HOLY AND GREAT COUNCIL DOCUMENT

Draft Synodical Document

Παρασκευή 6 Σεπτεμβρίου 2019

THE TOMOS OF AUTOCEPHALY OF THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH




The Tomos of Autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Romanian-English-Greek
Tomosul autocefaliei Bisericii Ortodoxe Romane
† In numele Tatalui si al Fiului si al Sfantului Duh,

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.

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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.