The Standing Commission of the National Church Council is composed of the Patriarch of Romania, as president, the patriarchal administrative vicar, the patriarchal assistant-bishops, the patriarchal counsellors and the inspector general of the Church, as members, and takes valid decisions by consensus of the members present. Depending on the agenda of the meeting, the heads of the dioceses, representations, communities and other ecclesiastical units within and outside the country’s borders, under the direct authority of the Romanian Patriarchate, may also attend.
On the authority of the Patriarch of Romania, Standing Commission of the National Church Council may be chaired by one of the patriarchal assistant-bishops or by a delegate. In this case, the minutes of the proceedings are subject to the approval of the Patriarch. Decisions become enforceable only after their confirmation in writing by the Patriarch of Romania (Art. 31 of the Statute).
Tasks
The Standing Commission of the National Church Council, chaired by the Patriarch of Romania, exercises the duties of the National Church Council between its meetings, as well as the following powers:
- Supports the rights and activities of the Romanian Orthodox Church;
- adopts general measures to support the Church’s cultural, social-philanthropic, economic and foundational establishments;
- establishes means of support for central Church bodies and institutions;
- shall draw up the annual report on the general activity of the Romanian Orthodox Church, which shall be submitted for approval to the National Church Assembly
- shall draw up the budgetary execution account and the financial-accounting balance sheet of the Patriarchal Administration, of the Orthodox Biblical and Missionary Institute and of the other central Church institutions with a missionary purpose
- draws up the general budget of the Patriarchal Administration, of the Orthodox Biblical and Missionary Institute and of the other central ecclesiastical missionary institutions;
- approves the plan of activity of the publishing house, printing house and workshops of the Orthodox Biblical and Missionary Institute;
- decide on the administration of the movable and immovable property of the Patriarchal Administration, of the Orthodox Biblical and Missionary Institute, of the other central ecclesiastical institutions with a missionary purpose and of the central ecclesiastical foundations
- verifies and approves the inventory of church property belonging to the Romanian Patriarchate, as well as the inventories of the central institutions of the Romanian Orthodox Church, drawn up by the relevant sector
- shall see to the preservation, maintenance and enhancement of the assets of the Romanian Patriarchate;
- grants subsidies, aids and scholarships to poor Church institutions and schools for the training of Church personnel;
- examines any ecclesiastical, missionary-pastoral, cultural, social, economic-financial, etc. problem within the central ecclesiastical institutions to be debated by the central deliberative and executive bodies and makes statutory proposals;
- examines and finalizes the annual reports on the activity of the central ecclesiastical institutions;
- submit for finalization the budget outturn account and the balance sheet of the central ecclesiastical institutions;
- submit for finalization the draft annual general budget of the central Church Institutions;
- draws up the annual activity plans of the central ecclesiastical institutions;
- analyses and makes proposals to the National Ecclesiastical Council on how to administer the movable and immovable property of the central ecclesiastical institutions and central ecclesiastical foundations;
- administers the Central Missionary Fund, within the limits of the budget approved by the Holy Synod, and submits to it annually the budget implementation account;
- administers the special funds set up at the level of the Patriarchal Administration according to their intended purpose and within the limit of the sums collected, informing the Holy Synod annually of their situation;
- approves investment projects within the limits of the budget of the Patriarchal Administration, of the Orthodox Biblical and Missionary Institute and of the other central Church institutions with a missionary purpose;
- approves the maximum prices of church painting works, mandatory and unitary in all the worship units of the Romanian Patriarchate;
- approves, with the opinion of the Eparchial Centre, additional painting estimates in exceptional cases, duly justified and in a maximum of 20% of the initial estimate;
