Romanian/Jerusalem Churches need prayers...

88Devin07 said:

Apparently the Holy Synod of the Jerusalem Patriarchate met to formally (and "with regret") excommunicate the Romanian Orthodox Church. According to the articles, this is because the Romanian Church has been operating within Jerusalem's canonical territory and has ceased to do so when asked.
Some have speculated that this is because some in the Romanian Hierarchy believe they have jurisdiction over all ethnic Romanians. But obviously, that is just rumor and speculation.

Hopefully this doesn't last too long, and I don't think this means that there isn't inter-communion with laity. It just means the clergy can't commune or con-celebrate.

Also, this isn't abnormal in Orthodoxy, this occurs whenever one Church oversteps it's canonical boundaries, or commits some heresy. I'd estimate that over 90% of the cases are very temporary, especially this case, where there aren't any theological differences and both Churches are still Orthodox Churches.

Lord Have Mercy!

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Oh goodness me... The Jerusalem Patriarchate does some odd things sometimes... Hopefully this just speeds up the need for that pan-Orthodox council the EP's been "preparing for" for the last X years.

Lord, have mercy...

Lord have mercy!

I think the romanian church literally set up shop without permission from the JP.

ProScribe said:

Never thought the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Jerusalem Patriarchate would cross paths.

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Jurisdictions cross paths quite frequently in this small world especially when people are seeking freedom as were the Romanians during the communist occupation of their land.

Lord Have Mercy! I pray this gets resolved sooner rather than later.

The late Diodoros gave his benediction for the construction in Jericho of an accomodation building with a church for Romanian pilgrims. These buildings were buil on a 3000 sqm ground donated by Romanians living for decades there. The late Diodoros He died before any written formal approval was issued. The next Patriarchate confirmed, but due to known problems with selling grounds, he was replaced.
The actual Patriarcha, under strong foreign influence canceeld everything.
This is cue... Some Churches may have own buildings for same purposes, even own monasteries, others may not...

Below you may found some pictures, films and official standpoints.

The Romanian Patriarchate Wants Reconciliation | BASILICA - News Agency


Asezamantul Romanesc de la Ierihon

Ierihonul si Asezamantul Romanesc

Asezamantul Romanesc de la Ierihon

Let's us pray for a quick reconciliation...

It doesnt seem that the Romanian patriarchate has much to stand on. The suspension of communion was rash but the ROC will have to come to a similar agreement as the russians have with the JP. The following passages from the ROC website indicates that the romanian settlemnt is indeed uncanonical and based on phyletism:

...' The breaking up of the communion with the Patriarch of Romania, namely his removal from the diptychs is also an extreme measure that can be taken only in extreme cases, when a Patriarch of a Church falls into a heresy, in very serious situations. We know from history that the administrative issues could always be solved in an amiable way. But one thing is sure. The settlement is and will remain the property of the Romanian Patriarchate assigned to the pilgrims. We hope that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem will understand the need of its existence for pilgrims for pastoral-missionary reasons and recognise the fact that it does not cause them any damage, but on the contrary”, explained His Grace.....

“The settlement of Jericho was built with much human and financial sacrifice of the faithful, of various sponsors and even of the Romanian state authorities. Here is a centre of Bible studies too which bears the name of Saint John James the Hosevite. So, the settlement has a purely missionary pastoral character which proves in this way the care of our Church for pilgrims, not only for the Romanians who left and settled in Diaspora, but also for the Romanians who spend one week or two in the Holy Land. We do not doubt the right of jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem over Israel, Palestine and Jordan, but we raised this settlement only for the Romanian pilgrims, not for the native Orthodox faithful who are under the direct care of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in the territory of the Holy Land, under Palestinian authority, and in Jordan.'''

Yeah - that last quote is heresy. You cannot canonically have authority over an ethnicity - only a geographic area. Who-ever is Orthodox in that land is under the canonical authority of the bishop in that land.

The excommunication seems harsh, but I get it more now.

Philetism sound a base, but this should apply for everybody: Russians have their missions and mostaries in Jerusalim, but this is not philetism... Oh, yes, Third Rome..

The late Patriarch Diodoros granted his approval for the construction this is a fact....

ROC is building: lastly two orthodox churches in Tanzania....

88Devin07 said:

The Russians don't have jurisdiction over those Churches that they build, and they recognize that. It seems that the Romanian Church thinks it has jurisdiction over all Romanians regardless of where they are.

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That may be the issue. I don't doubt the (broadly speaking) Orthodoxy of the Romanian people and clergy; but phyletism (as we well know in the US) can do a lot of damage.

We seriously need to end jurisdictionalism...

I believe Patriarch Kirill and the Moscow Patriarchate in general have stated that they will expand their canonical area in future to all countries where Russian emigrants live. So maybe the acts of the Romanian Church are simply following this trend ?

tapi said:

I believe Patriarch Kirill and the Moscow Patriarchate in general have stated that they will expand their canonical area in future to all countries where Russian emigrants live. So maybe the acts of the Romanian Church are simply following this trend ?

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Then we do indeed need an ecumenical council, for that is heresy.