scholarly journals Divine Philanthropy and Human Misanthropy. The Abusive Defrocking and the Rehabilitation Process of Metropolitan Anthim of Iberia

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 561-574
Author(s):  
Maxim Marian Vlad

Saint Anthim of Iberia was one of the most cultured people of his time. He is a creator of a whole epoch in Wallachian and, in general, Romanian history. A highly learned metropolitan, he was also one the greatest Orthodox theologians of the time, a master of morality and doctrine, and finally a wise politician, who played a great role in the very complex social, political and cultural life of the Wallachian Principality. He harshly criticized the illiteracy and the greed of clergy, Eastern Patriarchs’ craving for wealth and power, and he relentlessly denounced the corruptness and the moral degradation of the ruling classes. His efforts to ally with Russia to liberate Wallachia from the Ottoman yoke led him to conflict with his great contemporary, Constantin Brâncoveanu, and then, even more gratingly, with the Voevoda Nicholas Mavrocordatos (1716-1730), described by some historians of the time as unwaveringly loyal to the Ottomans. The Phanariote Nicholas Mavrokordatos, who was only interested in the Ottoman Empire, replaced the Wallachian princes. Mavrokordatos was suspicious of Metr. Antimos and ordered the metropolitan to resign. Mavrokordatos appealed to Patriarch Jeremiah after Metr. Antimos refused to do so. The Patriarch convened a council of bishops, without any Romanian representation, that condemned the metropolitan to anathema and excommunication. Not satisfied in a finding that denied Metr. Antimos his title of Metropolitan of Hungro-Wallachia, Mavrokordatos order the metropolitan to exile to St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai. On September 14, 1716, while en route to his place of exile, Metr. Antimos was ambushed by Turkish soldiers on the bank of the Tundzha River, near Gallipoli, as it flowed through Adrianople, and butchered him. Then, they threw his remains into the river. This brutal action ended the earthly life of a great man who had dedicated his strength, talent, and knowledge to the revival and strengthening of Orthodox Christianity among the people of Wallachia. The faithful Romanian people, considering, from the beginning, the sentence of defrocking as unjust and illegal, not only never stopped honoring Anthim the Iberian as chief priest also after his abusive defrocking, but with the passage of time increased their acts of piety and honor, considering him one of the most worthy hierarchs who pastored the Romanian Orthodox Church and a martyr, who sacrificed his life, with dignity, for the Orthodox faith and for the freedom and independence of the Motherland, which, since his adoption, he served as the most devoted and loving son.

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 114-137
Author(s):  
Lucian Petroaia

As a result of the Decision of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, 2019 year gives us the opportunity to honor Patriarch Justin Moisescu. He was a special hierarch due to his Olympic profile, to his complex personality and to his ministry and work, providential for the Romanian Orthodoxy of the 80’s of the last century. He was a professor of theology of high moral and scientific value, who taught the students during the communist era, at the Faculties of Theology in Warsaw and Bucharest, fundamental disciplines such as “New Testament Study”. Concerned with translating reference works into Romanian, he is the initiator of a monumental work: the translation into Romanian language of the Holy Fathers’ works. Due to his programmatic idea, more than 100 volumes have been produced so far, which are part of the collection “Parents and Church Writers” ( “P.S.B.”). The present study seeks to highlight and bring to light the texts of theb “Pastoral” which the hierarch Justin Moisescu, during his 30 years of ministry, addressed to the clergy and to the people, as: 1. Archbishop of Sibiu, 2. Archbishop of Iasi and Metropolitan of Moldova and Suceava and 3. Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Ungrovlahia and Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 400-405
Author(s):  
Daniela Sorea

Abstract The Romanian Orthodox Church is one of the institutions in which Romanians have great confidence, according to surveys conducted in the country and studies conducted at the level of the European Union in recent years. The results of these researches do not reflect the attitude of young Romanians towards the church. Theoretically coded analysis of 23 essays by sociologist students on their trust or lack of trust in Orthodox Christianity highlights the students' reserve for priests' behavior, communication strategies, financial interests, and their inclination towards opulence. The analysis also highlights the students' tendency to operate with a far wider understanding of things than the canonical concept of Christianity. This tendency, manifests mainly in the declarative separation of faith from church attendance, shows the alignment of students to the post-secular evolutionary direction of European religiosity


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 138-149
Author(s):  
Sorin Marinescu

The present work is intended to be a retrieval of the history of the contribution of personalities that have marked the history of the Romanian Orthodox Church and, implicitly, the history of Romania. Thus, In the “Commemorative Year of the Patriarchs Nicodim Munteanu and Iustin Moisescu and of the translators of church books” in the Romanian Patriarchate, addressed to the Romanian Orthodox hierarchies and eparchies in the country and abroad, we set out to talk about the Patriarch Iustin Moisescu for understand the role it played in promoting living theology as a model, based on prayer, experience and life, even if the historical times were very difficult for the Church, the communists wanting to destroy it, because it maintained the consciousness of national identity and a hierarchy of authentic values, that opposed the atheist ideology promoted by them. Thus, starting from a brief biography of the one who was the fourth Romanian Patriarch, we were interested in the perception of contemporaries, as well as those who succeeded him, as I have not neglected his quality as a theologian, teacher university and publisher. Iustin Moisescu was an intellectual, theologian, who devoted all his energy to maintaining the right faith, to support the monastery life, to relieve the people and to give cultural brilliance to the Church, as he alone confessed.


2007 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-71
Author(s):  
Iuliana Conovici

The Romanian Orthodox Church engaged, after the fall of communism, in the reconstruction of its public identity and its position in society. The public discourse of its official representatives – the Holy Synod and individual hierarchs, especially the Patriarch Teoctist – expresses and „translates” this process to the faithful and the general public. Its perception by this public, particularly when mediated by means of mass communication, is usually partial and frequently altered.</p> <p>By focusing on the official discourse of the Romanian Orthodox Church representatives, as expressed in the ecclesiastical press and (re)transmitted in the common mass media, this paper will explore the justification/explanation by ecclesiastical officials of this process, following the lines of two main - intertwined - lines: the legitimization of the resurgence in the public sphere of the Church as an institution of spiritual and social assistance and its presence as the privileged keeper and guardian of national values.</p> <p>It will be further argued that, while explicitly refuting and condemning any signs of secularization in the Romanian society, the Romanian Orthodox Church, through its official discourse, is actually contributing to the deepening of this very process within both society and the Church itself.</p> <p>Our main sources for the public discourse of the Romanian Orthodox Church will be the ecclesiastical press and collections of speeches, sermons, articles of Orthodox hierarchs and documents of the Holy Synod. For the theoretical framing of the paper, the main references will be works of Thomas Luckmann, Danièle Hérvieu-Léger, Grace Davie, René Rémond, etc.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 150-161
Author(s):  
Ovidiu Soare

The study highlights the main internal and external directions for the promotion and execution of the Christian and Social Apostolate, which Patriarch Iustin was concerned about, notably the ones presented in 1977, his first year of being patriarch. It was a very eventful year, with many events carrying a strong spiritual and social burden. We mention here the passing away of Patriarch Justinian and then earthquake of March 4 – two events that happened within a few weeks of each other. There are two additional events: the enthronement of the Iustin, archbishop of Moldova and Suceava as the patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and the Centenary of Independence 1877-1977. All these events were coordinated with wisdom and balance by Patriarch Iustin. He always showed through his actions that good understanding, faith, sacrifice, the love of nation and country, pace and brotherly love are the main guidelines of realising a true Christian and Social Apostolate in the Romanian Orthodox Church.


Societies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Lavinia Țânculescu

In this study, I aim to explore the role of old women in the life of the Christian Orthodox Church in the Romanian space. The analysis is based on empirical evidence (qualitative fieldwork and case studies) gathered between 2017 and 2019, and it mainly employs the framework of theory of tradition, and theories of attachment and of parent–infant relationship. I will show that old women going to church have a double role: To educate the community in keeping the religious tradition, and to initiate other members, especially the very young ones (blood-related or not), in the Romanian Orthodox faith. The paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages offered by both aforementioned roles, putting forth possible explanations for the tensions arising between generations. I conclude by underlining the crucial role that old women have in today’s struggle for survival of the Romanian Orthodox Church and in its spiritual identity.


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