Patriarch Teoctist steps into eternity
https://www.ipn.md/en/patriarch-teoctist-steps-into-eternity-7967_965872.html
Patriarch Teoctist, the one who for more than 20 years was the head of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church, has stepped into eternity. The funeral processes will take place on Friday, August 03, at 11.00.
The funeral processes have started in the morning with “Sfinta Liturghie” ceremony, celebrated by Sebastian Ilfoveanu, the dean Archbishop of Bucharest Archbishopric, together with an assembly of priests and deacons.
The Archbishop of Constantinople Archbishopric Bartolomeu I also arrived at Bucharest on Thursday in order to attend the funerals as well. Together with him, other dozens of foreign church officials and international religious organizations members will be present at the ceremony.
Hundreds of Christians from the whole Romania, but also form other countries waited many hours on the night from Thursday to Friday in order to touch the patriarch for the last time. Some even fell asleep at the place: in parks, on the benches and even on the road paths. The access to the Cathedral was prohibited starting with 7 a.m.
Special measures have been taken at Bucharest. More than 1200 rangers and policemen are going to assure the safety and order during the funerals. The Romanian Christians will be able to follow up the burying procedures on the giant screens place next to the Patriarchy.
The day is declared to be a national mourning day. The national flag was set down by the state institutions. The national radio and TV stations, as well as all cultural institutions, will only tackle decent subjects in order to keep the sanctity of the funeral ceremony.
The head of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church, patriarch Teoctist, died on Monday, July 30, around 17.00, of a heart attack following surgery on his prostate gland on the same day at Fundeni hospital in Bucahrest.
Post-mortem, he was decorated with National Medal “Romanian Star”, “symbolizing the appreciation for the way the patriarch dedicated his life for the loyal serving of the Orthodox Church, of the national unity and for the idealism in bringing together all Christian churches through dialog”. Patriarch Teoctist is the first Romanian to receive such a medal. The same medal was only offered to King Abdullah II of Jordan and president of Finland, Tarja Halonen.
