The Beginnings of Christian Life on the Territory of Our Country
Romanian Christianity has apostolic origins. The Geto-Dacian population of the western region of the Black Sea (Scythia Minor, today’s Dobruja) received the word of the Gospel through the preaching of St. Andrew the Apostle and his disciples in the second half of the 1st century. Therefore, the day of 30 November is celebrated as a national ecclesiastical feast, being dedicated to St. Andrew the Apostle, the First-Called, the Patron Saint of Romania.
The large number of martyrs from the Lower Danube region, originating from the time of the persecutions in the 3rd and 4th centuries, as well as the numerous archaeological and linguistic testimonies attest the antiquity and spread of Christianity on the present-day territory of Romania.
The Christianization of our ancestors did not occur on a specific date through a mass conversion ordered by political leaders or as the result of the work of official missionaries, as it is the case with other peoples in the surrounding areas. For the Daco-Romans, the process of Christianization had a distinct character, in the sense that it lasted several centuries and was the result of direct contacts between the local population and Roman colonists with the preachers of the new religious faith. The Latin language and the Christian faith were the key factors that contributed to the consolidation of the ethnic, linguistic, and spiritual unification of the native people with the newcomers to Dacia, who were of different origins and beliefs. Romanization and Christianization were two parallel processes, so it can be said that, upon their completion, a new people emerged in history — the Romanian people — with a new faith: Christianity. In other words, the Romanian people were born Christian.
Romanian Orthodoxy in the Medieval Period
Over time, Romanian Orthodoxy developed its own distinctive cultural and social expression, serving as a bearer of Roman heritage in the East and remaining in communion with universal Orthodoxy. This was achieved through the establishment and maintenance of fraternal and spiritual ties with Orthodox peoples in the region, particularly with those speaking Greek or Slavic languages. Ecclesiastical organization on this territory, attested during the time of the Ecumenical Councils (4th–8th centuries), later included dioceses that functioned within the principalities and voivodeships of the 9th–13th centuries (Wallachia, Moldavia, Transylvania, and Dobruja).
With the founding of the Romanian feudal states south and east of the Carpathians, ecclesiastical structures were also established in harmony with the ruling powers. These included the Metropolis of Ungro-Wallachia (in 1359) and the Metropolis of Moldavia (in 1401), both under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
From the 14th to the 19th centuries, the Orthodox Church in the Romanian Principalities fulfilled its missionary and spiritual role through its vocation as a servant among the faithful. It was deeply involved in education, culture, and art, as well as in social and philanthropic work, and in preserving national identity. Religious life in Transylvania always maintained its connection—through spirituality, language, and culture—with the regions beyond the Carpathians. Additionally, the Romanian Church maintained a continuous fraternal relationship with Orthodox Christians under Ottoman domination and supported monasteries and churches in the Holy Land, Mount Athos, and throughout the Orient. The Metropolitans of Wallachia and Moldavia were always in contact with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and enjoyed great honour in the Orthodox world. This is evidenced by the honorary title of “Locum Tenens of the Throne of Caesarea in Cappadocia,” which has been conferred on the Metropolitan of Wallachia since the 18th century.
The Romanian Orthodox Church between 1859-1944
The Revolution of 1821 opened a new era for the Romanian Orthodox Church, with the Organic Regulations laying the initial groundwork for the unification of the Churches in Wallachia and Moldavia. This ecclesiastical unification was achieved after the unification of the Romanian Principalities (1859), through a decree issued by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859–1866) on December 3, 1864. This decree proclaimed the “autocephaly” or “independence” of the Romanian Orthodox Church and established a General Synod of the Church. Furthermore, on January 11, 1865, Metropolitan Nifon of Ungro-Wallachia was granted the title of “Metropolitan-Primate” of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
During the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, significant reforms were introduced that profoundly transformed church life. In 1863, the Romanian State confiscated monastery possessions, increasing the state budget by 25% in subsequent years due to the income generated by those properties. By taking over these revenues, the State also assumed responsibility for funding the Church’s schools, hospitals, and social institutions. However, the implementation of this principle—where the State covered the costs of religious activities—was inconsistent and frequently revised over the following 150 years. Initially, due to the authorities’ failure to comply with the obligations arising from the 1864 Communal Law, the Church’s assets suffered a massive deterioration, along with a decrease in the number of priests and monks as a result of the deprivation to which they were subjected.
In 1872, an Organic Law was adopted, establishing the Holy Synod as the highest authority in the Romanian Orthodox Church. After Romania declared its independence (May 9, 1877) and was proclaimed a Kingdom (1881), the Ecumenical Patriarchate granted autocephaly to the Romanian Orthodox Church on April 25, 1885.
In 1893, the State took over responsibility for clerical salaries through the central budget. Between 1902 and 1904, it reorganized the Casa Bisericii (Church House), a central state institution managing church properties not subject to confiscation. During the interwar period, clergy salaries were fully covered by the state budget, and clergy were regarded as civil servants. The financial support from both central and local authorities increased—especially for the preservation of historic churches and the construction of new places of worship in major cities. After the Union of 1918, other religious denominations recognized by the State benefited from the same rights as the Romanian Orthodox Church, despite the fact that their assets had not been taken over by the State.
The Union of Transylvania, Bessarabia, and Bukovina with Romania in 1918, which created the modern, unified Romanian state, also led to a series of changes in the Church’s life. After 1918, especially in Transylvania, the state assumed many responsibilities previously managed by the Church (e.g. education), reducing the Church’s role mainly to spiritual matters. Bishops from the newly united provinces joined the Holy Synod, and on December 18/31, 1919, Miron Cristea—former Bishop of Caransebeș and a fervent supporter of the Great Union—was elected as Metropolitan-Primate.
On February 4, 1925, the Holy Synod decided to elevate the Romanian Orthodox Church to the rank of Patriarchate, and the Metropolitan-Primate to the rank of Patriarch. On February 25, 1925, the Law for the Establishment of the Romanian Patriarchate was promulgated. On May 6, 1925, the Law and the Statute for the Organization of the Romanian Orthodox Church were promulgated, incorporating the principles of the Organic Statute of Șaguna. Finally, on November 1, 1925, the first Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Miron Cristea (1925–1939), was enthroned.
The Romanian Orthodox Church between 1944 and 1989
After 1944, the Romanian Orthodox Church was gradually removed from public life. In 1948, with the establishment of the communist regime in Romania, religious education was eliminated from schools, services in hospitals, care homes, and military units were banned, many theological institutions were closed, catechism for youth was prohibited, and several diocesan religious periodicals were suppressed. Shortly after 1944, more than a thousand Orthodox priests were arrested, imprisoned, or sent to forced labour camps such as the Danube–Black Sea Canal (some died there, while most were released only in 1964). Among the imprisoned were renowned theologians such as Nichifor Crainic, Ioan Savin, Holy Confessor Priest Dumitru Stăniloae, Holy Martyr Priest Liviu Galaction from Cluj, Holy Martyr Priest Ilarion Felea, Ion V. Georgescu (deported to Siberia), and many others; some Orthodox priests were executed. Former Metropolitan of Bukovina Visarion Puiu was sentenced to death in absentia (†1964, in France). In 1959, numerous hermitages and monasteries were dismantled, and hundreds of monks and nuns were brutally expelled and sent to their families or to factories by state authorities.
The communist regime retained the system of direct support that had emerged as a result of the takeover of monastery estates in the 19th century, but only provided salary support and was only involved in the consolidation and restoration of historic church monuments. It covered clergy salaries and selectively supported the restoration of historic churches. In the final years of the communist dictatorship, over 20 churches in Bucharest were demolished (e.g., Cotroceni, Văcărești, Pantelimon monasteries; Sfânta Vineri, Sfântul Spiridon Vechi, Enei, and Spirea Nouă churches). Obtaining permits to build or repair churches was extremely difficult. The Orthodox clergy was constantly monitored and controlled by the so-called “inspectors of cults” and Security officers present in all church institutions.
On August 4, 1948, the Law on the General Regime of Religious Denominations was published, maintaining the system of recognized denominations but adding Soviet-style provisions. On October 19–20, 1948, the Holy Synod voted on a new Statute for the Organization of the Romanian Orthodox Church, approved by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and later amended through various synodal decisions. On the basis of this Statute, despite severe restrictions, the Romanian Orthodox Church managed to preserve its autonomy, carry out its mission, and even strengthen its role in society—at the cost of many sacrifices made by hierarchs, clergy, and faithful.
The Romanian Orthodox Church after 1989
The events of December 1989 brought significant changes not only in Romania’s political and social spheres but also in its religious life. Immediately after those events, taking into account the new conditions of freedom and democracy in our country, the Holy Synod reconfirmed in 1990 the Statute for the Organization and Functioning of the Romanian Orthodox Church of 1948, eliminating all the provisions imposed abusively contrary to the principles of freedom and ecclesiastical autonomy.
Following the fall of communism, the Romanian Orthodox Church faced new challenges. However, its relationship with the state returned to the pre-communist model of support and cooperation in cultural, social, and educational matters—principles enshrined in the Romanian Constitution (1991 and 2003) and in the Law on Religious Freedom and the General Status of Denominations (2006). Based on these legal frameworks, a new Statute for the Organization and Functioning of the Romanian Orthodox Church was approved in 2008 and subsequently amended by multiple decisions of the Holy Synod.
Thus, after 1989, formerly dissolved dioceses were re-established, new dioceses were created in Romania and abroad, existing dioceses were elevated in rank, monasteries and hermitages abusively closed in 1959 were reopened, new monasteries were established, and hundreds of churches were newly built or restored.
In the cultural sphere, new theological education institutions were founded at both high school and university levels, theological faculties were integrated into State Universities and reorganized into different specializations. A number of new periodicals, new theological works, Church radio and television studios were set up as part of the Basilica Press Centre of the Romanian Patriarchate.
The Romanian Orthodox Church has also resumed its social-philanthropic activity in a different perspective, by setting up charitable organizations to help orphans, the elderly and the disabled, offering religious assistance in public institutions.
The Romanian Orthodox Church has been visited on several occasions by delegations of sister Orthodox Churches and has continued to participate in the activities of the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches, Joint Commissions for international theological dialog and bilateral dialog with other Churches.
Due to the numerous transformations and particular development of the organization and functioning of the Romanian Orthodox Church, especially after the enthronement of His Beatitude Daniel as Patriarch of Romania in 2007, the Statute for the Organization and Functioning of the Romanian Orthodox Church was republished in the Official Gazette (Monitorul Oficial) of Romania No. 97 of 10 February 2020, with all the amendments approved by the Holy Synod in previous years.
According to the current Statute, “The Romanian Orthodox Church is the community of Orthodox Christians, clerics, monks and lay people, canonically organized in parishes and monasteries within the dioceses of the Romanian Patriarchate within and outside the borders of Romania, who confess God the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, on the basis of the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Tradition, and participate in the life of the Church through the same Holy Sacraments, liturgical services and canonical orders” (Art. 1).
The Romanian Orthodox Church is organized as a Patriarchate, with the title “Romanian Patriarchate” and comprises 14,025,064 believers (85.54% of Romania’s citizens who declared their religious affiliation in the 2021 census), who belong to 44 eparchies (21 archdioceses and 23 dioceses), organized in 10 metropolitanates (6 in Romania and 4 abroad).
For all these reasons, “the Romanian Orthodox Church is a national and majority Church according to its apostolic origin, tradition, number of believers and its special contribution to the life and culture of the Romanian people. The Romanian Orthodox Church is the Church of the Romanian nation” (Art. 5 para. 2 of the Statute for the Organization and Functioning of the Romanian Orthodox Church).
