Romanian Orthodox cast doubt on plans for common Easter date

The Romanian Church said its position rests on the decision taken at a meeting of the Orthodox primates and church representatives in January 2016.

The initiative by Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to establish a unified date for Easter faced its first direct challenge – not from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, but from the Romanian Orthodox Church.

A statement from the Romanian Orthodox Church at the end of January emphasised the importance of organising a pan-Orthodox Council to address the question of Easter celebrations, which can only proceed with the “participation of all sister Orthodox churches”.

“Following a recent statement by Pope Francis regarding the establishment of a common date for the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord, we wish to clarify that any consultation on the date of Easter and a possible decision can only take place within the framework of a future Pan-Orthodox Council,” the statement said.

The Romanian Church, this year celebrates the centenary of its elevation to the rank of patriarchate, said its position “aligns with the ongoing efforts on this matter” and rests on the decision taken at a meeting of the Orthodox primates and church representatives in January 2016.

“Each Church [can] freely implement what it considers beneficial for the spiritual formation of its faithful, but without altering the common date of the celebration of Easter by all Orthodox,” the statement said.

This is the first official statement from a local Orthodox church regarding the ecumenical initiative for a joint Easter date. No other church has publicly declared its stance, including Patriarch Kirill’s Russian Orthodox Church, whose significant influence could sway the reactions of numerous other leaders.

The Romanians’ unexpected response may weaken the ecumenical advances that the Pope and Patriarch Bartholomew have been fostering, particularly in the context of the upcoming 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

Calling a pan-Orthodox Council would be difficult for Patriarch Bartholomew because the split between the Ukrainian churches would also have to be included on the agenda.

The last pan-Orthodox council, held in 2016, took decades to prepare and was boycotted by several Orthodox churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church.

Commenting on the discussions about aligning the Easter date, the WCC secretary general Jerry Pillay said “the concerns that are particularly but not exclusively raised among our Orthodox brothers and sisters must be taken very seriously”, emphasising that ecumenical momentum should not “lead to new divisions”.

He said an appropriate decision-making format would ensure that any decision is reached by consensus and involves all churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church.

“A solution that would lead to the exclusion of one church should not satisfy us,” Pillay told Vatican News.

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