30 July 2007 – The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church TEOCTIST
ARĂPAȘU (baptised Teodor) passed away. He was Patriarch of Romania for
21 years, from 1986 – 2007. Patriarch Teoctist joined the monastery as
brother at Vorona Monastery in 1928, and then went to Neamț Monastery,
in 1931. He graduated the Monastic Seminary at Cernica Monastery in
1940. He was tonsured into monasticism at Bistrița Monastery, with the
name of Teoctist, on 6 August 1935, and ordained hierodeacon for this
monastery, on 4 January 1937. In 1940, he was admitted at the Faculty of
Theology of Bucharest and graduated it in 1945; in parallel he had
various positions within the framework of the Archdiocese of Bucharest
and served as deacon at the Patriarchate.
On 1 March 1945, he
was transferred to the Eparchial Centre of Iași, and ordained hieromonk
on 25 March 1945, and archimandrite in 1946. He attended the courses of
the Faculty of Philology of Iași from 1945 – 1947, having been servant
priest, then great eclesiarch at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Iași and
exarch of the monasteries of the Archdiocese of Iași (1946 – 1948). From
1948 – 1950, he was vicar of the same Archdiocese. On 28 February 1950,
he was elected and on 5 March 1950 ordained Assistant Bishop to the
Patriarch with the title of Botoșăneanul. In this dignity he was
secretary of the Holy Synod, rector of the University Theological
Institute of Bucharest from 1950 – 1954 and headed various departments
within the Patriarchal Administration.
On 28 July 1962, he
was elected, and on 16 September installed Bishop of Arad, where he
served for 10 years (December 1969 – December 1970, Bishop locum tenens
of Oradea). On 28 January 1973, he was elected Archbishop of Craiova and
Metropolitan of Oltenia, and on 25 February 1973 installed.
On
25 September 1977, elected Archbishop of Iași and Metropolitan of
Moldova and Suceava, and on 9 October 1977, installed. From July 1980
till January 1982, he was Metropolitan locum tenens of Transylvania.
After the death of Patriarch Iustin, on 31 July 1986, he became
Patriarch locum tenens. On 9 November 1986 he was elected and on 16
November 1986 enthroned Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of
Ungrowallachia and Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, serving
till his death.
Works: “Metropolitan Iacob Putneanul, herald
of the Romanian Orthodoxy, of the hopes of national unity and
affirmation of the Romanian culture” (1978, Neamț Monastery, 45 p.); and
a lengthy edition entitled “Metropolitan Iacob Putneanul” 1719-1778. In
the service of the Romanian Orthodoxy, of the hopes of national unity
and of the Romanian culture” (1978, Neamț, 128 p); Introductory study to
Dosoftei”, “Divine Liturgy” (critical edition by N.A. Ursu, Iași, 1980,
p. V-XLIV – edited at his initiative). He published studies, articles,
speeches in “Biserica Ortodoxă Română”, “Glasul Bisericii”, “Mitropolia
Moldovei și Sucevei”, “Mitropolia Olteniei”, “Mitropolia Banatului”,
Telegraful Român” magazines, books of prayer, pastoral letters. The
articles and speeches published in magazines, as well as the forewords
were gathered under the title “On the steps of the Christian service”,
in 13 volumes (1980 – 2003). As Patriarch, he supervised all the
editorial activity of the Bible and Orthodox Mission Institute. A series
of works with theological and historical character, books of rite, as
well as a new edition of the Synodal Bible (2002) were published with
his blessing.
