The Romanian Orthodox Church sent, on Wednesday, a series of recommendations to bishops, priests, deacons, monks and nuns in the perspective of the parliamentary and presidential elections, which, according to the decisions of the Holy Synod, are forbidden, among other things, to engage in partisan politics or participate in electoral campaigns as supporters.
The Holy Synod recalls its appeal to the leaders of the political parties in Romania not to allow the recruitment of members from the ranks of the clergy nor the use for political purposes of persons, spaces, services and church symbols and reiterates the fact that the Romanian Orthodox Church does not recommend supporting any political party or to any political ideology, but urges all citizens to make choices according to criteria aimed at achieving the good of the country and promoting Christian values in society.
According to the Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate, in the perspective of this year’s parliamentary and presidential elections, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church made several decisions, starting from the positions expressed successively through the synodal decisions of February 13-14, 1996, February 23-25 2000, 12 – 13 February 2004, 5 – 7 March 2008, February 25, 2016 and July 21, 2020, out of the desire to make the BOR’s attitude towards political life and electoral campaigns as clear as possible.
Thus, in his capacity as a citizen and spiritual father of all his parishioners, regardless of their political orientation, the priest has the freedom, the blessing and the duty to participate in the life of the city, from his position and through the spiritual means that are specific to him, supporting activities aimed at promoting the public good and opposing any measures or activities that prove to be in contradiction with orthodox Christian teaching and morals.
“In order to respect the political options of his believers, the priest has the obligation to maintain neutrality during the electoral campaigns, both in public statements and in practical activity, in relation to issues of a political nature. The political option of the priest will be expressed only through a secret personal vote”, emphasized BOR.
The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church maintains, at the same time, Synod Decision no. 1676 of March 6, 2008, which stipulates that among the occupations incompatible with clerical service and dignity is that of “taking on worldly duties or occupations”, and the bishop, priest, deacon, monk and nun of the BOR are prohibited from the following:
* to do partisan politics;
* to be a member of a political party or an organization that can be assimilated to a political party;
* to run for parliamentary elections;
* to participate in electoral campaigns as a supporter;
* to hold positions of dignitary/high civil servant at central or local level in the Romanian state or in other states.
“The cleric or monk, who gets involved in the politics of a party as a member or candidate, but also by supporting a candidate, violates the covenant submitted at ordination (“I will not engage in activities contrary to the priestly calling and I will not participate in works and gatherings that harm the Church”, Synodal Decision no. 4670/2008), the provisions of the Regulation of canonical disciplinary authorities and courts of the Romanian Orthodox Church (2015) and of the Regulation for the organization of monastic life and the administrative and disciplinary functioning of monasteries (2003) and will have to choose between a political career and clerical mission/monastic life. Deviations of this kind will be judged in the diocesan Consistories”, the BOR also highlighted.
Source: www.cotidianul.ro
