The Holy Synod is constituted by: The Patriarch of Romania and all the acting Metropolitans, Archbishops, Diocesan Bishops, Patriarchal Assistant Bishops, and diocesan Assistant-Bishops. Hierarchs in office have the duty to carry out their work in synodal cooperation, subject to the decisions of the Holy Synod and to the dispositions of the present Statute. Hierarchs who have retired from office also have the duty to preserve synodal canonical discipline.
The President of the Holy Synod is the Patriarch of Romania. In the absence of the Patriarch, the President of the Holy Synod shall be, in order, the Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bucovina, the Metropolitan of Transylvania (Ardeal), the Metropolitan of Cluj, Maramureș and Sălaj, the Metropolitan of Oltenia, the Metropolitan of Banat, the other Metropolitans, Archbishops or Bishops in accordance with the canonical order of the dioceses of the Romanian Patriarchate (Diptychs).
The Secretary of the Holy Synod is one of the Patriarchal Assistant-Bishops appointed by the Plenum of the Holy Synod, at the proposal of the Patriarch of Romania (Art. 11-12 of the Statute).
Since 2013, the Secretary of the Holy Synod has been His Grace Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești, Patriarchal Vicar Bishop.
