations of the Romanian Orthodox Church to Jerusalem and Constantinople, to Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Cyprus etc.
● He received to the Romanian Patriarchate brotherly visits of the Heads and representatives of the Sister Orthodox Churches.
● He paid canonical visits to the Romanian parishes in Austria, Sweden, Hugary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Canada etc.
Ecumenical activity
● He took active part in the works of the Ecumenical Forums, of the World Council of Churches and Conference of the European Churches as member elected (1970); he blessed, through His own presence the sessions of the Theological Dialogue with the Anglican Church and with the Evangelical Church in Germany, held in Romania.
● He was member of or headed delegations of the Romanian Orthodox Church to Armenia, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Venezuela, India, Vatican etc.
● In spite of the opposition of the Romanian communist authorities, Patriarch Teoctist has visited His Holiness Pope John Paul II in the Vatican, in January 1989, visit that constitutes the source of the present relations between the two Churches and also of His Holiness' memorable visit to Romania, in 7-9 May 1999 - the first visit of a Pope to a country Orthodox in its majority.
● He initiated contacts with remarkable personalities of the contemporary life, chiefs of states and governments, increasing the international relations of the Romanian Orthodox Churches.
Distinctions and decorations
● He was awarded religious orders by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, by the Patriarchates of Antioch, Jerusalem, Moscow, Serbia and by the Orthodox Churches of Greece, Cyprus, Czech Republic and Slovacia, Finland as well as on behalf of His Holiness Pope John Paul II (1989)
● 11 July 1991 – prize Timotei Cipariu of the Romanian Academy for re-printing the Bible of Bucharest (1688)
● 2 June 1995 – he was awarded the academic title of “Doctor Honoris Causa” of University of Oradea
● 25 October 1995 – he was awarded the title of “Doctor Honoris Causa” of the University of Bucharest
● May 1999 – he was awarded the order of the Romania’s Star with a cross degree on behalf of the Romanian State.
● 1999 – he was awarded by the Romanian Academy for having printed in 1988 the jubilee edition of the Bible of Bucharest of 1688, and elected Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy
● 12 October 2002 – he was awarded the title of “Doctor Honoris Causa” of the University of Lower Danube
● 7 November 2000 – he was awarded the title of “Doctor Honoris Causa” of the Catholic University in Lublin, Poland
● 7 October 2001 – he was appointed Honorary Citizen of the town of Petroşani
● 7 October 2001 – he was awarded the title of “Doctor Honoris Causa” of the University of Petroşani
/&/----
Entering the Sihastria Voronei Hermitage, in Botoşani County, in the Second Sunday after Easter (of St Apostle Thomas), Patriarch Teoctist dedicated more than seven decades of his life (beginning with the year 1928) to the service of the Holy Romanian Orthodox Church. Following on the footsteps of his spiritual Father, the late Patriarch Justinian, Patriarch Teoctist has dedicated himself to the love for his people and neighbours, in all the tasks which were entrusted to him and in all the dioceses where God has chosen him to serve from Bucharest to Arad, from Oradea and Craiova to Iaşi, and, from 1986, again in Bucharest, as the fifth Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
from www.patriarhia.ro