Conference of European Churches - Office of Communications

Press release No. 07-33/e

31 July 2007

“TEOCTIST, A REMARKABLE CHURCH LEADER AND ECUMENIST”:
CEC GENERAL SECRETARY ON DEATH OF ROMANIAN PATRIARCH

On 30 July 2007 His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist, head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, passed away at the age of 92. On this sad occasion, the Venerable Colin Williams, General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), issued the following statement:

“It was with great sadness that I received the news of the death of His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist. His Beatitude had shown himself to be a remarkable leader of his Church in difficult times. As a result of his faithful leadership, the Romanian Orthodox Church retained a strong hold on the hearts and minds of the Romanian people as during the last years Romanian society underwent considerable changes.

At the Conference of European Churches we have especially appreciated His Beatitude’s commitment to the cause of ecumenism. It was a bold move on his part to invite Pope John Paul II to visit Romania as a sign of his own longing for the healing of the wounds caused by the Great Schism of 1054.

On a broader ecumenical front, we have been grateful for the way in which His Beatitude has consistently encouraged the Romanian Orthodox Church along the ecumenical path; and, in particular, for his support of the work of the Conference of European Churches. A former member of our Presidium, his Beatitude related warmly to our work and gave it his ready support, notably in relation to the plans to bring the Third European Ecumenical Assembly to Romania. He has encouraged us as we have been preparing for that event in Sibiu in September. It is an especial sadness to us that His Beatitude will not now be able, as had been planned, to greet the delegates on the opening day of the Assembly.

The churches of Europe will be united in their sorrow at His Beatitude’s passing and in their thanksgiving for all that he has achieved in the Name of our Blessed Saviour. May he rest in peace and rise in glory”.

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The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 125 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all countries of Europe, plus 40 associated organisations. CEC was founded in 1959. It has offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg.

For more information:
Luca M. Negro
CEC Office of Communications
Phone +41 22 791 64 85 or 791 63 25
Fax +41 22 791 62 27
e-mail: Luca.Negro@cec-kek.org