On Monday, Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova conducted a Te Deum service at the Patriarchal Cathedral to celebrate the 73rd birthday of the Patriarch of Romania.
After the service, the Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest delivered a congratulatory message, highlighting Patriarch Daniel’s connections with some of the saints recently canonized by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Saints known by Patriarch Daniel
Bishop Timotei recalled that shortly after beginning his theological studies, the young Dan-Ilie visited Sihăstria Monastery in Neamț, where he met Saints Cleopas Ilie and Paisius Olaru. He later embraced monastic life, with Saint Cleopas serving as his monastic godfather.
After graduating from the Institute of Theology in Sibiu, Patriarch Daniel encountered another saint, Confessor Priest Dumitru Stăniloae, who guided him through his doctoral studies.
Additionally, after studying abroad, His Beatitude resided at St Anthimos Monastery in Bucharest, where he met elder Sofian Boghiu, another contemporary saint.
“At St Anthimos Monastery, where he lived for two years until he was elected assistant bishop in Timișoara, Archimandrite Daniel Ciobotea frequently encountered Father Sofian, a great spiritual guide sought by thousands of Bucharest residents,” Bishop Timotei said.
In addition to these saints, Bishop Timotei of Prahova mentioned, “there was also the figure of Dometie Manolache, a doctoral colleague of His Beatitude, despite being about 25 years older, and the blessing that students at Sibiu consistently received from the patient and brother-loving Archimandrite Serafim Popescu of Sâmbăta Monastery.”
In conclusion, His Grace emphasized that the Patriarch holds all Romanian saints in high esteem and diligently edits their akathists, considering this effort “hours of prayer, which those with many concerns for the Church often struggle to find.”
“They contributed to the formation of many young people after the changes in 1989”
The Patriarch of Romania thanked Bishop Timotei for his words.
“His Grace Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova highlighted the contribution of spiritual fathers to the formation of many young people after the changes in 1989, especially those who confessed their faith during communism and the spiritual guides of the Romanian people, who, of course, have recently been added to the list of those to be included in our Church’s calendar and honoured as saints.”
“Generally, on the occasion of one’s birthday, we think of the parents who gave birth to and raised us, but also of the teachers, professors, and spiritual guides who formed us both intellectually and spiritually,” His Beatitude said, sharing some memories from his youth.
Meeting Saint Cleopas at Sihăstria
“During that period,” the Patriarch continued, “the meeting with Father Cleopas Ilie, recommended by the late Professor Mircea Păcuraru, was a joy and an encouragement.”
Patriarch Daniel appreciated Father Cleopas’ unique speaking style and modesty, noting that during their meeting, Elder Cleopas greeted him by saying, “Why have you come to learn from a simple and uneducated monk?”
“But being self-taught, he had read almost all the books in Neamț Monastery’s library (…) We were impressed by his extensive knowledge and quotations from the Holy Fathers. Although he had no university or high school education, Father Cleopas had an extraordinary memory, to the extent that Father Stăniloae said he knew as much patristic theology as a university professor.”
“But these quotations from the Holy Fathers, which he remembered, were very well chosen,” added the Patriarch.
“During that memorable meeting, he said: ‘He who speaks of God but does not pray to God is like one who has painted water on the wall and dies of thirst beside it.’ Thus, he had these vivid expressions from Saint John of Damascus.”
Meeting Saint Paisius of Sihăstria
Father Paisie Olaru was also very unique, His Beatitude continued.
“He was very quiet. He rarely preached, but he had a significant work of heart or mind prayer, about which, when asked, he said, ‘I haven’t heard, I don’t know what it is’—such was his humility, hiding his private prayer life.”
“And after confession, you didn’t want to leave,” Patriarch Daniel confessed. “He conveyed such inner peace and warmth.”
The Patriarch added that he had a special way of praying, using many diminutives, quoting Saint Paisius of Sihăstria: “And bless, Lord, his little house, his life. Bless, Lord, his work. And give him a little corner of heaven.”
“These prayers seemed very simple or simplistic, but they were very sincere.”
“We will pray and remember them as our teachers”
His Beatitude noted that both saints were from the 19th-20th century Botoșani region: “from that area of very faithful people, with many children, of whom many married and others went to monasteries.”
“We remember with gratitude these praying, fasting, and confessing fathers. After the solemn proclamation of the canonization next year, meaning the public manifestation of this canonization, we will pray and remember them as our teachers because we learned not only from what they wrote and preached but also from their way of life.”
Several state representatives, including the President of the Senate and the Prime Minister of Romania, attended the Te Deum. The celebrations continued with an anniversary event at the Patriarchal Palace.
Please visit our Photo Gallery section for more pictures from the event.
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
Source: basilica.ro