2017 Decisions of the non-commemoration working meeting in Beiuș, Romania

 

The priests who have interrupted the commemoration of the hierarchs: The decisions of the working meeting in Beiuș, Romania

 

During September 11-12, 2017, a working meeting was held in Beiuș, Bihor County, for the priests who had interrupted the commemoration of the hierarchs participating in the Cretan Synod of 2016. The meeting took place over two days and focused on discussing issues faced by the priests who had interrupted the commemoration.

The most significant decisions made during the meeting concerned both general matters and internal organizational aspects of the struggle against ecumenism.

Regarding Grace and Sacraments in the Church

It has been decided to put an end to speculations regarding the presence and activity of grace in the Romanian Orthodox Church, in order to avoid falling into schismatic affirmations. The authority to decide on this matter does not lie with the priests who have ceased commemoration and even less with the faithful, but rather with a future Orthodox ecumenical council, which will analyze and make decisions on this matter.

For this reason, the fathers gathered in this meeting have decided to recommend to the faithful to cease theological speculations on this matter, in order to avoid falling into schism or encouraging moral laxity regarding how to approach ecclesiastical and Eucharistic communion with those who have been guilty of accepting the heretical decisions of the Cretan synod. Furthermore, the fathers have advised the faithful to take advantage of this period of calm to strengthen themselves spiritually and to prepare for the challenging times that lie ahead.

Regarding attending memorial services

In order to maintain the unity and harmony of the faithful and their families, and also to prevent the fight against ecumenism from being perceived by those who are not yet fully informed about the gravity of the ecumenist heresy as a sectarian action outside and contrary to the Orthodox Church, the fathers have decided that, in cases of strict necessity and with great discernment, it may be possible to attend the funeral service of relatives officiated by the commemorating clergy, where families are not convinced of the necessity to interrupt communion with those who support the decisions of the Cretan synod, provided that such participations are treated as exceptions and do not become the norm.

Regarding biometric identification documents

Regarding the stance towards individuals who have willingly accepted biometric identification documents, the fathers recommend that the manner of their canonical treatment be left to the discretion of each spiritual father, until a unified perspective can be established regarding the seriousness of accepting biometric documents and the role they currently play in the process of departing from Christ and establishing the reign of antichrist.

 

The discussion started from the statement of holy Elder Paisios of Mount Athos that biometric identification documents are not actual denial [of faith], but rather mark the beginning of denial, and it moved towards the direction of the necessity to precisely establish, through theological studies yet to be conducted, conferences with experts in the field, the level of denial represented by the current biometric documents issued by the authorities of the Romanian state.

The idea emerged that the administration of Holy Communion to those who possess biometric identification documents and do not wish to accept that they are perilous for salvation should be left to the discretion of each spiritual father, who will consider the spiritual state of each individual believer. This approach does not constitute a condition for receiving the Holy Sacraments, but rather an inner exercise of personal confession of Christ. Moreover, considering that the Romanian state still provides non-biometric alternatives, Orthodox believers are not yet compelled to take these tangible steps towards denial.

Regarding participation in heresy

Concerning the controversy arising from statements made by Father Claudiu Buză during the summer that caused concern among some believers, the gathered fathers in Beiuș listened to the viewpoints of Father Claudiu Buză and the representative of those who expressed concern. Father Claudiu Buză was asked if he considered those who became involved in heresy innocent, and His Eminence accepted that they are 'innocent' only in the sense that they have not yet been condemned by an ecumenical council and the canons that prohibit Orthodox believers from any contact with heretics anathematized by ecumenical councils (canons 45, 46 ap.) cannot yet be applied to them. This assessment does not absolve them of responsibility before God for accepting, regardless of the reason, heretical thinking. For this acceptance, they are equally guilty before God as the heretics who created and propagated the heresy, and they will face the same eternal punishment as the heretics if they do not renounce their heretical mindset.

The evidence shows that the father who interrupted the commemoration of the hierarch and was unjustly excommunicated, publicly labeled by the local bishop as the “second Judas,” cannot consider innocent those who have become involved in heresy. This is because, if he were to do so, all the sacrifice of his Eminence would be in vain. Father Claudiu agreed that participation is the beginning of falling into heresy. It is the way someone, who did not invent the heresy itself, comes into contact with it. It is not something foreign to the state of being infected with heresy.

Regarding the phrase "strictness [akriveia] with love" from the discussions held with His Eminence, the conclusion drawn is that the expression cannot be interpreted per a contrario, in the sense that strictness would lack love. This is because it does not refer to the nature of strictness itself, but rather to its mode of application. Strictness is the expression of God's will, synthesized in the Holy Scriptures, in the writings of the Holy Fathers, and in the decisions of the Holy Canons. Consequently, it is the manifestation of God's love for humanity, resulting from His desire for them to follow the righteous path towards salvation.

However, the way strictness is put into practice can vary. It can be done with love, maintaining unwavering adherence to the canons of the Church, or it can be done brutally, destructively, in an inquisitorial manner, trampling over all moral principles under the pretext of serving the true faith. In this manner, Father Claudiu Buză wished to draw attention to the fact that strictness, which is unquestionably the path to follow in the fight against heresy, must be applied with love, as recommended by the Holy Fathers. [1]

Taking into consideration that Father Claudiu has agreed with the Orthodox interpretations of all the expressions he was accused of using in a "heterodox" manner, the fathers have noted that his testimony continues to be Orthodox. They recommend to those in the area where doubts have arisen about him to continue to trust in his sanctity and not to publicly promote this terminological requirement, in a context where the process of reception by the fullness (pleroma) of the terms and concepts describing the current situation of anti-ecumenical constraints is still ongoing.

Subsequent to the meeting, Father was accused of having proposed the idea of unconditional obedience to the spiritual father, but in Beiuș, no one brought such an accusation against him. Father later explained that he had never preached unconditional obedience to the spiritual father or their "infallibility." Instead, he emphasized the importance of obedience to the spiritual father and collaboration with them in the spiritual ascent of the Christian.

For the coherence and effective coordination of the fight against ecumenism, the fathers present in Beiuș have made several organizational decisions.

Abstaining from public debates

One of the most important decisions made in Beiuș was the prohibition of any form of public debate among the members of the national Orthodox synaxis and the recommendation addressed to the faithful who have interrupted the commemoration to refrain from practicing such polemics themselves.

In order for the testimony of those who fight against ecumenism to be credible and to be able to encourage as many people as possible to get involved in rejecting the decisions adopted in Crete, it was decided that the priests should use work meetings to resolve their ideological differences in a Christian spirit, with love and mutual respect, and to avoid public appearances in which they criticize other members of the synaxis or regular believers. It was decided that if someone were to violate this principle, those affected by this violation should not resort to counterattacks on the internet or other media, so as not to create an impression of division and hatred among those who testify against ecumenism.

This prohibition of polemics among confessors is a requirement of a code of Christian moral principles that participants in the anti-ecumenical struggle must adhere to devoutly, so that their testimony remains authentically Christian.

The desire of the members of the national synaxis to engage in media polemics or even publicly launch personal attacks can be interpreted as self-elimination from the natural course of these gatherings and an indirect suspension of the right to reply for the targeted individual. This cannot transform respect for healthy and dignified principles into a media battleground, aiming to produce harmful delight and soul-damaging ostentation.

Non-interference in the pastoral work of the priests

The conditions of the anti-ecumenical struggle do not permit and cannot be used as a pretext for suspending the ecclesiastical laws contained in the Holy Canons or in the regulations of our Romanian Orthodox Church, which naturally remain obligatory for all, be they priests or faithful.

In this regard, it has been decided that, in accordance with the Holy Canons and ecclesiastical regulations, no non-commemorating priest can intervene in the issues of a community gathered around another non-commemorating priest without the consent of that respective priest. The administration of the Holy Mysteries and liturgical services will be conducted in complete agreement and after prior communication between one spiritual father and another.

The Patristic Reading Program

Perhaps the most important decision made in Beiuș was to initiate a program of Patristic studies aimed at assisting the members of the synaxis in finding appropriate Patristic answers to the situations they encounter in the pastoral care of believers who have suspended commemoration.

More precisely, the parents proposed that each member of the synaxis choose a work by a Church Father to delve into, and over a reasonable period of time, share the acquired knowledge with others, either during discussions at future meetings or by publishing articles and studies in a specialized journal to be edited by media institutions that support the fight against ecumenism.

On this occasion, Father Grigore Sanda presented a volume of documents related to the Council of Crete, containing the most important stances from Romania against ecumenism and the Council of Crete.

The parents present at the meeting agreed with the proposal to publish the response of theologian Mihai-Silviu Chirilă to a brochure promoting the heretical Council of Crete, published by the Romanian Patriarchate. The response had been publicly discussed a week earlier on the Orthodox news portal orthodoxinfo.ro.

Frequency of Synaxes and their Convocation

It was decided that each of the meetings among the parents who are combating ecumenism, in which the faithful do not participate, shall be considered working meetings, and the decisions made therein shall be for internal use only, as they primarily concern the priests and address spiritual and pastoral matters.

The meetings among the confessing priests against ecumenism will be held quarterly, and the national synaxis, which includes the faithful, can only be convened when necessary, and its necessity is accepted and confirmed by the majority of synaxis members.

To convene a national synaxis or a working meeting, prior notification and agreement from the majority of synaxis members are required. A synaxis or meeting convened unilaterally, without the agreement of the majority of the national synaxis members at that time, is illegitimate, and both the priests and the faithful combating ecumenism are advised not to participate in either of them or to accept their decisions.

The working meetings have an internal nature, as they address specific issues of the non-commemorating faithful and priests of the Romanian Orthodox Church. These issues will be addressed and resolved by the non-commemorating priests of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and the decisions taken may be shared with fellow anti-ecumenism fighters from other Orthodox Churches, whose opinions on the topics discussed are highly important and will be carefully considered.

National synaxes are gatherings organized with the participation of confessing Romanian Orthodox faithful against ecumenism, and participants from any of the sister Orthodox Churches opposing ecumenism may be invited. The most important such synaxis took place on June 18, 2017, in Botoșani, setting the guidelines for the fight against ecumenism in Romania and the canonical boundaries within which the interruption of commemoration is situated. The Resolution of the Botoșani Synaxis represents the reference document of the confessing priests and faithful against ecumenism.

Given that the working meetings of the anti-ecumenism parents and the national synaxis are merely theological reflection groups, rather than a parallel organizational structure to the Romanian Orthodox Church, it was decided that the honorary presidency of each meeting or synaxis shall be held by the priest organizing them in the respective region.

For good coordination between priests and the faithful, it was decided that in each historical region, there should be a contact person providing information to the faithful about the non-commemorating priests in that area, including addresses and phone numbers, maintaining connections among non-commemorating priests, and liaising with priests and the faithful from other parts of the country. The contact person does not hold any organizational mandate or leadership position, serving solely as a liaison person well-acquainted with the situation in the region and capable of providing information accordingly.

Responding to objections regarding the appropriateness of having a layperson in the synaxis of priests who have interrupted commemoration, the parents present on the second day of the meeting, when important decisions were made, reaffirmed the full-member status of theologian Mihai-Silviu Chirilă within the synaxis, considering that he had contributed to defining the direction of the anti-ecumenism struggle in Romania. The advice of the Holy Fathers that during times of heresy and persecution, anyone possessing the necessary theological preparation may confess was followed.

The theologian Mihai-Silviu Chirilă requested and was granted an official representation mandate from the Romanian national synaxis at the inter-Orthodox conference held from October 4-5, 2017, in the Russian Federation. He participated in the conference organized in the Russian city of Krasnodar, presenting a concise report on the progress of the struggle of Romanian clergy and faithful against ecumenism and the Council of Crete, and the danger posed by the current phase of the struggle: the risk of falling into schism.

Father Ciprian Staicu was entrusted with the task of contributing to good collaboration with the delegation of fathers from Mount Athos and the non-commemorators from Greece and ensuring effective communication regarding the translation of documents from and into the modern Greek language. The priest subsequently declined the mandate he received from the non-commemorating parents present in Beiuș, which he did publicly.

Communication of Meeting Decisions

The parents gathered in Beiuș have decided that the decisions made on September 12th should be directly communicated by each respective spiritual father to their disciples. It is planned that at the next working meeting scheduled for December 2017, the parents who were unable to attend the previous meeting will have the opportunity to hear the decisions made in Beiuș, express their opinions about them, accept or reject them, or propose improvements. Only after this process will the decisions concerning everyone involved in the fight against ecumenism be made public.

This aspect holds a profound missionary connotation, aiming to eliminate any speculation among the disciples of each spiritual father and to achieve unanimous acceptance of the guidelines set by each meeting, followed by all Romanian non-commemorating parents. The necessity is even greater considering that the peace and stability of the consciences of today's confessors are more than ever assailed by various materials in the mass media, which, while declaratively addressing different theological nuances related to the struggle against the ecumenism heresy, fail to offer concrete practical solutions.

This press release represents an exception, driven by the desire not to create an impression in the media space that discussions occurred in Beiuș that participants would prefer not to make known to the Christian public. Those who know, respect, and follow the participating parents of the Beiuș meeting could never doubt their good faith.

 

1. “Therefore, I urge all of you who, like these heretics, engage in discussions with them, to take care of them with gentleness and kindness, as if dealing with people who are consumed by madness. For this wrong teaching of theirs was born out of their boundless pride. And their pride of mind is immense! Swollen wounds do not tolerate being touched, or handled in any way. Because of this, skillful doctors heal such wounds by using a soft sponge. Therefore, since the Anomians also have a swollen wound in their soul, let us use the words spoken here as a soft sponge soaked in good and soothing water; let us try to calm their pride and shatter all their arrogance. If they curse you, kick at you, spit on you, or do whatever they may, do not cease to heal them, my beloved! Those who care for a person possessed by madness must endure many such things. Nevertheless, do not even let these difficulties separate you from them; rather, you should weep for them even more, and consider them unhappy, for such is their illness. I address these words to those who are strong in faith, those who cannot be tempted, those who are capable of enduring any harm from speaking with these heretics. However, if someone is weaker, let them flee from their company; let them stay away from their gatherings, lest friendship become a source of disbelief” (St. John Chrysostom, Discourse Against the Anomians,

https://ioanguradeaur.wordpress.com/category/cuvantari-impotriva-anomeilor-catre-iudei/).

 

Source: https://ortodoxinfo.ro/2017/11/06/preotii-care-au-intrerupt-pomenirea-ierarhilor-deciziile-intalnirii-de-lucru-de-la-beius/