Synod: 253 bishops from around the world but none from China

10/03/2008 17:53
VATICAN

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The 12th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops opens this Sunday with a solemn Mass celebrated by Benedict XVI. Dedicated to “The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church”, it brings together 253 bishops from the Churches of the world, except those from Communist China, Vatican Press Office Head Fr Federico Lombardi said today at a press conference. “It was clear that there would be no agreement [with Beijing] and they [Chinese bishops] won't come,” he said “because the conditions weren’t there.”

There will be however, as delegates directly appointed by Benedict XVI, Card Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, archbishop of Hong Kong, Mgr José Lai Hung-seng, archbishop of Macau as well as a Taiwanese bishop, Mgr Peter Liu Cheng-chung.

The bishops will take part in activities scheduled to last until 26 October “to reflect”, said Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, “on the Word of God, on its central role in the life of the Church and on its dynamism which encourages Christians in mission to announce in words and deeds the Good News and the presence in our midst of the Risen Lord Jesus.”

For the first time the Synod will open in the St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls Basilica, not in the Vatican, because of the ongoing Pauline Year. and this will not be the only reference to the Apostle to the Nations.

In the Synod Hall on 18 October, the Holy Father Benedict XVI and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I will preside at first Vespers. Each will then pronounce an address on the subject of the Word of God, with particular reference to the Pauline Year.

This will be the first time the Ecumenical Patriarch addresses the Synod Fathers. “He will bring the greetings of Orthodox Churches that the Apostle to the Nations founded before going to Rome where he suffered martyrdom,” Archbishop Eterovic said.

The Synod will be ecumenically important for fraternal delegates from ten Churches and ecclesial communities will attend.

Representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate will be present along with others from the Patriarchates of Moscow, Serbia and Romania, from the Orthodox Church of Greece and the Armenian Apostolic Church, as well as from the Anglican Communion, the World Lutheran Federation, the Church of the Disciples of Christ and the World Council of Churches.

The Synod Fathers will represent 13 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches, 113 Bishops’ conferences, 25 dicasteries of the Roman Curia and the Union of Superiors General.

Of the 253 Synod Fathers 51 are from Africa, 62 from America, 41 from Asia, 90 from Europe and 9 from Oceania. Of these 173 were elected (72.3 per cent), 38 participate ex officio (15 per cent), 32 were appointed by the Pope (12.6 per cent) and 10 were elected by the Union of Superiors General (4 per cent).

Forty-one experts and 37 auditors from 21 and 26 countries respectively will also be in attendance, including six women experts and 19 women auditors, one more than the men.
The Synod Three will also receive three special papal guests. The first one is Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen of Haifa, Israel, who on 6 October will address the assembly on how the Jewish people reads and interprets Sacred Scripture. As such it will be the first time that a rabbi, and a non-Christian, has addressed the Synod Fathers.

The other special guests are Rev A Miller Milloy, secretary general of the United Bible Societies, and Frère Alois, prior of the Taizé Community.

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Serbia persecuting Romanian minority

Thursday, 11 September 2008

While Serbs in Romania enjoy all their basic human rights, including religious, guaranteed by the Romanian constitution, unfortunately Romanians living in Timok, Serbia are prohibited to even pray in their own language. "Romanians living in Serbia do not have any basic human rights, being discriminated for even practicing their religion in their native language," writes one of the prestigious Romanian daily papers, Evenimentul Zilei.

In the recent days, the prevailing opinion in the Balkans that Serbs and Romanians have excellent relations, is proving to be a farce. Apparently, the Serbian nationalism did not spare from persecution and discrimination the ethnic Romanian minority that lives in Timok, Serbia.

Here are the facts: in 2005, an ethnic Romanian of Serbia, Bojan Aleksandrovic was ordained by his Romanian Orthodox Bishop, his Highness, Daniil, and his property was turned into a church, a small religious community where ethnic Romanians would pray in their own language, baptize their newborns or mourn their deceased family members.

Frightened by the poor Romanian Orthodox bishop who could possibly rejuvenate the national identity of these persecuted ethnic Romanians for decades, Serbian authorities reacted in a very violent fashion, again. Initially, they tried to crushingly suppress the church. It was not even important that the church was Orthodox. In fact, "protection of Orthodoxy" is a motto Serbs always display whenever it is in their personal interests.

On April 2006, a delegation of Serbian Orthodox Church visited Bucharest to reach an agreement, "with a jaw towards the sky and the other towards the ground," a Romanian colloquialism. Sometimes with threats, and sometimes with soft-talking words such as "Orthodox brothers," Serbs achieved their goal by removing the Diocese of Romanian Orthodox Episcopate from Vrscac (Vrsoara) in Serbia to Romania.

They [Serbs] even asked to modify the title of episcopate, while we [Romanians] also agreed to not accuse them for being intentionally negative on this issue against ethnic Romanians in Serbia. Hence, the Episcopate of Vrsac became Dacia Felix, a title inspired by our [Romanian] horrendous fate.

According to the agreement signed in Bucharest, Serbs agreed that they would take care of ethnic Romanians living in Timok Valley in Serbia, meaning that they would ordain bishops who speak Romanian.

Henceforth, so to speak, the negotiations seemed to be moving ahead when a poorly educated Romanian bishop was ordained as from an angel, who always gallantly appeared onto his Cossack as of a reformed confessor. The ordained bishop, although he appeared to be a humble man, his deals with his Serbian Christian Orthodox friends to racketeer with electricity and wood products for construction became a very familiar habit.

Nevertheless, he kept his promise. But Serbs informed Bishop Bojan that they would excommunicate him from the right of preaching anymore. Motive? Because he gave his sermons in Romanian language! While ethnic Serbs in Romania enjoy their religious rights guaranteed by the state - have a Vicariat in Timisoara - the ethnic Romanians living in Timok Valley, in Serbia, are not allowed to pray in their native language. So much about human rights and religious rights in Serbia!

It is worth mentioning a bizarre statement of the Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Pavle regarding the activation of the Romanian episcopates in Bassarabia (Republic of Moldavia): "The history of the reactivation of the Metropolitan of Bassarabia is part of the darkest periods of human kind - resembling to the period of Nazi occupation!" May God have mercy on those who consider Serbs as "brothers."

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What the newspapers say: September 8, 2008

Romania's President Traian Basescu did not miss the chance to invite Pope Benedict XVI to Romania while in an official visit at the Vatican, Cotidianul reads. 10 years after Pope John Paul II became the first Pope to visit the country, it looks like his successor might repeat the process.

However, the newspaper reads that Basescu did not have the approval of the Romanian Orthodox Church for the invitation. Romanian news agency Mediafax informs, quoting sources within the presidential administration that Basescu reiterated the invitation submitted back in 2006.

Basescu took the chance to thank the Pope for his attitude towards migration and for his support for the Romanian community in Italy. In an official press release, Romanian Orthodox Church representatives declared that the Patriarch had a telephone conversation with Basescu and they agreed that such an invitation is possible at the level of the state.

What's more, the press release underlines the fact that Basescu will need the approval of the Holy Synod like in the case of the invitation of Pope John Paul II in Romania back in 1999. According to the Vatican's protocol, in order for a Pope to be able to visit a non-Catholic country, he needs the approval of the Church and not that of the State he is to visit.

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Romania’s Haţeg Land: Shades of Blue

Romania’s Haţeg Land: Shades of Blue

On a quest to find Romania’s oldest church, Sorin-Alexandru Cristescu of www.incogniterra.org browses the region around Haţeg Town in Transylvania, central Romania. He discovers old, older and even older churches, and realises that he is traveling against time. Eventually he finds the most ancient temple in the midst of some concrete constructions from socialist times. His four-days journey is dominated by colours: the faded pastels of the landscapes that linger in the medevial frescos of the chirches.

Text and photographs by Sorin-Alexandru Cristescu

The brave Cande killed the dragon. He cut its seven heads off and rolled them down the slope into the valley. And for his feat to be remembered, he called the mountain Cutoff Range (Retezat). Then he got off his horse at the foot of the mountain and, thanking our Lord for the help during the fight, he built up his church and his citadel.
Ancient Romanian legend

Day one

As we follow the Jiu River upstream and bypass Petroşani, space seems to expand in all directions, revealing the unending forests, uniting with the peaks of the mountains at the horizon. Prince Cande must have climbed these hillocks himself, his eye wandering around towards the ranges, choosing patiently the place of his foundation.

The last rays of sun fall aslant on the castle that was built by the prince's descendants in Santamaria Orlea. And across the hill, atop of another hillock the majestic spire of the church points to Heaven, stubbornly resisting the ages.

But we go further, looking for a place to sleep from one village to another, like the prince must have done seven centuries back, when he was coming back from hunting. Now, like then, the peasants greet you with their doors and hearts wide open – they know that no matter who the stranger knocking at their door is, king or beggar, he must be welcomed as if he was the Lord disguised as a mortal.

We stay at Rau de Mori – the name of this village reminiscent of the water mills that must have been here since the time of the prince. From the yard we see the Colt Citadel, the prince Cande's residence – far away, perched on a stone among the forests.

We go up and down the green hillocks in the sunset. The cows return peacefully from the pastures, the horses sleep while standing and the moon shines among bright stars. The hustle of the city is behind us, centuries ago.


Day two

We wake up early and head to Santamaria Orlea, the village with a fairy-tale name. The thirteenth-century church, elegant and slender, greets us from a small, green hillock.

The key rotates inside the lock, the wooden door rolls towards the wall and, passing through the small narthex we enter among the magnificent frescoes in the nave, red like the fire, though many are altered by ages. The church, initially Orthodox, has become Reformed and is still in use for Sunday mass.

Leaving behind Santamaria Orlea, we traverse hills with grass that still shines with the morning dew, guided by the the Retezat ranges in front of us.
And so, inconspicuous, gradually appearing from behind the hills, the strange spire of the Densus Church reveals itself. We pass through the village and somewhere at the outskirts, near the forest skirt, we climb in a hurry the steps that lead to the church.

The feeling is slightly unsettling because what the eye sees, the mind can’t grasp. The church seems to be a monument created by a mysterious civilization, long ago vanished, because despite its small size, it is a flamboyant combination of styles and building materials: a Romanic stone spire with a strange shape, some Gothic window frames, some classic columns, pieces of Roman mausoleums, probably brought from Sarmizegetusa Ulpia Traiana, everything on a traditional folklore background. The stone wall in front of the church reminds an all chamber whose ceiling would have collapsed, making room for a yard paved with stone tiles.
The thirteenth-century church is filled with the villagers who came for the Sunday mass. We manage to see the wonderful paintings inside, the oldest dating from the fourteenth century, all created on a blue background, like the summer sky. The architecture oddities continue inside: four pillars delimiting a square on the floor seem to head upwards just to sustain the spire where one can climb apparently only using a tiny secret door somewhere above our heads. Everything betrays the creation of a local amateur master, for whom it seems impossible to draw a regular plan and put up a homogenous building.

We find it hard to leave Densus. We head towards Pesteana passing again through the green hart of Haţeg Land. We stop first at a relatively new Orthodox church, but we find out that just a bit further, there is the ancient Reformed church. Indeed, we discover it on a hillock with fir trees that seem as old as the church, which dates back to the thirteenth century. The church is tiny, probably an old princely chapel, with white sinuous walls like plasticine. It is still used by two families in the village, old Romanian families who were Magyarised during the centuries just like the prince Cande, who became known as

We leave Pesteana and follow an empty road that winds along hills to reach our destination: Prislop Monastery. One of the oldest monasteries in the country, dating back to the thirteenth century, Prislop attracts pilgrims from all over the country. On the river stone walls of the church one can still see small pieces of plaster bearing ancient paintings.

On the magnificent blue sky clouds begin to gather. When the sunrays filter through the clouds, the colours fade and the landscape starts to look like a medieval fresco. The Strei Church dominates the horizon with its picturesque stone spire.

This thirteenth-century church also preserved incredible frescoes in a combination of Byzantine and Gothic styles, almost as old as the church itself. In a corner the master painter himself is depicted on a background as blue as the sea on an autumn day. Dressed in a suit typical of the fourteenth-century merchants, his name is Grozie, according to the inscription next to the portrait.

It's time to head once more to our basis at Rau de Mori, an opportunity to see the Colt Church, built around the year 1300. The river stone church is perched on a height, just opposite the rocks to which the Colt citadel is hanging. The evening falls with grace and the light rain amplifies the feeling of mystery which surrounds this piece of Heaven.

Day three

The street takes us past green hills and a gate in time seems to open suddenly when we pass next to ancient ruins. This is Sarmizegetusa Ulpia Traiana. The museum gate marks the entrance only formally, because beyond it present and past merge in the strangest ways: we walk past haystacks which lay next to the ruins; here and there an orchard surrounded by fences right against ancient amphitheatre walls, temples and mausoleums; several modern houses with stone fences obviously constructed from the neighbouring ruins; cows graze peacefully and even a tractor drives undisturbed among ancient temples as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Of course, there are no tourists. It's only us and these modern peasants lost in antiquity.

We go ahead. We visit Deva. The crowded, unfriendly city at the outskirts becomes more and more attractive as we approach its centre. And suddenly, as if unreal, the citadel shows up floating above the region from its magnificent volcanic rock.

We are transported to the top by a modern funicular which courageously climbs the extremely steep slope, giving us the creeps. The citadel, built in 1269, was destroyed in the nineteenth century by an explosion in the ammunition barracks. The remaining walls defy the horizon, offering unparalleled views in all directions.

From Deva we reach Hunedoara, with its huge fourteenth-century Corvinesti castle, which happens to be closed. As we have already visited it before, it is good to see the on-going restoration works, done with a great sense of taste and care.

From Hunedoara the road takes us over the hills to a legendary place: Padureni Land. We drive along the shore of the Cincis Lake for a few kilometres, after which the landscapes become wilder, the forest thicker and the villages seem older and older. The asphalt road changes to sand and stone and, because evening is falling, we turn back.

Again we go up and down the hills, we cross orchards and green fields, looking for a village which seems to defy our maps: even though it appears next to Calan town, it's nowhere to be found. We ask from place to place, finally we find out the whereabouts and as we climb a slope, the old church of Streisangiorgiu shows up.

It is a small family chapel, profoundly contrasting with the communist blocks of flats nearby - an archaic oasis in this forgotten place where this church stood stubbornly against the ages.

The quest for the old churches in Haţeg and Strei Lands was turning into a competition against time: when we were discovering an Orthodox church about which we thought it was the oldest in Romania, after a short time we would find another, even older. And apparently the oldest is neither in Densus, nor in Strei, nor in Colt, but here, inconspicuous, unknown, among these modern blocks of flats, in Streisangiorgiu: based on some Arpadian coins found in the tombs around the church, it is dated back to the years 1140-1150.

The paintings on the interior walls are revealed by the three layers, the oldest dating from 1313, created by Teofil Zograf - the first Romanian painter in the country’s entire painting history. The magic atmosphere is deepened by the dusk of the sun, which filters the last rays among the clouds beyond the mountains.

Day four

We wake up early and stop in the neighbouring village, Ostrov. Here too there is a small thirteenth century church, typical for the Haţeg Land. The painting on the Western portal is unique, depicting the Virgin with the Child in unusual colours: Mary's clog is red, while her veil is green and Jesus’ clog is yellow and his waistcoat is green.

The painting, with obvious Byzantine roots and resembling the one at Santamaria Orlea dates from the fourteenth century.

The brave Cande is sitting on the stone. He has killed the dragon and he's tired. Then he lays on the grass still wet with morning dew, leaning his head against the elbow. His eyes shut, but the hand still holds the mace with vigor. And in front of the soul eyes, wide open, the villages at the foot of the mountain pass by, with names that inspire legends to come: Santamaria Orlea, Rau de Mori, Ostrov, Streisangiorgiu, Sat Batran, Clopotiva .... “Now, this is my ministry,” he thinks and falls in a deep sleep.

The spire with a square cross section is among the most picturesque in the region. Inside the church there are still vaguely preserved some old paintings, probably dating from the fourteenth century.

We leave Haţeg Land, with the promising to ourselves to return to this fascinating region, home to the oldest Romanian churches. We head towards Caransebes, with its picturesque centre, then we cross the mountains to Baile Herculane and stop at Orsova, where the Danube drills courageously the hillocks, shaping blue bays. After that we stop once more in Craiova, whose monumental centre, recently restored, is full of pedestrians, even though it's a workday.

We leave behind the Craiova's relaxed atmosphere to reach, on the verge of the falling night, the city we left only four days ago, looking for the hidden treasures of Haţeg Land.

This article is courtesy of the Romanian website incogniterra.org

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Romania debates religion's role in schools

Protesters hold an Orthodox icon during a march against the Gay Fest 2008, in downtown Bucharest in this picture taken May 19, 2008.

Protesters hold an Orthodox icon during a march against the Gay Fest 2008, in downtown Bucharest in this picture taken May 19, 2008.

Orthodox believers take part in a march against the Gay Fest 2008, in downtown Bucharest in this picture taken May 19, 2008.

By Marius Zaharia

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - The school priest wanted to convert Andrei to Romania's Orthodox Christianity, because his school could not hire a teacher for religion classes for the 12-year-old Adventist.

"God helps me forgive them, but I don't like these jokes," said the boy, who did not give his last name, fearing problems at his school near Bucharest's city centre.

Students like Andrei from minority religions hope planned education reforms, meant to modernize curricula and overhaul religious instruction, will help them feel more welcome in this Black Sea state.

But in recent months, the powerful Orthodox Church has put pressure on the government to water down these reforms, seen by many observers as a litmus test of the European Union member's efforts to combat religious, sexual and ethnic discrimination.

Around 90 percent of the population belong to the Orthodox Church and three-quarters say they trust it, making it Romania's most popular institution. Only one in five people trusts parliament, which has been tainted by corruption scandals.

As parliament prepares to debate the education reforms -- expected before elections in November -- non governmental organizations are pressing for substantial changes, but they face opposition from the influential clergy.

"Religious education here indoctrinates, fuelling prejudice against other faiths and against sexual minorities," said Smaranda Enache, co-president of human rights group Liga Pro-Europa.

"Some of my classmates push me outside the door before their religion class, others ask me why am I not Orthodox, the same way the priest had asked my parents," said Andrei.

"But it's more than this. Teaching children to discriminate against something builds a national mentality and in the end people reject differences and discriminate against everything."

MINORITY RIGHTS

In a report on religious freedoms published last year, the U.S. State Department said minority religious groups had "credibly asserted that authorities pressured children of other faiths to attend classes of Orthodox religion".

The education reforms initially proposed introducing alternatives to religion classes. They also said all religious symbols should be placed in schools, not just Orthodox icons, as is the case now in most schools.

Atheists would also be allowed to refuse religious education without parental permission if over 16 years old. At the moment, parental permission is required.

But after a public debate and meetings with clergy, the initial idea of alternatives to religious classes was dropped.

The education ministry denied it had bowed to any pressure and defended the content of religious classes.

"None of the world's religions teaches bad things," said deputy education minister Zvetlana Preoteasa.

"Religious and sexual discrimination are not a problem of the schools. As far as I know, all religions say their God is the greatest and almost all disagree with homosexuality and we can't change peoples' faiths."

However, human rights campaigners say the debate over education reforms illustrates a wider problem of intolerance in a society where priests often join violent anti-gay marches and the vast Roma community lives on the margins of society.

TEXTBOOKS AND TOLERANCE

Church officials campaigned against the reforms with the slogan "No high school without God".
"The values offered by religious education are needed desperately ... in times of aggressive and materialist individualism," Patriarch Daniel, the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, said in a press release.

The Church has often been accused by human rights groups and political observers of interfering in government policies and working to keep the rights of sexual minorities off the agenda.

But despite church opposition, some change is being implemented in Romania's schools.

The ministry recently withdrew a textbook that warned about religious "cults seeking to introduce Christ to the Romanian people, as if they haven't known him for almost two millennia".

NGOs say the majority of manuals still preach intolerance. For example, another textbook for high-school pupils warns against "devil's work", such as magic and yoga.

"The little Christian's ABC", used in primary school, tells of a boy who climbed a ladder to destroy a swallow's nest and was punished by God, who pulled down the ladder. The boy ends up in hospital with a head injury.

"This suggests punishment through use of violence is accepted," said Enache from Liga Pro-Europa.

Some analysts see little chance of radical reform in education, especially before the November parliamentary polls.

Many politicians, who often carry Bibles on their person, are eager to secure the backing of parish priests ahead of elections, making them unlikely to oppose the church.

"Romanian politicians have an instinctive fear of excommunication, and they rarely oppose the views of the church," said political analyst Bogdan Teodorescu.

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Romanian Orthodox synod disciplines bishop for intercommunion with Catholics

Bucharest, Jul 11, 2008 / 06:03 am (CNA).- The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church has decided to “forgive” two Orthodox bishops for their participation in religious rites with Eastern Catholics. However, it warned that no Orthodox cleric may celebrate sacraments or blessings with ministers of other religions on pain of excommunication.

Nicolae Corneanu, the Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop of Banat, had provoked controversy after receiving Holy Communion during a Greek Catholic Mass in Timisoara on May 25. The synod’s forgiveness has reportedly settled the controversy, according to the SIR News Agency.

“The Holy Eucharist is not a means and a stage towards the unity of the Christian Church, but the deepest manifestation of the unity of the Church, its highlight,” stated Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church in a speech to the synod.

Patriarch Daniel reportedly intended to reassert the fundamental principle of Orthodox ecclesiology and ecumenism. He said that such gestures of “so-called inter-communion” in fact “reduce the dogmatic differences between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church and undermine the unity of faith as the foundation of the reconstruction of the communion between the two Churches.”

The Patriarch reiterated that it is forbidden for Orthodox believers to receive the Eucharist in a different Church.

He also said the decision does not intend to treat other Christians “with arrogance or contempt” or to interrupt theological dialogue.

“Through a sincere, deep theological dialogue, the dogmas that separate the Catholic Church from the Orthodox Church can be redefined,” he concluded.

Father Francisc Dobos, spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest, responded to the decision, saying in a press release, “We believe it is right for every Church to solve its own problems according to its own principles and regulations. We are convinced that the dialogue between the two Churches will move on, towards a communion from the same chalice.”

The Romanian synod also “forgave” Bishop Sofronie of Oradea, another Orthodox prelate, who had celebrated the blessing of holy water with the Greek Catholic Bishop of Oradea, Virgil Bercea, on “Twelfth Night,” the evening of Epiphany.

“The Holy Synod disapproved of the non-canonical gestures made by the two leaders and accepted their change of mind and repentance as a first sign of their correction,” read a press release from the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate.

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Eleven-Year-Old Romanian Girl Receives Late-Term Abortion in London

By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

LONDON, July 10, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - An 11 year old girl over 21 weeks pregnant has received an abortion at a London hospital after pro-lifers in Romania lost the struggle to save her child's life.

Abortions are illegal in Romania after the 14th week of gestation, unless physicians rule that the pregnancy is a threat to the mother's health. A hospital ethics panel in Romania denied permission for an abortion after ruling that the girl and her baby were healthy, and the pregnancy was proceeding without complications.

However, after weeks of media-generated controversy, the Romanian government issued a new legal opinion stating that the girl could receive an abortion, because her "mental health" would be affected, an interpretation of the law that is heavily disputed in Romania.

Despite the fact that officials of the Romanian Orthodox Church refused to condemn the abortion, many Orthodox and secular organizations fought to save the unborn child's life, and warned that if an abortion were carried out, the doctor would be subject to prosecution despite the government ruling in favor of the procedure.

The girl received the abortion in a public hospital in London after running into further legal obstacles in Britain, where abortions for children under the age of 12 require special permission, according to one Romanian media source. It was also reported that a special anesthesiologist would be required, one that was not available at the private facility.

As a result, the original abortion provider, Marie Stopes International, refused to carry out the procedure and transferred the girl to London's King's College Hospital, where the unborn child was killed by a special team of physicians.

Abortions can be carried out in Britain until the 24th week of gestation.

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Romanian child rape victim allowed abortion

(CNN) -- A Romanian government committee has decided to allow a pregnant 11-year-old who was raped by her teenage uncle to have an abortion, a government spokesman said Friday.

The girl is 21 weeks pregnant -- too far along to have an abortion in Romania, where the limit is 14 weeks unless the pregnancy poses problems for the mother's health, said the spokesman, who asked not to be named.

The girl's parents had said they would take their daughter to Britain for an abortion if the committee did not allow her to have one in Romania. Abortions are legal in Britain up to 24 weeks.

It was unclear whether the parents would still take the girl to Britain following the committee's decision, reached late Thursday.

Church groups have opposed an abortion for the girl, the government spokesman said. The Romanian Orthodox Church has urged the girl to keep the baby, and has said it will take care of the baby if the family wants to give it up for adoption, he said.

The uncle who raped the girl has since disappeared, the Romanian Health Ministry said. Media reports say the uncle is age 19.

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Outcry in Romania over abortion for raped 11-year-old girl

Sunday Times Foreign Desk Published:Jun 29, 2008
__________________________________________________________________

Romania divided after the government grants termination on special grounds

Romania is heatedly debating the emotive issue of underaged girls being allowed abortions after it was revealed that an 11-year-old Romanian girl intended to fly to Britain to terminate her 21-week pregnancy.

Florina Vranceanu’s tragic circumstances have generated a furore in her homeland since her pregnancy became known earlier this month.

The Romanian authorities initially refused to allow Florina to have a termination because her pregnancy was too far advanced. The legal limit for abortions in Romania is 14 weeks unless the mother’s health is threatened. But they relented on Friday after an outcry in Romania and abroad.

Florina fell pregnant after being raped twice by a 19-year-old uncle in their village of Piatra Soimului in eastern Romania, according to UK tabloid the Daily Mail.

Florina’s parents only found out she was pregnant on June 2 after her 26-year-old mother, Lacramioara, took her to the doctor when she complained of stomach pains. The stunned parents decided on termination, but were informed their daughter’s pregnancy was too far gone.

“Panel after panel, meeting after meeting. In the meantime, my poor girl gets more and more terrified,” said Lacramioara.

A family friend said: “She was just a child herself and one who had been raped and betrayed by one of her own family. How could anyone expect her to go through with the pregnancy and have the baby?”

The case has bitterly split the legal and medical communities, child rights groups and the public in Romania.

Romania’s National Child Protection Authority argued Florina should be allowed to have an abortion because she was already traumatised by the experience of rape and pregnancy.

But the National Doctors’ Council said the rights of the foetus should be considered and the pregnancy should go ahead. Twenty church groups also opposed an abortion, according to the Daily Mail.

But the publicity had one positive outcome — a Romanian woman living in Britain offered to fly the girl and her parents to the UK and arrange for the termination at a clinic. Abortion is legal up to six months (24 weeks) in the UK, although the issue is being fiercely debated at the moment. There is growing public pressure for the limit to be lowered to 20 or 22 weeks.

Florina’s relieved parents decided to take up the good Samaritan’s offer and fly to the UK. But the publicity caused the Romanian government to backtrack and announce on Friday that Florina can have an abortion in Romania on exceptional grounds. At a meeting, Romanian government committee member Vlad Iliescu read out an emotive letter from the girl.

It said: “I want to go to school and to play. If I can’t do this, my life will be a nightmare.” Iliescu said: “The girl’s mental health would be severely affected if she had a baby.”

Theodora Bertzi, a labour ministry official, said the decision was taken because “we are talking about ... the rights of this child who was subjected to rape and incest”.

Florina’s 33-year-old father, Florin, insisted he would take his daughter to the UK. “Whatever is decided here in Romania, it all takes too long. Even if they agree to a law change, it will all take too long and it’s putting my daughter’s life at risk in the meantime,” he said before the ruling.

“We will take up the UK offer and have arranged to fly out on Tuesday. The clinic is already arranged.”

Florin said his daughter had not told anyone about being raped because her uncle had threatened her.

“He told my daughter that we would beat her if we found out what had happened and that we would abandon her, so she kept quiet. We only found out four weeks ago after she complained of stomach pains.

“Her mother took her to the hospital and we discovered she was pregnant. I wanted to kill him but he has gone on the run — no one knows where he is.”

Florina’s ordeal may still not be over. The church groups who opposed her abortion are insisting that the Romanian government prevent Florina from travelling to Britain.

The pro-life Christian Orthodox groups also threatened to press charges if the girl was allowed to have a termination in Romania on exceptional grounds.

They have offered “material, spiritual and psychological help” to Florina’s impoverished family. They have also offered to raise the child in a church institution if the family is unable to care for it.

But the Romanian Orthodox Church, which is followed by more than 80% of the population, said the decision should be left to the family. Spokesman Constantin Stoica said it was “an exceptional situation which must be treated in an exceptional manner and the family is the only one to take this decision”.

Stoica said although the church considered abortion a crime, this belief applied to normal circumstances and not to incest or rape.

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Raped 11-year-old girl will have abortion in UK, parents say

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The Associated Press Published: June 27, 2008
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BUCHAREST, Romania: An 11-year-old pregnant girl allegedly raped by her uncle will travel to Britain for an abortion despite a government ruling that the procedure can take place in Romania.

Despite strong pressure from a number of religious groups, a government committee ruled Friday that the girl could have an abortion in Romania even though her 21-week pregnancy is beyond the 14-week limit set by law. Abortions can only be carried out later than 14 weeks in Romania to save the life of the mother.

But the family said they would still travel to Britain for the termination.

"We are determined to go to Britain....there's nothing that can be done here...in Romania," the girl's father was quoted as telling state news agency Rompres after the ruling. "On Tuesday we're going and that is our final decision."

A Romanian in Britain has offered to finance the trip and the family has already bought flight tickets.

In Britain, an abortion is legal up to 24 weeks if two doctors decide that the risk to a woman's physical or mental health will be greater if she continues with the pregnancy than if she ends it.

"'I want to go to school and to play. If I can't do this my life will be a nightmare,'" said a letter from the girl, read out Friday by health ministry official and committee member Vlad Iliescu. "The girl's mental health would be severely affected if she had a baby," Iliescu said.

The country's Doctors' Council, a professional body that represents doctors, said Friday's ruling was only a recommendation and any Romanian doctor who carried out an abortion would be held legally responsible.

The girl's pregnancy only became known June 2 when her parents took her to a doctor because she appeared unwell. She told doctors she had been raped by her 19-year-old uncle, who has since disappeared.

Romanian daily Evenimentul Zilei reported that the girl was depressed because other children in the village in northeast Romania where she lives were refusing to play with her because she was pregnant.

Theodora Bertzi, who was also on the committee, said that the ruling was not an effort to further liberalize abortions.

About 533 girls under the age of 15 had an abortion in 2007 in Romania, and 2,000 girls of the same age gave birth.

The case has divided Romania. On Thursday, 20 anti-abortion Orthodox groups called for her to continue with her pregnancy and offered to raise the child.

Child rights groups have appealed for tolerance because she was a rape and incest victim.

The official position of the Orthodox Church, to which more than 80 percent of Romanians belong, said it was "an exceptional situation which must be treated in an exceptional manner and the family is the only one to take this decision," church spokesman Constantin Stoica said.

He said the church considers abortion a crime, but this belief applies to normal circumstances and not to incest or rape.

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Gov't committee rules that 11-year-old pregnant rape victim can have abortion

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The Associated Press Published: June 26, 2008
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BUCHAREST, Romania: A government committee dismissed the opposition of 20 church groups and ruled Thursday that an 11-year-old rape victim would be allowed to have an abortion in Romania.

Pro-life Christian Orthodox groups had threatened to press charges if the girl was allowed to have a termination in Romania on exceptional grounds since it would be beyond the 14 week legal limit for abortions.

The parents of the girl wanted to travel to Britain where it would be legal for the girl, who is 21 weeks pregnant, to have an abortion.

The stance of the church groups was in contrast to the Romanian Orthodox Church's official view which was the decision should be left to the girl's family.

A committee of government officials and experts set up this week to rule on the controversy said late Thursday that the girl could have an abortion in Romania.

"We are talking about ... the rights of this child who was subjected to rape and incest," said Theodora Bertzi, a Labor Ministry official and who was sitting on the committee. The committee will give its full ruling Friday.

The girl's pregnancy only became known earlier this month when her parents took her to a doctor because she appeared unwell. She told doctors she had been raped by her 19-year-old uncle, who has since disappeared.

Abortions can be carried out later than 14 weeks in Romania but only to save the life of the mother.

In Britain an abortion is legal up to 24 weeks if two doctors decide that the risk to a woman's physical or mental health will be greater if she continues with the pregnancy than if she ends it.

The case has bitterly split the medical community, children's rights groups and the public.

In a statement, the church groups offered "material, spiritual and psychological help" to the child's impoverished family, adding they would also raise the child in a church institution if the family was unable to care for it.

But splits were apparent even within the church.

Constantin Stoica, spokesman for the Romanian Orthodox Church, to which more than 80 percent of Romanians belong, said Wednesday it was "an exceptional situation which must be treated in an exceptional manner and the family is the only one to take this decision."

He said the church considers abortion a crime, but this belief applies to normal circumstances and not to incest or rape.

The National Child Protection Authority has said the girl should be allowed to have an abortion because she is already traumatized by the experience of rape and pregnancy.

The National Doctors Council, however, said that the rights of the fetus should be considered and the pregnancy should go ahead. They argued that abortion laws should not be liberalized further.

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Basescu: Romania’s relations with the Russian Federation will record positive developments

Romania's President Traian Basescu says relations between Romania and the Russian Federation will record positive developments in the future.

Basescu on Monday attended the release of a joint stamp issue devoted to the 130th anniversary of Romanian-Russian diplomatic ties and depicting monuments registered with the UNESCO World Heritage List. The event was part of the EFIRO 2008 world philatelic exhibition mounted in Bucharest.

'Stamps, much the same as money, have a strong national character. The fact that the authorities of the two countries decided to release a joint stamp issue indicates their cooperation potentials and openness to cooperation. I can assure you that there will be positive developments in the Romania-Russia relationship. Today's event is one of a wider series of events celebrating the 130th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Romania and Russia,' said Basescu.

According to the Romanian head of state, the Romanian-Russian stamp issue marks another kind of relations between Romanian and Russians after years of strenuous relations.

'The developments in the past three years indicate that both countries wish to clarify their future, not their relations of the past. From my conversations with the former Russian President Vladimir Putin, I can detect the wish of both sides for their relationship to become a solid and pragmatic one, based on mutual interests and seeking solutions for our region, the Black Sea region,' said Basescu.

In relation to the joint stamp issued by the Romanian and Russian philatelic authorities depicting Church St. George of Voronet and Church St. Demeter of Vladimiri, Basescu said that was excellent.

'This stamp highlights what unites us the most, namely the Christian Orthodox faith. We are two Orthodox peoples. It also highlights a special fact, namely that both peoples are able to offer the world heritage things of extreme value, be it Church St. George of Voronet or Church St. Demeter of Vladimiri,' Basescu explained.

He added that the existing Romanian-Russian cooperation proves that the two countries know how to collaborate in relation to sensitive issues.

In his turn, Russian ambassador in Bucharest Alexandr Ciurilin pointed out that Christian Orthodoxy is keeping the two countries close to each other.

'We are close to each other by our way of living and way of thinking. Most of the believers in Romania and Russia belong to the Christian Orthodox denomination, and this stamp reflects this common trait,' said Ciurilin. He added that the stamp release is a contribution to the strengthening of traditional friendly relations between Russia and Romania.

Also attending the release was deputy bishop Vicentiu Ploiesteanu, who read out a message from Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church that praised the release of the stamps devoted to the 130th anniversary of Romanian-Russian diplomatic ties and depicting monuments registered with the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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Ties between Romania and Russia are over three hundred years old. Records attest to the existence of relations between medieval Romanian principalities with the Kievan Russia and the Grand Duchy of Moscow before they became vassals to the Sublime Porte.

In the second half of the 14th century, Moldavian ruler Stephen the Great entered alliance relations with Moscow, and politicians as well as men of culture from the Romanian principalities, including court employee Milescu and Dimitrie Cantemir cooperated with the Russian czars.

Under the 1774 Kuciuk-Kainargi Peace Treaty, Russia was granted trusteeship over the Romanian principalities, which were still left under Turkish suzerainty. Russia was also the first European power to appoint consuls in Romanian principalities: one general consul in Iasi and one deputy consul in Bucharest, in 1780.

Under the 1829 Adrianople Peace Treaty, the organic regulations of the Romanian principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia were drawn up under the guidance of Russian General Pavel Kiseleff.

Later one, Russia opened new consul's offices in various Romanian localities. After the 1859 Union, Romania concluded it first international convention as a new entity with Russia, a convention on telegraphic cooperation, under an agreement of December 15, 1860, that came into force on February 13, 1862.

After Romania's victory against the Ottoman Empire in the 1877 Independence War, Romania established diplomatic ties with Russia at a legate level, on October 15, 1878, by appointing a representative in Petersburg.

On December 21, 1878, Russia established a consulate in Tulcea, then deputy consul's offices in Constanta (February 11, 1880), Sulina (20 November 1881), Ploiesti (July 4, 1912) and Giurgiu (October 30, 1915). Romania opened honorary consul's offices in Moscow (December 23, 1882), Petersburg (December 17, 1890), Rostov on the Don (July 19, 1903), and Odesa (July 1, 1917). On January 15, 1918, the relations were severed.

On June 9, 1934, Romania established diplomatic ties with the USSR at a legate level, followed by the signature of an agreement on the resumption of trade on the railway (February 1935), and a commercial agreement (February 1936). On June 22, 1941, the diplomatic ties were severed again and resumed on August 6, 1945. On August 24, 1945, the diplomatic ties were promoted to embassy.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the USSR diplomatic and consular offices in Romania became the diplomatic and consular offices of the Russian Federation, while the Romanian diplomatic mission in Moscow became Romania's Embassy in the Russian Federation. On July 5, 2003, Romania's General Consulate opened in Saint Petersburg, and on October 12, 2005 a general consulate of Romania opened in Rostov on the Don.

On May 5, 2003, then Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and then Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana initialled in Bucharest a friendly cooperation agreement between Romania and Russia.

On July 4, 2003, Romanian President Ion Iliescu and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty on friendly cooperation between Romania and the Russian Federation that opened a new chapter in the history of the Romanian-Russian relationship.

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Disputed bishop Sava Cosas charged with ID fraud and theft

Posted by Sarena McRae June 23, 2008 22:31PM



A Cleveland man who calls himself a bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Exile was arraigned Monday on two cases involving theft and stolen identity.

Sava Cosas, 51, is charged with identity fraud, telecommunications fraud, misuse of credit cards and theft.

Cosas opened a credit card account using another man's name and personal information in April 2007, said Ryan Miday, spokesman for the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office. He used the card to make purchases totaling $6,721.34, authorities say.

If convicted of all charges in this case, Cosas faces up to 14½ years in prison.

In the second case, Cosas is accused of forging a check for $650 in the name of Robert Anderson, 60, priest in the Syro Russian Orthodox Church. Anderson had moved into Cosas' home in October 2005 to take over his church while Cosas was imprisoned on a federal gambling conviction. When Cosas completed his sentence, Anderson moved out of Cosas' house to start his own ministry. But, Anderson's mail continued to come to the house.

Cosas opened a Capital One account in Anderson's name and on Aug. 16 forged a courtesy check for $650 in Anderson's name, Miday said. Anderson said that Cosas has a history of misusing funds.

"He has used the church and black robe to get money out of people," Anderson said. "Somebody's got to stop this man. He's written bad checks to everyone that he deals with."

If convicted of all charges in this case, Cosas faces a maximum of four years in prison. Cosas posted a $1,500 bond.

Recent media coverage of these two cases has caused leaders in the church to challenge Cosas' claim that he is actually a bishop.

Nicolae Condrea, archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church in America, said Cosas is not a part of the church.

"Cosas is not with us," he said. "He calls himself a bishop, but he is not in the Romanian Church."

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Romanian church denounces formation of clergy trade union

Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church, here speaking at the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu. Photo CCEE-CEC / Ag. Siciliani

Warsaw (ENI). The Romanian Orthodox Church has condemned the formation of a trade union among its clergy, and has said that priests should follow church procedures in making demands and airing grievances.

"Certainly, some Orthodox priests have trouble making ends meet, especially those with families," said Constantin Stoica, a spokesperson for the Bucharest patriarchate, which governs the church, "but we have ways of solving their problems inside our church."

In May, 20 priests from Iasi, Neamt and Bacau applied to the Iasi court to register their Mother of God Protection union in northeastern Romania, while 35 other priests in Oltenia said they were considering strike action after registering a separate Good Shepherd union at Craiova on 22 May.

The Good Shepherd's vice-president, the Rev. Nicolae State, told Romania's Gandul daily newspaper on 28 May that the union would fight low clergy pay, and demand the right for priests to make parish decisions without diocesan approval.

"There is an abyss between the church hierarchy and the priests who serve in churches," State said. "We are put under pressure, and have already lost some of our members."

In a statement, the Bucharest patriarchate dismissed the moves. "The initiatives to set up clergy trade unions are taken by priests tempted by the spirit of rebellion and division, and moving away from church discipline and communion," the patriarchate said.

"A priest is not a lay employee of a commercial firm but invested by his hierarch with the responsibility of a holy mission designed to save and serve the community of the faithful," the statement added. "He cannot go on strike and not baptise children, wed spouses, hear confessions, bury the dead or administer Holy Communion because his wage is too small."

The patriarchate added that its priests were required to take their problems to church bodies, and not trade unions.

Under a 1999 law that currently faces amendment in the national parliament, the Romanian state pays part of the clergy's income. Local parish contributions make up the rest.

The church's spokesperson told Ecumenical News International that leaders of the Orthodox church hoped to obtain pay rises in current negotiations with the state, and especially for priests from poorer parishes in Transylvania and northern Moldavia.

"But there are also networks of solidarity within the church which enable financial burdens to be shared," Stoica added.

According to a 2001 census, 87 per cent of Romania's 23 million inhabitants belong to the Romanian Orthodox Church.

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Orthodox dispute in Romania

Saturday, 14 June 2008 12:52

The Romanian Catholic Church, an Eastern rite, has defended an Orthodox archbishop who faces sanctions for receiving Communion at an Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy.

"This man of humanism, dignity and dialogue has helped create excellent Catholic-Orthodox ties in our region," said Bishop Alexandru Mesian of Lugoj, Romania. "He wishes to be in communion with other Christians and we've welcomed his unprecedented, progressive gesture with great joy. We are sad he's now being attacked with such ferocity for it."

Bishop Mesian said Orthodox laypeople regularly go to confession and receive Communion at Eastern Catholic churches in Romania.

Orthodox Metropolitan Nicolae Corneanu of Banat, a region of Eastern Europe partly in Romania, will appear before Romanian Orthodox leaders in July to explain why he received Communion during the dedication of an Eastern Catholic church in late May.

Father Constantin Stoica, spokesman for the Orthodox church's Bucharest Patriarchate in Romania, said Metropolitan Corneanu's action would be "analysed and dealt with" when his church's governing synod meets from July 8-9.

"We hope we'll be able to take the final step of communion together once our theological dialogue has improved and we've achieved unity," Father Stoica said. "For now, though, Catholics and Orthodox are not prepared for this. Such a decision must be taken by the whole church, not by individuals."

Ties have long been tense been Romanian Catholics and Orthodox over the Orthodox church's refusals to return Catholic churches which were taken away during Communism.

Bishop Mesian said that Metropolitan Corneanu had been the only Orthodox leader to return Catholic properties in his Banat Archdiocese, and had been criticised by his church previously for relations with Catholics.

In a June 3 statement, the Archdiocese of Fagaras and Alba Iulia, Romania, said it respected "the freedom of Orthodox brethren to attend" the Catholic liturgy and viewed the incident as a private "response to the Holy Spirit."

However, Metropolitan Corneanu's action, which was reported extensively in Romanian newspapers, was criticised in a May 31 Orthodox patriarchate statement, which said Catholic-Orthodox dialogue was "very fragile," and "cannot be assisted, but rather complicated, by gestures considered prophetic or problematic."

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Romanian Orthodox Church welcomes ruling to allow icons in schools

© AP
2008-06-13 17:25:36 -
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - The Romanian Orthodox Church has welcomed the decision of the country's top court to allow religious icons to remain in schools.The Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a 2007 appeal court ruling that icons should be removed from schools because they discriminated against atheists and people of other religions.

Around 80 percent of Romanians are Christian Orthodox and icons are commonly seen in homes, buildings and even cars. The church has enjoyed a revival after communism.

Orthodox Church spokesman Constantin Stoica said Friday the decision showed that the community, not state institutions, should decide what religious symbols are allowed in public spaces.

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Romanian Orthodox prelate threatened with excommunication for sharing Communion

Bucharest, Jun. 11, 2008 (CWNews.com) - The Orthodox prelate who shared Communion with Catholics at an Eastern-rite liturgical service in May now could face excommunication from the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Orthodox Metropolitan Nicolae Corneanu of Banat joined Romanian Catholic Bishop Alexandru Mesian of Lugoj at the altar on May 25, sharing the Eucharist with the Catholic prelate. His action outraged some Orthodox believers, and the Romanian Orthodox synod announced that Metropolitan Corneanu "may be asked to give an appropriate explanation" at a synod meeting in July.

Now another Romanian Orthodox leader, Metropolitan Bartolomeu of Cluj, has introduced a move to excommunicate Metropolitan Corneanu. That proposal will be discussed at the orthodox Synod meeting in early July.

The move to excommunicate Metropolitan Corneanu has inflamed new hostility toward Catholics-- and especially Eastern-rite Romanian Catholics-- among Orthodox hard-liners who regard any association with Catholics as suspicious. Critics have also raised heresy charges against the Orthodox Bishop Sofronie of Oradea, who participated in an ecumenical blessing-of-the-water service in January, on the feast of the Baptism of Christ, with his Romanian Catholic counterpart.

Metropolitan Corneanu has said that he does not regret joining Catholic bishops in the Divine Liturgy. But the Orthodox prelate has rejected the idea that he is likely to become a Catholic, saying that he is loyal to the Orthodox Church and will accept the consequences of his actions.

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The Russian Church asks the Romanian Church to explain why its hierarch communes with Greek-Catholics

06 June 2008, 18:01

Moscow, June 6, Interfax - Head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Kirill addressed the head of the Romanian Patriarchate Sector for External Church Relations Bishop Cyprian to clear up the information about Romanian hierarch communing at the Catholic mess.

In his letter, Metropolitan Kirill asks bishop Cyprian "to clear out if indeed a prominent Romanian Orthodox hierarch communed with those who don't belong to the Orthodox Church," the Moscow Patriarchate official website has reported on Friday.

The letter also asks "Patriarch Daniel of Romania and the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church express their attitude to this event."

As Interfax-Religion has reported earlier, Metropolitan Nicolae of Banat communed at a liturgy in the Greek-Catholic Church in Timisoara in presence of the apostolic nuncio to Romania Archbishop Francisco Javier Lozano.

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Union of priests rattle Orthodox Church

Tuesday 03 June 2008

The clergy of the Romanian Orthodox Church have created the first labour union of priests, with plenty of grievances toward the government and the church's Patriarchy. (Report: M.Bran)

Tuesday 03 June 2008

By FRANCE 24

In the office of the Patriarchy of the Romanian Orthodox Church, anger is in the air and hostilities against the unionist priests have emerged.

The Patriarchy considers the initiative of certain priests to set up unions to be against the regulations and the statutes of the Church.

In spite of the tensions between the direction of the Church and the 15,000 Romanian priests, religion is all over Romanian public life. Religious icons decorate the walls of state schools while the children are taught the catechism.

Union members hope to negotiate a collective job agreement. The State pays them an average wage of only 200 euros, with little possibility for a raise.

In order to make themselves heard by all means, the Romanian priests have involved themselves in the political scene. Hundreds were running in the local elections organized in Romania on June 1st.

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Orthodox bishop shares Communion with Catholics

Timisoara , May. 27, 2008 (CWNews.com) - A Romanian Orthodox bishop has shared Communion with Catholics, causing a sensation in a country where Byzantine Catholics and Orthodox have a history of tense relations.

At the consecration of the Queen of Peace parish church in Timisoara on May 25, Orthodox Metropolitan Nicolae Corneanu of Banat asked to share Communion. The Orthodox metropolitan approached the altar and received the Eucharist from his own hand.

Romanian Catholic Bishop Alexandru Mesian of Lugoj was the celebrant of the Divine Liturgy in the Byzantine Catholic church; Archbishop Francisco-Javier Lozano, the apostolic nuncio to Romania, was also present.

Although Orthodox and Catholic bishops often join in ecumenical services, and occasionally participate in each other's liturgical ceremonies, they do not share Communion-- an indication of the breach in ecclesial communion between the Orthodox churches and the Holy See. In Romania, tensions between the Orthodox Church and the Eastern-rite Romanian Catholic Church have been pronounced, adding to the surprise created by Metropolitan Corneanu's action.

With some Orthodox believers outraged by the metropolitan's sharing Communion with Catholic bishops, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Romania issued a statement saying that at the next meeting of the Orthodox synod, in July, Metropolitan Corneanu "may be asked to give an appropriate explanation" for his action.

The statement from the Orthodox patriarchate went on to say that ecumenical relations with the Catholic Church, "already quite fragile, cannot be helped, but are rather complicated," by sharing in Communion.

Metropolitan Corneanu-- who was one of the first Orthodox bishops to admit that he had cooperated with the secret police under the Communist regime-- has a record of friendship with Romanian Catholics. He was among the few Orthodox leaders prepared to return church properties that had been seized by the Communist government from Catholic ownership in 1948 and handed over to Orthodox control.

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