Romania’s former Patriarch Teoctist Arapasu reposed in the Lord 17 years ago, on July 30, 2007.
Patriarch Teoctist was born on February 7, 1915, in Tocileni, Botoșani county. He was named Teodor, being the tenth child of Dumitru and Marghioala Arăpașu.
He went to Vorona Monastery as a novice in 1928 and continued to Neamț Monastery in 1931.
Teodor Arăpașu graduated from Cernica Monastery’s Seminary in 1940. On August 6, 1935, he was tonsured a monk at Bistrița Monastery, Neamț county, with the name Teoctist (Theoctistus). He was ordained a hierodeacon on January 4, 1937.
Between 1940 and 1945, he studied at the Faculty of Theology in Bucharest, while having various administrative functions within the Archdiocese of Bucharest.
On March 1, 1945, he was transferred to the Diocesan Center in Iași. On March 25, 1945, he was ordained a hieromonk and elevated to the rank of archimandrite in 1946.
Between 1945 and 1947, he served as a priest and later as Grand Ecclesiarch at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Iasi and Exarch of the monasteries of the Archdiocese of Iasi (1946-1948). During this period he attended the courses of the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy in Iași.
On February 28, 1950, he was elected to the position of patriarchal auxiliary bishop with the title Bishop of Botoșani.
Bishop Teoctist was general secretary of the Holy Synod, rector of the University Theological Institute in Bucharest (1950-1954), and the head of various departments within the Patriarchal Administration.
“Persisting in the right faith and the right action, at any cost, therefore remains the unshakable condition of acquiring the true life and sharing in the fruits of Christ’s Sacrifice and Resurrection,” Patriarch Teoctist noted.
On September 16, 1962, he was installed as Bishop of Arad (elected on July 28), where he pastored for ten years (between December 1969 and December 1970, deputy Bishop of Oradea). On February 25, 1973, he was enthroned as Archbishop of Craiova and Metropolitan of Oltenia.
After four years, on September 25, 1977, Metropolitan Teoctist was elected to the dignity of Archbishop of Iasi and Metropolitan of Moldavia and Suceava.
From July 1980 until January 1982, he also served as deputy Metropolitan of Transylvania. After the death of Patriarch Justin (July 31, 1986), he became deputy Patriarch. On November 9, 1986, he was elected and enthroned (November 16) as Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Muntenia, and Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
After 21 years of patriarchal ministry at the helm of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Teoctist reposed in the Lord.
Photo: Basilica.ro Files
Follow us on X.com: @BasilicaNews
