The Romanian Patriarchate designated 2024 as the Commemorative Year of all the holy unmercenary healers and the Solemn Year of the Pastoral Care of the Sick.
The Patriarch of Romania presided over the proclamation ceremony at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, following the solemn Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great on New Year’s Day.
Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod and Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești read the synodal act that authorised the 2024 Solemn and Commemorative Year proclamation.
Proclamation Act for 2024 Solemn and Commemorative Year: full text
During its working session on February 9, 2023, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church reviewed the report from the Chancellery of the Holy Synod regarding the proclamation of 2024 as the “Solemn Year of the Pastoral Care of the Sick” and the “Commemorative Year of all the holy unmercenary healers” in the Romanian Patriarchate.
The justification for the solemn and commemorative themes proposed by the Chancellery of the Holy Synod for 2024 is supported by the exponential increase in the population of individuals afflicted with standard illnesses and contemporary multiple dependencies in recent years.
Considering that human life and health are gifts of God towards which the Church always shows its care and responsibility, the designation of the year 2024 to an increased concern for sick people or affected by addictions (passions) will also be reflected on the social-philanthropic and social-medical levels in medical institutions established or administered by the Church (medical offices, recovery centres, hospitals), but also in state-run medical institutions, through the cooperation between priests and doctors or psychologists.
Similarly, the commemoration of all the holy unmercenary healers in 2024, which the Romanian people venerate with piety, is an opportune time to increase prayers for the recovery of the sick and to express gratitude to those who care for the ill in their homes or hospitals.
According to the framework program (liturgical, cultural and media),
I. In the first semester of 2024, the theme “Solemn Year of the pastoral care of the sick” will be approached as follows:
- Methods of pastoral care and assistance of the sick described in the Holy Scriptures;
- The pastoral work of the Church and its servants for the care of the sick;
- The social-philanthropic and medical endeavours of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
II. In the second semester of 2024, “The commemorative year of all the holy unmercenary healers” will be approached as follows:
- Christ, the Physician of our souls and bodies;
- The unmercenary saints and the significance of their veneration;
- Holy healers in the history of the Church.
Following discussions in plenary session, at the proposal of the Pastoral, Monastic and Social Committee, the Holy Synod resolved:
- To approve the declaration of the year 2024 as “Solemn Year of the Pastoral Care and Assistance for the Sick” and “Commemorative Year of all the holy unmercenary healers” in the Romanian Patriarchate;
- To approve the framework program (including theological-educational, cultural and media activities) entitled “2024 – Solemn year of the pastoral care of the sick and Commemorative year of all the holy unmercenary healers.”
Chairman of the Holy Synod
† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Raluca-Emanuela Ene
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