Romanian Church confirms opposition to civil partnerships

(Romanian Church) - The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church held Thursday, 24 May 2018, its working session at the Synodal Hall of the Patriarchal Residence, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel.

Given the insistent request of the clergy and lay believers of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, the Holy Synod elected by secret vote His Grace Antonie of Orhei, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Chișinău, as Bishop of Bălți.

The Holy Synod proceeded to the election by secret vote of the V. Rev. Archimandrite Veniamin Goreanu, patriarchal adviser, as Bishop of Southern Bessarabia.

During the session, the Holy Synod elected the V. Rev. Archimandrite Timotei Bel as Assistant Bishop to the Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar.

The new assistant bishop will bear the title of His Grace Bishop Timotei of Sătmar.

The Holy Synod approved the proposal of the Metropolitan Synod of Moldavia and Bukovina to add to the liturgical calendar of the Romanian Orthodox Church the feast of the Directres Icon of the Mother of God of Neamț Monastery to be celebrated on July 9, beginning with 2019.

The texts of the Vespers, Matins, Synaxarion, troparion, kondakion, and the Akathist Hymn to the Holy Icon were also approved.

The synodal fathers approved the 2019 liturgical calendar, noting that the feast of Holy Pascha will be celebrated next year on April 28.

The Holy Synod reiterated the position of the Romanian Orthodox Church on the legalization of civil partnerships. A legal status would lead to the encouragement and legalization of cohabitation, as well as to the disengagement of life partners to the detriment of the children’s major interest.

The rejection of civil partnerships is also the position of all the Orthodox Churches, expressed at the Holy and Great Council of Crete in 2016.