Romanian Patriarch Daniel marks 36 years since episcopal ordination
Wednesday marked 36 years since Patriarch Daniel, head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, was ordained bishop.
On March 4, 1990—the first Sunday of Great Lent that year—he was ordained Assistant Bishop of the Archdiocese of Timișoara, receiving the title “Bishop of Lugoj.”
Patriarch Daniel was born on July 22, 1951, in the village of Dobrești, Bara commune, Timiș County, the third child of Alexie and Stela Ciobotea. In 1974 he obtained a degree in theology from the Orthodox Theological Institute in Sibiu and later pursued doctoral studies under the guidance of Saint Dumitru Stăniloae.
His theological formation also included research and study periods in Strasbourg, France, and Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
Entering monastic life
In 1987 the future Patriarch entered monastic life at Sihăstria Monastery in Neamț County, with saint Cleopas Ilie as his monastic sponsor. The same year he was ordained hierodeacon and later hieromonk.
In 1988 he was elevated to the rank of Protosyncellus and appointed patriarchal adviser, also serving as director of the Department for Contemporary Theology and Ecumenical Dialogue. During this period he was active in academia as a lecturer at the Orthodox Theological Institute in Bucharest.
Milestones of ministry
Elected Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bukovina on June 7, 1990, he launched numerous pastoral, administrative and cultural initiatives, including the restoration of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iași, the establishment of the Providența Medical Center, and the founding of the newspaper Lumina and Radio Trinitas.
On September 12, 2007, he was elected Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church and enthroned on September 30, 2007. Since then, he has continued to expand the Church’s pastoral and missionary work both in Romania and among Romanian communities abroad.
One of the most significant projects of his patriarchate has been the construction of the Romanian People’s Salvation Cathedral, considered a symbolic landmark of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
“A rhythm and ethos for the Church”
In a message delivered on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești highlighted the continuity and fruitfulness of Patriarch Daniel’s ministry.
“These 36 years of episcopal service of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel have set a rhythm and an ethos for our Church,” he said.
The bishop also recalled Patriarch Daniel’s time as Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bukovina, quoting metropolitan Bartolomeu Anania, who once described the activity of the metropolis as “a beehive of the Holy Spirit.”
Following his enthronement in 2007, the bishop added, this “beehive of the Holy Spirit” expanded to the entire Romanian Patriarchate, while the Church’s work became increasingly visible in society, even recognized by those not directly connected to church life.
Photo: Basilica.ro / Raluca-Emanuela Ene
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