The Tomos of Autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Romanian-English-Greek
Tomosul autocefaliei Bisericii Ortodoxe Romane
„Nimeni nu poate pune o alta temelie”, graieste marele Apostol al neamurilor, „decat cea asezata, care este Iisus Hristos”[1].
Astfel, Biserica lui Hristos Cea Una, Sfanta, Soborniceasca si
Apostolica, fiind intemeiata pentru totdeauna pe aceasta unica si
singura, neclintita si trainica temelie, pastreaza neintrerupt unitatea
credintei intru legatura pacii[2]. Prin urmare, aceasta unitate,
ramanand nemicsorata si nestramutata in toti vecii, este ingaduit, prin
cercetare bisericeasca, sa fie schimbate lucrurile care privesc
administratia Bisericilor si ordinea demnitatii, potrivit normelor
hotarate mai inainte.
Din acest motiv, si Preasfanta si Marea
Biserica a lui Hristos, binecuvantand cu multa bunavointa si in duh de
pace si dragoste schimbarile pe care le-a considerat ca necesare pentru
organizarea spirituala a Bisericilor locale, hotaraste acestea pentru o
mai buna zidire a obstii credinciosilor.
Deci, de vreme ce
Inaltpreasfintitul si Preacinstitul Mitropolit al Ungrovlahiei, Domn
Calinic, in numele Sfintei Adunari a sfintilor arhierei din Romania, si
cu incuviintarea Maiestatii sale, Regele Romaniei si a Guvernului sau
Regal, a cerut de la Biserica Noastra, cu indreptatite si legitime
cuvinte, prin mijlocirea scrisorii trimise si recomandate de Excelenta
sa, Ministrul Cultelor si Instructiunii Publice a Romaniei, Domnul
Dimitrie Sturza, binecuvantarea si recunoasterea Bisericii din Regatul
Romaniei ca autocefala, Smerenia Noastra a acceptat aceasta cerere si
solicitare ca fiind dreapta si in acord cu legile bisericesti.
Prin
urmare, dupa ce am deliberat impreuna cu Sfantul Sinod si cu iubitii
nostri frati intru Duhul Sfant si impreuna slujitori, hotaram ca
Biserica Ortodoxa din Romania sa fie numita si sa fie recunoscuta de
catre toti independenta si autocefala, fiind administrata de propriul
Sfant Sinod, avand ca intaistatator, pe actualul inaltpreasfintit si
preaonorat Mitropolit al Ungrovlahiei si exarh al intregii Romanii,
nerecunoscand in propria sa administratie interna nicio alta autoritate
bisericeasca decat pe Capul Bisericii Ortodoxe celei Una, Sfinte,
Sobornicesti si Apostolice, pe Dumnezeu-Omul Rascumparatorul, Care este
singura temelie, piatra din capul unghiului, Cel dintai, Preainaltul,
Vesnicul Arhiereu si Arhipastor.
Asadar, Biserica Ortodoxa a
Regatului Romaniei, fiind intemeiata pe piatra cea din capul unghiului a
credintei noastre si pe invatatura cea neamestecata, nealterata si
lipsita de inovatii, pe care ne-au transmis-o Parintii, o intitulam,
prin acest sfant tomos patriarhal, autocefala si autoadministrata intru
toate, si proclamam pe Sfantul ei Sinod frate iubit intru Hristos,
bucurandu-se de toate privilegiile si de toate drepturile chiriarhale
care insotesc autocefalia unei Biserici, astfel incat, in toate cele ce
privesc buna randuiala, ordinea si toate ale iconomiei bisericesti, sa
se administreze si sa se randuiasca de sine, neimpiedicat, in toata
libertatea si potrivit traditiei neincetate si neintrerupte a Bisericii
Sobornicesti si Ortodoxe si, in acest mod, sa fie recunoscut si numit de
catre celelalte Biserici Ortodoxe ale lumii cu numele de „Sfantul Sinod
al Bisericii Romaniei”.
Dar, pentru ca unitatea spirituala sa
ramana nedesfacuta, iar comuniunea Sfintelor lui Dumnezeu Biserici
nemicsorata, fiindca am fost invatati sa pastram unitatea Duhului intru
legatura pacii, Sfantul Sinod al Bisericii Romaniei este dator a pomeni
in sfintele diptice, conform celor lasate de catre Sfintii si de
Dumnezeu purtatorii Parinti, pe Preasfantul Patriarh Ecumenic si pe
ceilalti Preasfinti Patriarhi si pe toate Sfintele lui Dumnezeu Biserici
Ortodoxe si sa se puna de acord, in mod nemijlocit, cu Preasfantul
Patriarh Ecumenic si cu ceilalti Preasfinti Patriarhi si cu toate
Sfintele lui Dumnezeu Biserici Ortodoxe, in toate problemele importante,
canonice si dogmatice, care necesita o cercetare mai generala si mai
comuna, conform sfantului obicei al Parintilor, pastrat de la inceput.
De
asemenea, este indreptatita a cere si a primi de la Marea Noastra
Biserica a lui Hristos, toate cate si celelalte Biserici autocefale sunt
indreptatite a le cere si a le primi de la aceasta. Iar Intaistatatorul
Sfantului Sinod al Bisericii Romaniei, la intronizare, este dator sa
trimita scrisorile sinodale necesare catre Preasfantul Patriarh
Ecumenic, catre ceilalti Preasfinti Patriarhi si catre toate Bisericile
Ortodoxe autocefale. La fel si acesta este indreptatit sa primeasca
aceleasi scrisori de la acelea.
Asadar, Marea Noastra Biserica a
lui Hristos binecuvanteaza din adancul sufletului pe iubita sa sora in
Hristos, Biserica autocefala a Romaniei si invoca din belsug asupra
evlaviosului popor cel din de Dumnezeu pazitul Regat al Romaniei,
darurile si harurile dumnezeiesti din nesecatele tezaure ale Parintelui
ceresc, rugandu-se pentru ei si pentru copiii lor, din neam in neam,
pentru tot binele si pentru desavarsita lor mantuire. „Iar Dumnezeul
pacii, Cel ce a ridicat din morti pe Marele Pastor al oilor, prin
sangele Testamentului celui vesnic, pe Domnul nostru Iisus Hristos, sa
desavarseasca aceasta Sfanta Biserica in toata fapta cea buna, spre
implinirea vointei Lui, savarsind prin aceasta ceea ce este bineplacut
in fata Lui, prin Iisus Hristos, Caruia I se cuvine slava in vecii
vecilor. Amin.”
In anul mantuirii, una mie opt sute optzeci si cinci, luna aprilie, Indictionul 13.
† Ioachim,
din mila lui Dumnezeu,
Arhiepiscop al Constantinopolului, Noua Roma si
Patriarh Ecumenic, hotarasc in Hristos Dumnezeu.
† Nicodim al Cizicului
† Calinic al Calcedonului
† Neofit al Adrianopolului
† Sofronie al Amasiei
† Procopie al Melenicului
† Nichifor al Metimnei
† Chesarie al Moglenei
† Antim al Debrei si al Velizei
† Gavriil al Samosului
† Ignatie al Litizei
* Arhiva Sfantului Sinod, Dosar 78/1885, f. 22v-24; Biserica Ortodoxa Romana, IX (1885), 5, pp. 344-345 (original grecesc); Ministerul Cultelor și Instrucțiunii Publice, Acte privitoare la autocefalia Bisericii Ortodoxe Romane, Bucuresti, Tipografia Cartilor Bisericesti, 1885, pp. 17-19 (original grecesc); extras din: Autocefalia: libertate si demnitate, Bucuresti, Ed. Basilica, 2010, pp. 583-587.
[1] 1 Corinteni 3, 11.
[2] Efeseni 4, 3.
societateamuzicala.ro
The Tomos of Autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church
“No other foundation can anyone lay,” says the great Apostle of the
nations, “than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Thus being
established forever on the one and only firm and unwavering foundation,
the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Christ preserves
uninterrupted the unity of faith in the bond of love. Therefore, while
this unity remains undefeated and unshaken for all ages, it is permitted
through ecclesiastical scrutiny for matters pertaining to the
administration of the Churches to be changed according to the
arrangement of issues for the order of dignity.
Therefore, the Most Holy Great Church of Christ, having altogether
readily and in a spirit of peace and love carried out the changes deemed
necessary in the spiritual administration of the holy local churches,
determines as for the better building up of the pleroma of the faithful.
And so, since the Most Reverend and Venerable Metropolitan of
Ungrovlachia Kyr Calinic, on behalf of the sacred assembly of the holy
Hierarchs in Romania and with the acquiescence of His Majesty the King
of Romania and His Royal Government, requested from our Church via a
letter sent and recommended by His Excellency the Minister of
Ecclesiastical Affairs and of Public Education of Romania, Mr Dimitrie
Sturza, the blessing and recognition of the Church of the Kingdom of
Romania as autocephalous, Our Mediocrity has accepted this request and
demand as worthy and in accord with ecclesiastical institutions.
Consequently, having conferred with the Holy Synod of Most Reverent
Metropolitans around us, our beloved brothers in the Holy Spirit and
concelebrants, it is declared that the Orthodox Church in Romania be, be
called and be recognized by all as independent and autocephalous,
administered by its own Holy Synod, having as President the current Most
Reverend and Venerable Metropolitan of Ungrovlachia and Exarch of All
Romania, recognizing no other ecclesiastical authority [ἀρχήν] in its
internal administration apart from the head of the one, holy, catholic
and apostolic Orthodox Church, the God-Man and Redeemer, who alone is
the foundation, cornerstone, first [πρῶτος], highest and eternal chief
priest and arch-pastor.
Therefore, as she is established upon upon the cornerstone of our
faith and the unadulterated teaching, which our Fathers handed down
unblemished and unaltered, by this sacred Patriarchal and Synodal Tomos
we inscribe the steadfast Orthodox Church of the kingdom of Romania as
autocephalous and self-governing in all things and we declare her Holy
Synod to be a beloved sister in Christ, enjoying all the privileges and
all the sovereign rights [πάντων τῶν κυριαρχικῶν δικαιωμάτων] of an
autocephalous Church, so that she may administer and arrange all good
ecclesiastical conduct and order and all other matters of ecclesiastical
economy on her own, unimpeded and in all liberty, in accordance with
the continuous and unbroken tradition of the entire Orthodox Church and
in this way henceforth throughout the Oecumene of Orthodox Churches be
recognized and given the name of the Holy Synod of the Church of
Romania.
However, so that the bond of spiritual unity and union of the holy
Churches of God may remain in all things undiminished, for we have been
instructed to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, the
Holy Synod of the Church of Romania is enjoined to commemorate in the
sacred diptychs, according to that which was handed down of old by the
holy and God-bearing fathers, the Ecumenical and other most holy
Patriarchs and all the holy Orthodox Churches of God and to come to
agreement immediately with the Ecumenical and other most holy Patriarchs
and all the holy Orthodox Churches of God in all important canonical
and dogmatic questions that require more general and common examination,
according to the sacred custom of the Fathers held from the beginning.
Likewise, she holds the right to demand and receive from our Great
Church of Christ all that which the other autocephalous Churches have
the right to demand and receive from her. The President of the Holy
Synod of the Church of Romania is enjoined upon his installation to send
the requisite Synodical Letters to the Ecumenical and other most holy
Patriarchs and to all the autocephalous Orthodox Churches, just has he
has the right to receive from them.
Therefore, our holy and Great Church of Christ blesses from the depth
of her soul the autocephalous and beloved in Christ Church of Romania
and calls forth upon the pious people of the God-protected Kingdom of
Romania abundant divine gifts and graces from the inexhaustible
storehouses of the Heavenly Father, praying for them and for their
children unto generations of generations, for every good thing and for
their salvation. “May the God of peace, who raised from the dead the
great pastor of the sheep in the blood of the eternal covenant, our Lord
Jesus, complete this holy Church in every good thing, unto the
fulfilling of His will, guarding her unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In the year of salvation 1885, April 13.
The Patriarch of Constantinople approves.
«Θεμέλιον ἄλλον οὐδείς δύναται θεῖναι», φησίν ὁ μέγας τῶν ἐθνῶν
Ἀπόστολος «παρά τόν κείμενον, ὅς ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός». Ἐπί τούτῳ οὖν
τῷ ἑνί καὶ μόνῳ στερρῷ καὶ ἀδιασείστῳ θεμελίῳ ἀειποτε ἐπικοδομούμενη ἡ
μία, ἁγία, καθολική καὶ ἀποστλική τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησία, τηρη ἀδιάσπαστον
τήν ἐνότητα τῆς πίστεως ἐν τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς ἀγάπης. Οὕτω τοίνυν τῆς
ἑνότητος ταύτης ἀπαραμειώτου καὶ ἀπαρασαλεύτου εἰς τόν ἅπαντα
παραμενούσης αἰώντα ἔξεστι δοκιμασίᾳ ἐκκλησιαστικῇ τά περί τήν τῶν
Ἐκκλησιῶν διοίκησιν πράγματα κατά τε τά τῶν θεμάτων διαρρύθμισιν εἰς τήν
τάξιν τοῦ ἀξιώματος μεταβάλλεσθαι. Ἐφ΄ ᾧ καὶ ἡ Ἁγιωτάτη Μεγάλη τοῦ
Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησία προθύμως πάνυ καὶ ἐν πνεύματι εἰρηνης καὶ ἀγάπης τάς
ἀναγκαίας κρινομένας ἐν τῇ πνευματικῇ διοικήσει τῶν κατά τόπων ἁγίων
ἐκκλησιῶν μεταβολάς εὐπελογοῦσα καθορίζει ὡς κρείττονα τοῦ πληρώματος
τῶν πιστῶν οἰκοδομήν. Ἐπειδή τοίνυν ὁ Πανιερώτατος καὶ Σεβασμιώτατος
Μητροπολίτης Οὐγγροβλαχίας κύρ Καλλίνικος, ἐξ ὀνόματος τῆς ἱερᾶς τῶν ἐν
Ρουμανίᾳ ἁγίων Ἀρχιερέων ὁμηγύρεως καὶ συνεναίσεως τῆς τε Αὐτοῦ
Μεγαλειότητος τοῦ Βασιλέως τῆς Ρουμανίας καὶ τῆς Βασιλικῆς Αὐτοῦ
Κυβερνήσεως, ἐξῃτήσατο δι’ ἐπιστολῆς, διαβιβαζομένης καὶ συνοδευομένης
ὑπό τοῦ ἐξοχωτάτου ὑπουργοῦ τῶν Ἐκκλησιαστικῶν καὶ τῆς δημοσίας
ἐκπαιδεύσεως τῆς Ρουμανίας κυρίου Δημητρίου Στούρτζα παρά τῆς καθ΄ ἡμᾶς
Ἐκκλησίας τήν εὐλογίαν καὶ τήν ἀναγνώρισιν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Βασιλείου
τῆς Ρουμανίας ὡς αὐτοκεφάλου, ἡ Μετριότης ἡμῶν τήν αἴτησιν καὶ ἀξίωσιν
ταύτην ὡς δικαίαν καὶ τοῖς ἐκκλησιαστικοῖς θεσμίοις συνάδουσαν
προσήκατο· καὶ δή μετά τῆς περί ἡμᾶς Ἱερᾶς Συνόδου τῶν Ἱερωτάτοων
Μητροπολιτῶν, τῶν ἐν ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι ἀγαπητῶν ἡμῶν ἀδελφῶν καὶ
συλλειτουργῶν συνδιασκεψαμένη, ἀποφαίνεται, ἵνα ἡ ἐν Ρουμανίᾳ Ὀρθόδοξος
Ἐκκλησίᾳ ὑπάρχῃ καὶ λέγεται καὶ παρά πάντων γνωρίζηται ἀνεξάρτητος καὶ
αὐτοκέφαλος, ὑπό ἰδίας διοικουμένη Ἱερᾶς Συνόδου, Πρόεδρον ἐχούσης τόν
κατά καιρούς Πανιερώτατον καὶ Σεβασμιώτατον Μητροπολίτην Οὐγγροβλαχίας
καὶ Ἔξαρχον πάσης Ρουμανίας, μηδεμίαν ἄλλην ἀναγνωρίζουσα ἐκκλησιαστικήν
ἀρχήν ἐν τῇ αὐτῆς ἐσωτερικῆς διοικήσει εἰμή αὐτήν τήν τῆς μίας, ἁγίας,
καθολικής καὶ ἀποστολικῆς ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας κεφαλήν, τόν θεάνθρωπον
λυτρωτήν, ὅς μόνος ὑπαρχῃ θεμέλιος καὶ ἀκρογωνιαῖος καὶ πρῶτος καὶ ἄκρος
καὶ αἰώνιος ἀρχιερευς καὶ ἀρχιποιμήν. Οὕτω τοίνυν ἐπί τῷ ἀκρογωνιαίῳ
λίθῳ τῆς πίστεως ἡμῶν ἐρειδομένην καὶ τῆς ἀκραιφνοῦς διδασκαλίας, ἥν
ἀλώβητον καὶ ἀκαινοτόμητον οἱ Πατέρες ἡμῶν παρέδοσαν, στερρῶς
ἀντεχομένην τήν τοῦ βασιλεῖου τῆς Ρουμανίας Ὀρθόδοξον Ἐκκλησίαν, διά
τοῦδε τοῦ ἱεροῦ Πατριαρχικοῦ καὶ Συνοδικοῦ Τόμου, αὐτοκεφάλον καὶ κατά
πάντα αὐτοδιοίκητον ἀναγράφοντες, ἀνακηρρύττομεν τήν Ἱεράν αὐτῆς Σύνοδον
ἀγαπητήτν ἐν Χριστῷ ἀδελφήν, ἀπολαύουσαν πασῶν τῶν τῇ αὐτοκεφάλῳ
Ἐκκλησίᾳ παρομαρτουσων προνομίων καὶ πάντων τῶν κυριαρχικῶν δικαιωμάτων,
ὥστε πᾶσαν τήν ἐκκλησιαστικήν εὐκοσμίαν καὶ τάξιν καὶ πάσας τάς ἄλλας
ἐκκλησιαστικάς οἰκονομίας δι΄ αὐτῆς ἀκωλύπτως καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἐλευθερίᾳ
διοικεῖσθαι καὶ ρυθμίζεσθαι, συνῳδά τῇ διηνεκεῖ καὶ ἀδιαλείπτῳ παραδόσει
τῆς καθόλου Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ὡς τοιάυτην παρά τῶν λοιπῶν ἀνά
τήν Οἰκουμένην Ὀρθοδόξων Ἐκκλησιῶν γνωρίζεσθαι καὶ ὀνομάζεσθαι τῷ
ὀνόματι τῆς Ἱερας Συνόδου τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς Ρουμανίας. Ἀλλ’ ἵνα ὁ τῆς
πνευματικῆς ἑνότητος καὶ συναφείας τῶν ἁγίων τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησιῶν
ἀπαραμείωτος ἐν ἅπασι παραμένῃ σύνδεσμος, καὶ γάρ ἐδιδάχθημεν τηρεῖν τὴν
ἑνότητα τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης, ἡ ἁγία Σύνοδος τῆς
Ἐκκλησίας τῆς Ρουμανίας, ὀφείλει μνημονεύειν ἐν τοῖς ἱεροις διπτύχοις,
κατά τά παλαιόθεν ὑπό τῶν ἁγίων καὶ θεοφόρων πατέρων παραδεδομένα τοῦ τε
Οίκουμενικοῦ καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἁγιωτάτων Πατριαρχῶν καὶ πασῶν Ὀρθοδόξων
ἁγίων τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ συννοεῖσθαι ἀμέσως μετὰ τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ
καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἁγιοτάτων Πατριαρχῶν καὶ πασῶν τῶν Ὀρθοδόξων ἁγίων τοῦ
Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ πᾶσι τῆς κρινοτέρας καὶ γενικοτέρας διασκέψεως
χρήζουσι σπουδαίοις κανονικοῖς καὶ δογματικοῖς ζητήμασι, κατὰ τὴν ὑπ’
ἀρχῆς κρατήσασαν ἱερὰν τῶν Πατέρων συνήθειαν. Ὡσαύτως δέ δικαιοῦται
αἰτεῖν καὶ λαμβάνειν παρὰ τῆς καθ΄ ἡμᾶς Μεγάλης τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησίας
πανθ΄ ὅσα καὶ αἱ λοιπαί αὐτοκέφαλοι Ἐκκλησίαι δικαιοῦνται αἰτεῖν καὶ
λαμβάνειν παρ΄ αὐτῆς δέ Πρόεδρος τῆς Ἱερας Συνόδου τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς
Ρουμανίας ὀφείλει ἐγκαθιστάμενος ἀποστέλλειν τά ἀναγκαῖα Συνοδικά
Γράμματα πρός τε τὸν Οἰκουμενικόν καὶ τοὺς λοιπούς ἁγιοτάτους Πατριάρχας
καὶ πρός πάσας τάς αύτοκεφάλους ὀρθοδόξους Ἐκκλησίας ποῦθ’ ὅπερ καὶ
αὐτός δικαιοῦται παρά τοῦτων ἀποδέχεσθαι. Ἐπί πᾶσιν οὖν τούτοις ἡ καθ΄
ἡμᾶς ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησία εὐλογῆ ἀπό βάθους ψυχῆς τήν
αὐτοκέφαλον καὶ ἐν καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ ἀγαπητήν Ἐκκλησίαν τῆς Ρουμανίας καὶ
δαψιλεῖς ἐπικαλεῖται ἐπὶ τόν εὐσεβῆ λαόν, τόν ἀνά τόν θεοφρούρητον
βασιλέα τῆς Ρουμανίας ἐκ τῶν ἀκενώτων θησαυρῶν τοῦ Ἐπουρανίου Πατρός τάς
θείας αὐτοῦ δωρεάς καὶ χάριτας ὑπεσχομένη αὐτοῖς τε καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις
αὐτῶν εἰς γενεάν γενεῶν πᾶν ἀγαθόν καὶ κατ΄ ἄμφω σωτήριον «ὁ δὲ θεός τῆς
εἰρήνης, ὁ ἀναγαγών ἐκ νεκρῶν τόν ποιμένα τῶν προβάτων τόν μέγαν ἐν
αἵματι διαθήκης αἰωνίου τόν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν, καταρτίσαι τήν ἁγίαν
ταύτην Ἐκκλησίαν ἐκ παντί ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ εἰς τό ποιῆσαι τό θέλημα αὐτοῦ,
τηρεῖν εἰς τούς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
Ἐν ἔτει σωτηρίω αωηε΄ κατά μῆνα ἀπρίλιοξν Ἐπιμήσεως ΙΓ’.
Ὁ Πατριάρχης Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἀποφαίνεται.