Patriarch Justinian Marina was commemorated on Thursday, 49 years after his repose, at his tomb at Radu Vodă Monastery in Bucharest.
The memorial service was officiated by Archimandrite Nectarie Șofelea, Abbot of the monastery and Administrative Exarch of the monasteries within the Archdiocese of Bucharest, who highlighted the difficult context of the communist regime during which the Patriarch served.
“The third Patriarch of Romania, Justinian Marina, who shepherded the Church between 1948 and 1977, was among those patriarchs who worked for the life of the Church—spiritually, socially and missionally—in very complicated times for the history of the Romanian people,” the archimandrite said.
His patriarchate coincided with “almost half of the period of the communist dictatorship”.
Archimandrite Nectarie explained that the Patriarch’s tomb at Radu Vodă Monastery “is the place he chose long before his repose, as he was deeply involved in the restoration and renewal of this ancient monastic settlement”.
Students from the “Metropolitan Nifon” Orthodox Theological Seminary in Bucharest attended the memorial service.
Brief Biography
Ioan Marina, the future Patriarch Justinian, was born on 22 February 1901 in Suiești, Vâlcea County, Romania. He studied at the Saint Nicholas Theological Seminary in Râmnicu Vâlcea and at the Faculty of Theology in Bucharest, graduating in 1929.
In 1945, he was elected Assistant Bishop of the Metropolis of Moldavia and Suceava, with the title “of Vaslui”, later becoming Locum Tenens of the metropolitan see.
In May 1948, following the passing of Patriarch Nicodim Munteanu, he was elected Patriarch of Romania.
He served from 1948 to 1977, during a challenging period marked by the communist regime. He fell asleep in the Lord on 26 March 1977 and was buried at Radu Vodă Monastery in Bucharest.
The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church has designated 2027 as the commemorative year of Patriarchs Justinian Marina (1948–1977) and Teoctist Arăpașu (1986–2007).
Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
