Patriarch Justin (Moisescu)

Patriarch Justin (Moisescu) (1910-1986)

Justin may be spelt Iustin, Justinus.

Early life of Iustin Moisescu

On 5 March, 1910, Iustin Moisescu was born in Cândeşti, a village in Albeștii de Muscel Commune, Argeș County, in the Wallachia/ Muntenia province of the Kingdom of Romania. His father, a teacher, was killed after the 1916 invasion of Romania, which was followed by the War for the Integration of Romania in 1918.

While Iustin was yet a child, the family was left destitute because of the loss of the father.

Regardless, Iustin was raised by his mother in the bosom of the Romanian Orthodox Church in his home village to be an Orthodox Christian. From an early age, he showed his desire to live in accordance with spiritual principles.

Despite the difficult conditions, Iustin, possessing outstanding abilities, strove to acquire knowledge, and he studied persistently.

Iustin received his primary education in his home village.

After graduating from elementary school, Iustin entered the Câmpulung-Muscel Theological Seminary for his secondary education. He graduated with excellent marks in 1930.

Câmpulung-Muscel Theological Seminary (situated in Negru Vodă Monastery, Argeș County) had been founded by Metropolitan Miron (Cristea) in 1922. It had been founded specifically for war orphans.

Higher education

Patriarch Miron (Cristea) selected him alone (of all the 1930 seminary graduates) to receive a scholarship, in order to go to Athens, Greece, and to take the courses in theology at the University of Athens.

Having completed the requirements, Iustin received the Licentiate in Theology Degree “arista” (magna cum laude) from the Faculty of Theology at the University of Athens.

He returned to Romania briefly.

Patriarch Miron (Cristea) watched over the progress of Iustin Moisescu. He sent Iustin (upon the recommendation of the University of Athens, and of the Romanian Embassy in Greece) to continue his advanced studies at the Faculty of Roman Catholic Theology at the Université des Sciences Humaines in Strasbourg, France.

After 2 years there (1934-1936), and having obtained the material needed for his doctoral thesis, he returned to Athens in 1936.

In 1937, he received a Doctor of Theology degree on the basis of his Greek-language thesis “Evagrius Ponticus : Life, Writings, and Teachings”. This work received an award from the Athens Academy of Sciences.

Then, he then took equivalence examinations at the University of Bucharest’s Faculty of Theology.

Teaching positions, 1937-1939

There followed a quick succession of professorates, with rapid promotion :

He was Professor of Latin at the Nifon Seminary in Bucharest (1937-1938). He was Professor of New Testament and Holy Scripture at the Orthodox Theological Faculty of the University of Warsaw in Warsaw, Poland (1938-1939). There, he replaced the celebrated Professor Nikolai Arseniev.

In Warsaw, he established the following Polish-language courses : “General and specific Introduction to the Holy Books of the New Testament” ; “Exegesis of Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians” ; “Exegesis of the Prologue to the Gospel of John”.

These courses were examined by professors Milan Șesan and Vladimir Prelipcean, who “determined their scientific and didactic value, as well as their full harmony with the teachings of the Orthodox Church”.

World War II, 1939-1945

The outbreak of World War II forced Iustin to leave Poland and return to his homeland.

In 1940, Iustin was named associate professor.

In 1942, after an examination, he was named Professor of New Testament Exegesis at the Cernăuţi-Suceava Faculty of Theology (at the University of Cernăuţi). At Cernăuți and Suceava, he created three more courses : “Introduction to the Holy Books of the New Testament”, “Exegesis”, and “Biblical Hermeneutics”. About his Romanian-language writings, the same report notes that “The author’s form of expression in Romanian is distinguished by conciseness and clarity”.

In 1946, Iustin was transferred as professor to the same department at the Faculty of Theology in the University of Bucharest ; in 1948, he began teaching at the Bucharest Theological Institute.

During his time as a theology professor, he published a series of specialised works.

End of the monarchy, beginning of Communism, 1947

After the end of the war, the Communists rose in strength, and they pressed for the abdication of King Michael. A long-time communist who had been imprisoned for his political activities, Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, became the General Secretary of the Romanian Workers' Party which then took power.

At that time, there began a distancing between Romania and the Soviet Union, together with an opening towards the West. However, strong pressure against the Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Christian Faith began during that period as well.

Meanwhile, there followed a series of unforeseen (by many) and unexpected events which were in the best tradition of precedents, not only Byzantine, but also Eastern European (and even Romanian, especially Transylvanian). These occurrences in the life of Iustin echo the elevation of Saint Photius from a military officer to Patriarch of Constantinople ; Saint Ambrose becoming Bishop of Milan from being a civil administrator ; Professor Nicolae Bălan becoming Metropolitan of Transylvania.

Thus, later in 1956, Professor Iustin became a successor to the eminent and recently-deceased (August, 1956) Metropolitan Nicolae (Bălan) at the end of the course of the following events.

Ordinations, 1956

On 23 February, 1956, Vicar-Bishop Teoctist (Arăpașu) of Botoşăni ordained Iustin Moisescu to the Holy Diaconate.

On 24 February, 1956, the other Patriarchal Vicar-Bishop Antim (Nica) of Târgoviște, ordained Deacon Iustin Moisescu to the Holy Presbyterate.

Pastoral service

On 26 February, 1956, the National Church Synod of Bishops gathered in Electoral College in accordance with the provisions of the Statutes of the Church. Priest Iustin Moisescu was elected to be a bishop.

Monastic tonsure, 1956

He then spent 10 days in retreat and prayer before God, and then he asked to be received into the monastic brotherhood at Cernica Monastery.

On 8 March, 1956, Iustin Moisescu was tonsured to be a monk at the Cernica Monastery. He was given the name Justin (a different saint from that of his baptism).

Cernica Saint Nicholas Monastery

Episcopal ordination, 1956

On 15 March, 1956, Patriarch Justinian (Marina), Metropolitan Firmilian (Marin) of Oltenia and Bishop Nicolae (Colan) of Cluj ordained Archimandrite Justin (Moisescu) to the Holy Episcopate.

Metropolitan Justin (Moisescu)

Episcopal service

Three days later, on 18 March, 1956, in the Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral of Sibiu, he was given the Pastoral Staff of Metropolitan Andrei (Șaguna). He was assigned to serve as Archbishop of Sibiu and Metropolitan of Transylvania.

Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral, Sibiu

During his short stay in Sibiu, amongst other activities, he founded the theological magazine "Mitropolia Ardealului" (nos. 1-2, September-October, 1956) in place of the defunct "Revista Teologică", and it later recovered this original name.

Before Metropolitan Justin's election as Metropolitan of Transylvania, in a long, meaningful, and well-considered speech before the electoral college, Patriarch Justinian (Marina), described thus the candidate who should be elected : “We will have to send there the best of today’s clerics from our Church, a vigorously well-rounded personality, with a distinguished theological preparation, thoroughly aware of all the problems that our contemporary world presents”, for “new times require new people”.

Metropolitan Iustin spent only a short time at Sibiu.

Metropolitan of Iași, Moldavia and Bucovina, 1957

On 10 January, 1957, Metropolitan Justin (Moisescu) was elected Metropolitan of Iași, Moldavia and Suceava, and three days later he was installed in the see once held by Metropolitans Dosoftei (Barilă), Varlaam (Moțoc), and Veniamin (Costachi), to name only the most prominent of his predecessors at Iași.

Metropolitan Cathedral, Iași

Upon his election as Metropolitan of Moldavia and Suceava, Metropolitan Justin described his programme thus :

 With all my efforts I will undertake with steadfast resolve to protect and keep the Holy places :
 Temples, monasteries, and sketes – glorious works of art – that form the diadem of the
 Metropolitanate of Moldavia ; and for those who need these treasures of our ancient Faith, I will
 strive to produce priests who are hard-working and devoted to the Church, the Fatherland, and the
 good of the people.  Unceasingly, I shall keep watch over the direction my Diocese’s priests are 
 taking, for the complete fulfilment of its duties toward the Church and the Fatherland.  I will
 ensure as far as possible that the fruits of priestly work will be seen in the good 
 administration of our places of worship, in the preaching of love among all the sons of the 
 Fatherland and in the charitable giving for the popular good.

On 3 February, 1957, Metropolitan Iustin was elected deputy to the Great National Assembly, representing Hârlău. He would be elected 6 more times, for the rest of his life.

As Metropolitan of Moldavia, he undertook numerous activities. New buildings – veritable architectural monuments – were erected on the grounds of the Iași diocesan centre, and the Cathedral and the episcopal residence were restored. Numerous monasteries and Temples (the diocese’s historic monuments) were restored also. Museums (or museum collections associated with these monuments) were started for many of them. New buildings were constructed at the Neamț Monastery Theological Seminary, and the old ones were modernised.

In Moldavia, the same time as he undertook numerous travels and external cares, he initiated (with the talent of a born architect), the radical transformation of the Metropolitan Centre from a random assortment of run-down buildings into a modern centre fit for its current environment. Also endowed with an unexpected practical spirit, he organised the construction (under the conditions of full-blown Communism) of 3 large buildings in the diocesan centre (2 administrative buildings, and a dormitory for priests) ; over 70 new Temples and chapels, 52 parish houses, and 5 archpriests’ residences. Having obtained funds from the state and from parishioners’ donations, he founded 10 museums of ecclesiastical art. He caused to be restored (in full or in part) more than 20 monasteries and sketes, including Putna, Sucevița, Moldovița, Voroneț, Arbore, Humor, Slatina, Dobrovăț, Cetățuia, Râșca, Neamț, Sihăstria, Secu, Bistrița, Văratec.

Travels abroad

With the blessing of the patriarch, Metropolitan Justin led several Romanian Orthodox delegations on visits to other churches and countries : the Church of England (1958) ; the Malabar Syriac Church (1961) ; the United States (1970) ; the Evangelical Lutheran Danish National Church (1971) ; the Ecumenical Patriarchate (1974). He took part in several synodal delegations led by Patriarch Justinian (Marina), and he received numerous foreign delegations at Iaşi or within the Iaşi Archdiocese. As a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (1961-1977), he participated in general assemblies at New Delhi (1961) ; Uppsala (1969) ; Nairobi (1975). He also participated in the annual sessions of the Central Committee at Paris (1962) ; Geneva (1966, 1973, and 1976) ; Heraklion (1967) ; Canterbury (1969) ; Addis Ababa (1971) ; Utrecht (1972) ; Berlin (1974), and others.

Metropolitan Justin was part of the Presidium of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and of its Consultative Committee ; and he participated in its General Assemblies : Nyborg IV (1964) ; Nyborg V (1966) ; Nyborg VI (1971), and Engelberg (1974). There were, in addition, sessions of the Presidium and the Consultative Committee. He led delegations of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the Pan-Orthodox Conferences at Rhodes (1961, 1963, 1964) and Chambésy (1968), and to the first Preparatory Conference for the long-anticipated Holy and Great Pan-Orthodox Synod (Chambésy, 1971).

Visit to the North American Romanian Archdiocese, 1963

After the repose and the funeral of Bishop Andrei (Moldovan), Metropolitan Justin (Moisescu) of Moldavia and Suceava visited various parishes of the Romanian Archdiocese in North America. These visits included the Romanian Patriarchate parishes in Windsor, Ontario, and Regina, Saskatchewan in Canada.

As was reported in “The Windsor Star”, Saturday, 4 May, 1963, p. 3 :

 Archbishop-Metropolitan Justin Moisescu, D.D., of Moldavia and Suceava, Romania, is visiting 
 Windsor as part of a familiarisation tour of North America.  Archbishop Justin will be the 
 officiant and guest speaker at 45th anniversary celebrations of the St. George's Romanian Orthodox Cathedral, 
 this evening at 6 o'clock.  He will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Sunday.  
 
 Archbishop Justin, on his first trip to North America, visited Detroit 19 March when he participated 
 in the funeral of Bishop Andrei Moldovan.  He is now touring Romanian Orthodox communities in both 
 Canada and the United States before returning to Bucharest in June.  One of the objects of his visit 
 is the establishment of closer relations between the Mother Church in Romania and parishes on the 
 North American continent, he said.

In the same news item, Spiros de Bono wrote :

'In Archbishop's View : Church Fusion Seen Unlikely'
A complete fusion of Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, the dream of many a Christian idealist,
is almost impossible at present because of dogmatic differences existing between the two churches,
said His Eminence Justin Moisescu, Archbishop of Moldavia and Suceava, today. Archbishop Justin is
now visiting Windsor and will be the guest speaker during the 45th anniversary celebrations at
St. George's Romanian Orthodox Cathedral which began today. The prelate is the second-ranking
official of the Orthodox Church in Romania and a director of the World Council of Churches. 'It is
very unlikely that such a union would take place for a long time because of the dogmatic differences
now existing between the two churches', Archbishop Justin commented. 'But what might come out of the
Ecumenical Council, and we all hope this will be so, is a better understanding and more co-operation
between the two churches. There is today a movement of rapprochement between the churches of different
denominations and we hope this movement will expand and co-operation will increase, but churches are
not mature enough to embark upon an outright fusion'. Archbishop Justin said the main reason the
Romanian Orthodox Church did not send observers to the Ecumenical Council in Rome in 1962 was because
it had received an invitation from Vatican authorities too late to do so. He denied allegations that
the Romanian Orthodox Church was prevented from sending observers to the Council by Russian Church
authorities which participated in its place. 'The Russians received their invitations much earlier than
we did and consequently were in a position to make arrangements much earlier. We were advised only a few
days before the council sessions began and we were unable to send observers in time. We maintain friendly
relations with the Russian Orthodox Church as we do with other churches, but there is no truth in the
allegations that we are subservient to it', he declared.

Archbishop Justin said that since Romania became a People's Republic following World War II, relations between
the Church and state have not undergone strains as in other countries. 'We keep our authority and the
state keeps its own. We are operating in different fields and there is no friction between us', he explained.
'The state provides the Church with funds for the training of priests, and it maintains old churches and
monasteries as historical monuments. Two theological colleges and six seminaries are maintained by the
government, but there is no state influence on the policies of the Church'. He said that one of the reasons
for this separation between Church and state is the absence of religious teaching in Romanian schools.
'The state controls education and since we of the Church do not participate in educational programs, there
is no point of misunderstanding between the two authorities. Religious schools come entirely under the
Church and the state has no control over them'.

As was reported in “The Leader-Post” in Regina, Saskatchewan, on Wednesday, 8 May, 1963, p. 3 :

 'Metropolitan Justin Romanian archbishop to visit Regina church'
 For the first time in the history of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Regina, a high ranking prelate from
 Bucharest will visit the city.  Archbishop-Metropolitan Justin Moisescu of Moldavia and Suceava, Romania, 
 will spend Saturday and Sunday with the parishioners of St. George's Romanian Orthodox Church in Regina 
 along with congregations from Dysart, Kayville and Assiniboia.  His Eminence is visiting as part of a
 familiarisation tour of North America.  He came to America from Romania early in March to conduct funeral
 services for the Romanian Orthodox bishop of North America, Right Rev. Andrei Moldovan of Detroit.  
 Metropolitan Justin, who is second ranking prelate in the entire Romanian Church next to Patriarch Justinian of
 Bucharest, will lead the Divine Liturgy at St. George's Romanian Orthodox Cathedral Sunday, assisted by 
 Rev. Peter Avram (parish priest) and several other Saskatchewan clergy.  The metropolitan is also a director 
 of the World Council of Churches.

Saint George Romanian Cathedral Windsor (left) ; Saint George Romanian Cathedral Regina (right)

Change in government focus, 1965-1967

After the death of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej in 1965, Nicolae Ceaușescu became the General Secretary of the Romanian Workers' Party (soon to be the Communist Party) in 1965, and then the de-facto President of Romania in 1967.

With his accession to leadership, the pressure against the Romanian Orthodox Church continued.

Metropolian Justin and Mr. Ceaușescu

Other activities of Metropolitan Justin

As metropolitan, Metropolitan Justin published numerous articles, pastoral letters, speeches and editorials, especially in the magazine "Mitropolia Moldovei și Sucevei", which was published for 20 years under his direct supervision. In addition, the Iaşi Metropolitan Centre edited other works, amongst them "Monumente istorice-bisericești din Mitropolia Moldovei și Sucevei" ["Historical-ecclesiastical Monuments from the Metropolitan Church of Moldavia and Suceava"] (1974) ; "Psaltirea în versuri a lui Dosoftei, ediție critică" ["Dosoftei's Psalter in Verse, revised edition"] (1975) ; the monographs "Catedrala Mitropolitană din Iașui" ["Iași Metropolitan Cathedral"] and "Mănăstirea Cetățuia" ["Cetățuia Monastery"] (both 1977) ; brochure-albums to popularise the monasteries of Moldavia, prayer books, and other items.

Saint George Temple, Saint John the New Monastery, Suceava

On Saturday, 26 March, 1977, Patriarch Justinian (Marina) fell asleep in the Lord in Bucharest.

On Sunday, 12 June, 1977, Metropolitan Justin (Moisescu) was elected by the Great Electoral Council of the Church of Romania to become the next Patriarch of Romania.

Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, 1977

On Sunday, 19 June, 1977, Metropolitan Justin (Moisescu) was enthroned by the Bishops of the Church of Romania at the Divine Liturgy in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen in Bucharest, Romania.

Patriarchal service

Patriarch Justin (Moisescu) was enthroned by the bishops of the Church of Romania during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Bucharest.

His title was : Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Patriarch of All Romania.

Saints Constantine and Helen Patriarchal Cathedral, Bucharest

Once he was enthroned as patriarch, Patriarch Justin (Moisescu) had to walk a very precarious tight-rope (as it were) with regard to the relationship between the Church and the Communist State (a tight-rope not very dissimilar from that walked by patriarchs under the Muslim Ottoman Empire). The precariousness of his situation was similar to that of patriarchs who served in other communist-led countries.

As patriarch, he led several synodal delegations that visited other Churches : the Ecumenical Patriarchate (1978) ; the Romanian Orthodox Missionary Archdiocese of the United States and Canada (1979) ; the Russian Orthodox Church (1980) ; the Serbian Orthodox Church (1981) ; the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (1982) ; the Greek Orthodox Church (1984). He also led delegations to visit various non-Orthodox Christians : the Lutheran Church in Sweden (1981) ; the seat of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Geneva (1981) ; the Reformed Church in Hungary (1982).

Likewise, Patriarch Justin was visited by leaders of various Orthodox Christian Churches, as well as by many representatives of other churches and Christian denominations around the world.

He paid special attention to publishing. He initiated the great collection entitled "Church Fathers and Writers", designed in 90 volumes, as well as the collection "Christian Art in Romania", in 6 volumes. Also published and printed were : a new synodal edition of the Holy Scriptures (1982) ; a new edition of the New Testament (1979) ; textbooks for higher theological education and theological seminaries ; doctoral theses ; liturgical books for worship.

The central Church and metropolitan magazines, as well as the bulletins, continued to be distributed to the Romanian Orthodox communities abroad. Through his rich scholarly, ecumenical and pastoral activity, Patriarch Justin's name was ranked amongst the most prestigious hierarchs of the entire Orthodox Church.

He contributed to the restoration of great Church monuments in Romania, as he resumed in Bucharest his previous labours undertaken in Iași, Moldavia and Bucovina. The monasteries bear witness : Curtea de Argeș ; Cheia ; Zamfira ; Viforâta ; Dealu ; Cernica ; Pasărea ; Tigănești ; Caldărușani ; Sfântul Spiridon Nou ; Sfântul Gheorghe, and also the Patriarchal Cathedral itself.

Repose, 1986

On Thursday, 31 July, 1986, Patriarch Iustin (Moisescu) fell asleep in the Lord in Bucharest.

The Funeral Services for the Burial of a Hierarch were served in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen in Bucharest. The bishops of the Church of Romania and others besides participated in the services.

At the conclusion of the funeral services, the body of Patriarch Iustin (Moisescu) was entombed in the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen in Bucharest. He was laid to rest next to the tomb of Patriarch Miron (Cristea), the first Patriarch of Romania.

Tomb of Patriarch Justin (Moisescu)

– Archbishop of Sibiu and Metropolitan of Transylvania 1956-1957, Preceded by : Metropolitan Sebastian (Rusan). Succeeded by : Metropolitan Teoctist (Arăpașu).

– Archbishop of Iași, Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bukovina 1957-1977.

– Patriarch of Bucharest and All Romania 1977-1986. Preceded by : Patriarch Justinian (Marina). Succeeded by : Patriarch Teoctist (Arăpașu).

Reflections

The official, full title of Patriarch Justin (Moisescu) was :

“By God's mercy, Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Locum tenens of the throne of Caesarea-Cappadocia and Patriarch of All Romania”

As patriarch, he led several synodal delegations to other Churches and non-Orthodox groups : the Ecumenical Patriarchate (1978) ; the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America (1979) ; the Russian Orthodox Church (1980) ; the Serbian Orthodox Church (1981) ; the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (1982) ; the Church of Greece (1984). He also led delegations to visit various non-Orthodox Christians : the Lutheran Church of Sweden (1981), the Geneva headquarters of the World Council of Churches and the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey of the Patriarchate of Constantinople (1981) ; the Reformed Church in Hungary (1982). In return, he was visited by many Orthodox Church leaders, as well as by numerous representatives of other churches and Christian entities from all around the world.

Patriarch Iustin paid special attention to publishing activity. He began the great collection "Părinți și scriitori bisericești" ("Church Fathers and Writers") (projected to span 90 volumes), as well as the six-volume set "Arta creștină în România" ("Christian Art in Romania"). A new synod-approved edition of the Bible appeared in 1982 ; a new New Testament in 1979 ; textbooks for higher theological education and for theological seminaries ; doctoral theses ; devotional books. The Patriarchate’s magazines continued to be published, as well as those of the metropolitanates, and bulletins for Romanian Orthodox communities abroad.

During the course of his patriarchal service, he helped to restore some of Romania’s most important Temples and monasteries. In doing so, he continued the work he had begun at Iași. Many monasteries previously enumerated bear witness to these labours. It is important to mention the restoration work that he initiated at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest.

Offices held :

• Professor at the Nifon Seminary, Bucharest (1937-1938)

• Professor at the University of Warsaw (1938-1939)

• Professor at the Cernăuți-Suceava Faculty of Theology (1940-1946)

• Professor at the University of Bucharest (1946-1948)

• Professor at the Bucharest Theological Institute (1948-1956)

• Metropolitan of Transylvania and Archbishop of Sibiu (elected 26 February 1956, ordained bishop 15 March 1956, enthroned 18 March 1956)

• Metropolitan of Moldavia and Suceava and Archbishop of Iaşi (elected 10 January 1957, enthroned 13 January 1957)

• Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Metropolitan of Muntenia and Dobrudja, Archbishop of Bucharest, Patriarch of All Romania (elected 12 June 1977, enthroned 19 June, 1977)

Honours and awards

• Order “23 August”, 1st degree (1964)

Writings

• “Părinți și scriitori bisericești” [“Church Fathers and Writers”]

• “Arta creștină în România” [“Christian Art in Romania”]

• “Sfânta Scriptură și interpretarea ei în opera Sf. Ioan Hrisostom” (1939-1941) [“Holy Scripture and its Interpretation in the Work of Saint John Chrysostom”]

• “Originalitatea parabolelor Mântuitorului’ (1944-1945) [“The Originality of the Parables of the Saviour”]

• “Activitatea Sfântului Apostol Pavel în Atena” (1946) [“The Activity of the Holy Apostle Paul in Athens”]

• “Ierarhia bisericească în epoca apostolică. Anexă : Texte biblice si patristice despre pace și muncă” (Craiova, 1955) [“The Church Hierarchy in the Apostolic Age. Appendix : Biblical and Patristic Texts on Peace and Work”]

• “Simbolica lui Hristu Andrutsos, traducere din greceşte” (Craiova, 1955) [“Symbolism of Christos Andrutsos, translated from Greek”]

• “Sfântul Pavel și viața celor mai de seamă comunități creștine din epoca apostolică” (1951)[“Saint Paul and the Life of the most important Christian Communities of the Apostolic Age”]

• “Temeiurile lucrării Bisericii pentru apărarea păcii” (1953) [“The Foundations of the Church's Work for the Defence of Peace”] (Bibliography)

Conferences

• “The Meaning of the Church from an Eastern Point of View” (The Institute for Orthodox Studies, Cambridge, 2002).

• “Conference on Eastern Liturgics : The Mystery of Repentance” (Holy Spirit University, Kaslik, 2000).

• “The Hymnographic Contribution of the Antiochian Orthodox Church to the Byzantine Liturgical System during the 6th and 7th Centuries” (University of Balamand, 1999).

• “Conference on Liturgics : The Byzantine Divine Liturgy” (Holy Spirit University, Kaslik, 2004).

• “Lecture on the Occasion of the 125th Anniversary of Saint George Hospital : The Unmercenery Healers of the Church” (Beirut, 2002).

• “Lecture on the Occasion of the Annual Priests’ Convention of the Antiochian Christian Archdiocese of North America : Antioch – Its Theology and Pastoral Care” (Pennsylvania, 2002).

References

Wikipedia biography

Romanian Wikipedia biography

Romanian Orthodoxwiki biography

Crestinortodox.ro biography

Russian Wikipedia biography

Orthodox Encyclopaedia biography

Additional information :

Argatu, His Eminence Calinic, “The Theological Integrity of Patriarch Justin”, 7 vols., (Constanta, Romania : Anastasia Publishing House, 2004).

Bâra, Father Ciprian, ‘Iustin Moisescu, the Patriarch, Scholar and Diplomat’ in “Ziarul Lumina” (31 July, 2008)

Leustean, Lucian N, “Religious Diplomacy and Socialism: The Romanian Orthodox Church and the Church of England, 1956-1959”, research article (2008).

Munteanu, Fr. Armand, ‘Bibliografia Prea Fericitului Părinte Patriarh Justin’ [‘Bibliography of His Beatitude Patriarch Justin’] in “Mitropolia Olteniei” [“Metropolitan Church of Oltenia”], yr. XXXII (1980), nos. 3-6, pp. 389-401 (other articles in the same edition, pp. 265-388).

Păcurariu, Fr. Prof. Dr. Mircea, “History of the Romanian Orthodox Church”, vol. 1 of 3 vols. (Bucharest : Biblical and Mission Institute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, 1991). ISBN 973-9130-08-9.

......, ‘Romanian Christianity’ in “The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity”, ed. Parry, Ken (Hoboken, NJ : Blackwell Publishing, 2007). ISBN 978-0-631-23423-4.

Plămădeală, Dr. Antonie, ‘Patru trepte în cei 60 de ani de patriarhat ortodox român’ [‘Four Steps in the 60 Years of the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate’] in “Archdiocese of Sibiu News” (1988), pp. 44-69 (speech given in the Synodal Hall of the Bucharest Patriarchal Palace, 29 September, 1985).

Porcescu, Fr. Scarlat, ‘Coordonate ale arhipăstoriei Prea Fericitului Patriarh Iustin în scaunul Mitropoliei Moldovei și Sucevei’ [‘Patriarch Justin and Archbishops in the Metropolitanate of Moldavia and Suceava’] in “BOR” [“Romanian Orthodox Church”], yr. XCVIII (1980), nos. 3-4, pp. 384-403.

Radu, Fr. Prof. Dumitru, ‘Prea Fericitul Patriarh Iustin în teologia românească’ [‘Most Blessed Patriarch Justin in Romanian Theology’] in “BOR”, yr. XCVIII (1980), nos. 3-4, pp. 364-383.

Rămureanu, Fr. Prof. Dr. Ioan, ‘La 70 de ani de viață ai Prea Fericitului Patriarh Iustin’ [‘Seventieth Birthday of His Beatitude Patriarch Justin’] in “BOR” yr. XCVIII, 1980, nos. 3-4, pp. 339-363.

Sharovsky, M V, “The Orthodox Church of Romania in the 1918-1950s”, pp. 173-222 (in Russian)

Soare, Fr. Dumitru, ‘Contribuția Prea Fericitului Patriarh Iustin la dezvoltarea relațiilor ecumenice ale Bisericii Ortodoxe Române’ [‘The Contribution of His Beatitude Patriarch Justin to the Development of the Ecumenical Relations of the Romanian Orthodox Church’] in “BOR”, yr. XCVIII (1980), nos. 3-4, pp. 404-432.

In Memoriam : “A strong Pillar in Times of Storm – Dr. Iustin Moisescu, Metropolitan of Moldavia and Suceava (1957-1977)” (Iasi : Trinitas Publishing House, 2006)

Wikipedia article about the Church of Romania

Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Romania

Encyclopaedia.com article about the Church of Romania

Romanian Orthodox Church web-site

Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada web-site

Romanian Orthodox Diocese of the USA

Patriarch Teoctist (Arăpașu)

Patriarch Justinian (Marina)

Metropolitan Firmilian (Marin)

Metropolitan Andrei (Șaguna)

Metropolitan Sebastian (Rusan)