Patriarch Justinian (Marina)

Patriarch Justinian (Marina) (1901-1977)

Justinian may be spelt Iustinian.

Ioan may be spelt John, Ioann, Iohannes.

Early life of Ioan Marina

On 2 February, 1901, Ioan Marina was born to a family of farmers in the village of Suieşti, in the former commune of Cermegeşti, Vâlcea County in the Kingdom of Romania. He was raised in the bosom of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

His mother wanted him to become a priest, and he had a natural tendency towards learning. As he grew up, he completed his primary and secondary education in his home region.

Higher education

In 1915, Ioan entered the Saint Nicholas Theological Seminary in Râmnicu Vâlcea in Vâlcea County.

Saint Nicholas Seminary, Râmnicu Vâlcea

In 1923, he graduated from the seminary.

At the same time, he also obtained a teacher's diploma, after taking an examination at the Normal School in the same city.

Ioan began his teaching service on 1 September, 1923. He worked as a teacher at the primary school in Oteșani, Vâlcea County.

On 1 September, 1924, he was transferred, also as a teacher, to the primary school in Băbeni, Vâlcea County (then a commune, now a town).

Marriage, 1924

On 14 October, 1924, Ioan Marina was married to Lucreţia Popescu, a daughter of Priest Pavel Popescu, from the Braloştiţa commune in the Dolj County.

Ordinations, 1924

Soon after the marriage, Ioan was ordained to the Holy Diaconate, and then to the Holy Presbyterate.

Pastoral service

After the ordinations, Priest Ioan Marina was assigned to serve as a priest in Băbeni, and he continued also to work as a teacher.

Further education, 1925

In 1925, Priest Ioan Marina enrolled as a student at the Faculty of Theology in the University of Bucharest.

In 1929, he graduated, and he received a Licentiate in Theology.

In 1930, Father Ioan Marina stopped working as a teacher, and he began to serve as a parish priest on a full-time basis.

In 1930, Priest Ioan Marina wrote a paper, "Cooperatie si Crestinismul" ["Co-operation and Christianity"] in which he argued that the clergy should seek to improve man's economic as well as spiritual welfare.

Bishop Vartholomeu (Stănescu) of Râmnic noticed that the talents of the young priest exceeded those required for a village priest.

On 1 November, 1932, Bishop Vartholomeu took Father Ioan Marina to his office, and he assigned him to serve as the director of the Saint Nicholas Theological Seminary in Râmnicu Vâlcea. On that day, he was also assigned to serve as a priest at the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, Râmnicu Vâlcea.

Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Râmnicu Vâlcea

On 1 September, 1933, Priest Ioan Marina was transferred at his own request, to serve as a priest at the parish of Saint George in Râmnicu Vâlcea, whose pastorate was then vacant.

In 1935, Father Ioan was assigned to serve as the confessor for Râmnicu Vâlcea's scouts, and the next year he became the catechist for the pre-military boys of the city.

Bereavement, 1935

Father Ioan Marina's wife fell asleep in the Lord on 18 November, 1935, at the age of 27. Father Ioan was left a widower at the age of 34. He did not remarry, and he raised his children, Silvia and Ovidiu, by himself.

On 25 August, 1939, Priest Ioan Marina was moved from the seminary headmastership to be the director of the diocesan printing press. In 8 months, he surpassed expectations by paying off all the debts to creditors of years past, and by re-establishing the printing press's credibility on the market. In the spring of 1940, he handed over the printing press, now debt-free, to the newly-established Metropolitanate of Craiova. However, he refused to go to Craiova, because he was aggrieved at the dismemberment of the Râmnic Diocese on 7 November, 1939 (there was a division of territory to make a new diocese).

In recognition of his worthiness, demonstrated in his work over 15 years as a priest, the authorities of the Râmnic Diocese awarded him all the priestly honours ("Sakellarios", "Econom" (administrator) and "Econom Stavrofor" (wearing a Cross) with the right to wear a red waist-sash) ; he was also elected to the Central Council of the General Association of Romanian Clergy. The Minister of Religion, upon the proposal of the Metropolitanate of Craiova, awarded him the "Cultural merit First Class for work for the Church".

World War II, 1939-1945

As were most countries in Europe, Romania was involved in the events of World War II. However, at the beginning, King Carol II tried without success to maintain neutrality. Because of his mistakes and his unpopularity, he abdicated in 1940, and the Nazi forces predominated until the 1944 coup d’état of King Michael, when Romania moved from the Axis Powers to the Allied Powers. At the end of the war came the invasion by the Soviet Army.

The Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bukovina, Irineu (Mihălcescu), who had been elected to his position on 29 November, 1939, was ill and in serious need of a young, energetic and capable person to help him to rebuild the diocese, which had been gravely affected by war damage. The Vicar-Bishop Valeriu (Moglan) of Botoşăni was old and he could barely manage the administration of the Saint Spiridon Hospital, a large hospital in Iaşi.

In the spring of 1945, Metropolitan Irineu asked the Ministry of Religion to set up another position of Vicar-Bishop for the Metropolitanate of Moldavia. Once the request was granted, Metropolitan Irineu, as the metropolitan of the diocese, proposed the Econom Stavrofor Priest Ioan Marina for election to this responsibility. At this time, the Econom Ioan Marina was still at Saint George's, a widower for almost a decade. The metropolitan knew him well, having had him as a student and having encountered him while he was a bishop’s assistant at Râmnic and then a metropolitan's assistant at Craiova.

After a canonical investigation and examination, at the proposal of Metropolitan Irineu (Mihălcescu), the Holy Synod, in its session on 30 July, 1945, approved Father Ioan Marina's election to the second, newly-founded position of Vicar-Bishop, at the Iaşi Metropolitan Cathedral.

Monastic tonsure, 1945

On 11 August, 1945, at the Cetăţuia Monastery in Iaşi, the "Econom" Ioan Marina was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Justinian. He was immediately elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

Episcopal ordination, 1945

Archimandrite Justinian (Marina) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate on Sunday, 12 August, 1945, in the Iaşi Metropolitan Cathedral. Metropolitan Irineu ordained him, along with Bishops Antim (Nica) of Cetatea Albă and Valeriu (Moglan) of Botoşăni.

Episcopal service

Bishop Justinian (Marina) was assigned to serve as the Bishop of Vaslui, and Vicar-Bishop of the Diocese of Iaşi, Moldavia and Bukovina.

On 16 August, 1947, the aged and ailing Metropolitan Irineu (Mihălcescu) retired from his responsibility. Patriarch Nicodim (Munteanu) named Vicar-Bishop Justinian of Vasluia to serve as locum tenens until a permanent successor was elected.

It is alleged by some that both Patriarch Nicodim (Munteanu) and Metropolitan Ireneu (Mihălcescu) reposed under “questionable circumstances”. That the demises occurred under such conditions led some historians to consider that they were murdered by someone. Proving the possibility is another matter.

On 9 November, 1947, the Ecclesiastical Electoral College met at Bucharest, with Metropolitan Nicolae (Bălan) of Transylvania presiding (the Patriarch was resting at the Neamţ Monastery). Bishop Justinian (Marina) was elected to become the Archbishop of Iaşi and Metropolitan of Moldavia and Suceava.

Metropolitan of Iaşi, 1947

On 28 December, 1947, Bishop Justinian (Marina) was enthroned during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Iaşi Metropolitan Cathedral. The Divine Liturgy and enthronement were served by an assembly of bishops, priests, and deacons, in the presence of members of the Holy Synod, of representatives of the central and local governments (2 days before the Romanian People's Republic was proclaimed), and of numerous clergy and laity.

Metropolitan Cathedral in Iaşi

During the 3 years that he spent at Iaşi as Vicar-Bishop and then Metropolitan of Moldavia, Metropolitan Justinian exerted very great effort in order to rebuild the diocese, which had been heavily damaged by war and scorched by drought. He re-organised the economic section of the diocesan centre, so as to ensure better administration and control over resources, while he established clear objectives for the other sections (administrative and cultural).

His blessing brought about the work of restoration of the cathedral and the metropolitan's residence, as well as the nearby buildings, which had been marred by bullets and shells, and left without windows, with cracked walls and holes in their roofs, and with the objects inside scattered and partly lost. Under his blessing, these buildings were brought back into a well-functioning state, including the diocesan candle factory, which had almost ceased its activity during the war. At the same time, he hired young, virtuous monks to serve at the cathedral. Amongst them was Archimandrite Teoctist (Arăpaşu), to whom he assigned the responsibility of ecclesiarch.

Drought, 1946-1947

A severe drought in 1946-1947 affected Moldavia, which added to the misery left by the war. Metropolitan Justinian permitted the first procession featuring the reliquary containing the relics of Saint Parasceva, which have been kept at Iaşi since that time. The relics wended their way through the drought-ravaged villages of Iaşi, Vaslui, Roman, Bacău, Putna, Neamţ, Baia and Botoşani Counties. The offerings collected on this occasion were distributed, based on Metropolitan Justinian's decisions, to orphans, widows, invalids, school cafeterias, Temples under construction, and to monasteries in order to feed the sick, and old or feeble monks.

On 27 February, 1948, Patriarch Nicodim (Munteanu) reposed in Christ at the age of 83. This left vacant the seat of Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Patriarch of All Romania.

To lead the Church in those uncertain times, a man was sought who had a lucid and penetrating mind, an organising spirit, and who was young, sufficiently energetic to defend the Church from the attempts of the Communist regime to dismantle it.

The Great Ecclesiastical Electoral College, meeting in Bucharest on 24 May, 1948, elected Metropolitan Justinian (Marina) to become the Patriarch of All Romania. A statement of the Holy Synod said that he had "shown himself worthy through his devotion to Orthodoxy, through his tireless labours and service until now, through his fruitful labour on behalf of the people and the Church, through his rather well-known parental tenderness, showing through the fulfillment of all the tasks and duties which he was assigned an unwavering obedience towards the Holy Synod and the laws of the country".

Patriarch of Romania, 1948

On 6 June, 1948, Metropolitan Justinian (Marina) was invested as patriarch at a ceremony in Bucharest, in the hall of the Palace of the Parliament. His enthronement to be patriarch took place in the Temple of Saint Spiridon the New.

Patriarchal service

Patriarch Justinian (Marina) received the title “By God's mercy, Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Locum tenens of the throne of Caesarea Cappadocia and Patriarch of All Romania.

Patriarch's proposed agenda

At the time of his enthronement, Patriarch Justinian presented the agenda of his patriarchal service. Amongst his objectives were : to prepare the clergy in the spirit of Orthodoxy and of the demands of the times ; to restore Romanian monasticism ; to re-organise theological education ; to reunite the Church by bringing back the Greek-Catholics to the Orthodox Faith (their ancestors having left it in the Union of 1700 under Bishop Atanasie Anghel) ; to strengthen brotherly relations with all Orthodox Churches ; to promote ecumenical relations with other Christian churches, and similar activities.

Archpastoral leadership during persecution

Some sources suggest that the Romanian Orthodox Church did not suffer mass persecution ; but rather, that in general she benefitted from the relationship with the Communists under Patriarch Justinian. It is helpful to recall that such sources make suggestions of that sort from a distance, usually a “western” distance, and not so much on the basis of facts from within the Church. Such commentators are often cynical or anti-Orthodox Christian in their attitude.

It is helpful to recall that the totality of Patriarch Justinian’s episcopal service and patriarchal service was lived out under the communist government. Throughout this time, negative and convoluted pressure was exerted on him by that very government. His advantage was that the very high number of Orthodox Christian faithful people in Romania was well and widely known. This number, however, did not remove the very precarious tight-rope that the patriarch had to walk with regard to the relationship between the Church and the State (a tight-rope not very dissimilar from that walked by patriarchs under the Muslim Ottoman Empire). The state policy (atheist and communist in foundation) was to persecute any faith, and to undermine it however it might be possible.

Despite the Marxist thesis about religion as a method of exploitation, in Romania there was no such fierce struggle with religion as in the first 2 decades of the USSR. This allowed the Romanian Orthodox Church to make every effort under Patriarch Justinian to achieve “social equality” in the communist state. However, it is averred that the Church either did not know about, or did not condemn the repression against the Romanian population (including those who were convicted of counter-revolutionary activities in the form of protecting the right to worship). As was required of all the patriarchs (not only in Romania) during those times, Patriarch Justinian had to walk a "tight-rope" in order to keep the Church alive and available to the people, and at the same time bear the pressure brought upon Her by the government. It is impossible to do so without making some mistakes or making decisions which cause anguish to the decision-maker because of their consequences.

Difficulties in caring for Romanian exiles and expatriates abroad

Throughout his patriarchal service, Patriarch Justinian was responsible as well for the Romanian Orthodox Christians who lived outside Romania. He inherited the same difficulties that his predecessors faced. Distance was always a factor, since Romanians had been emigrating for many decades to Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. In North America in particular, there were 2 distinct dioceses. One belonged directly to the patriarchate, and the other (the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America) was on its own for some time until, in 1960, it was received into the "Metropolia" (Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of North America) as an ethnic diocese. The 2 dioceses there became distinguished from one another largely because of the political situation in Romania. From the time of the rise of communism, communication between Romania and the outside world became either difficult or impossible. Bishop Polycarp (Moruşca), the Bishop of North America, had been trapped in Romania since the beginning of World War II, and he was not permitted to leave. He was then retired in 1948 by the government, and confined in a monastery until his repose in 1958. As a consequence of the situation, Patriarch Justinian blessed the ordination of Bishop Victorin (Ursache) in North America by Archbishop Iakovos (Coucouzis) of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, and other canonical bishops. This act saved the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of America which belonged to the patriarchate from inevitable collapse, and it provided a diligent, paternal archpastor for the diocese.

The patriarch with politicians reviewing a parade

Relationship with Romanian Greek Catholics

The Romanian Greek Catholics (mostly in parts of Western Romania) had about 1,725 temples, and its believers numbered more than 1.5 million adherents in Romania. Despite the fact that its liturgical practices largely converged with the Orthodox, the Greek Catholics had a strong hostility towards communism and they supported with vigour a move politically towards the West, and asking for help and influence. This move led to the beginning of repression by the state. In response to Patriarch Justinian's call to Greek-Catholic believers, on 1 October, 1948, 37 Greek-Catholic priests and archpriests assembled in a gymnasium in Cluj to sign a declaration that they would convert to the Romanian Orthodox Church, as they no longer wished to receive orders from "Imperialist Rome". Two days later, the emissaries presented themselves at Bucharest under police escort before the Holy Synod, asking to be received into Orthodoxy. Prior to that, they had been laicised by their superior, Bishop Iuliu Hossu. Bishop Iuliu did not accept the proposal to move to the Orthodox Church, and his biography considers these events to have been imposed upon the Uniats under duress by both the state and the patriarch. As is evident from this reference to imperialism, this was a political move as well as a religious one, which fit in with the Cold War and an attempt to deny the West a possible leverage in Romania. However, in such a context, it is necessary to recall that the Union of 1700 was a union under duress in the other direction. At that time, the Orthodox Christian believers were forcibly taken into the Roman Catholic Church's Eastern Catholic portion. Duress on either part is not correct, but it is a historical fact that there was duress. A similar wrenching-away of Orthodox believers had taken place previously in Galicia (later in Ukraine) and other regions in the 16th century, followed by a wrenching back under the direction of Soviet authorities in the 20th century.

On 21 October, 1948, a large popular assembly, organised by the Interior Ministry, took place at Alba Iulia. Twenty thousand Greek-Catholic clergy (including those who had signed the declaration at Cluj) and laity from across Transylvania participated ; they were solemnly received into the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Statute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, 1948

On 19-20 October, 1948, the Holy Synod approved the Statute that determined the organisation and functioning of the Romanian Orthodox Church. Henceforth, there would be only 5 metropolitanates, with 13 suffragan dioceses, to which were added 2 Romanian dioceses for the Romanian diaspora.

Renovating and protecting activities of the patriarch

Patriarch Justinian blessed the creation of a nursing home for elderly priests and monks (Dealu) and for elderly nuns and priests' wives (Viforâta). In 1948, Orthodox theological education was reorganised along lines that would last until 1989 : 2 university-level theological institutes existed (at Bucharest and Sibiu), as well as 6 theological seminaries (at Bucharest, Buzău, Neamţ Monastery, Cluj, Craiova and Caransebeş).

When the Communist government ordered the closing of the printing-press of the Church, Patriarch Justinian found a way to have it transferred quietly to the Cernica Monastery near Pantelimon in Ilfov County, near Bucharest. He also strengthened the theological seminary which was operating at this monastery.

Hierodeacon Bartolomeu (Anania) served as the director of the patriarchal library in Bucharest from 1952 to 1958. According to the testimony of his contemporaries, during this period, Hierodeacon Bartolomeu had the protection of Patriarch Justinian in order to fulfil his work.

Glorification of Romanian saints, 1950

In 1950, the Holy Synod decided, for the first time, to glorify several Romanian hierarchs, monks and pious believers, and to generalise the veneration of certain saints whose Holy Relics are found in Romania. Their solemn glorification took place in 1955.

Despite the obligatory co-operation with the government, the Romanian Orthodox Church did not escape repression after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Romania.

Between 1958 and 1963, about 2,500 priests and monks were arrested with the willing or unwilling co-operation of high-ranking clergymen of the Church. The state called monasteries "possible nests of anti-state opposition". The monks began to live under surveillance. Patriarch Justinian protested against Decree no. 410 of 19 November, 1959, which ordered that new monks must be at least 55 years old and nuns at least 50 years old. Because of this decree, about 5,000 monks and nuns were removed from their monasteries. Of them, 2,500 monks were arrested on charges of counter-revolutionary activities, and half the monasteries were closed. Because of his protest, the patriarch was forcibly sent to the Dragoslavele skete, where he was confined for 6 months. In 1959, the Holy Synod confirmed the orders of the state to close 3 monastic seminaries. In 1966, the restrictions were tightened.

An "amnesty", 1964

On 16 June, 1964, under international pressure, the communist prisons released many prisoners. However, because they had been convicted as being guilty of "conspiracy against the social order", the former political detainees suffered even after the "great release" of 1964. They were periodically summoned to the "Securitate", and they were beaten, persecuted and threatened. Other imprisonments followed.

Released prisoners praying, 1964

Patriarch Justinian's relationships with Christians and others outside Romania

Patriarch Justinian nevertheless maintained links with the other Orthodox Churches and with other Christian churches. At the head of synodal delegations, he visited the following Orthodox Churches : the Church of Russia (several times) ; the Church of Georgia (1948) ; the Church of Serbia (1957) ; the Church of Bulgaria (1953, 1966 and 1971) ; the Church of Constantinople (Ecumenical Patriarchate) (1968), the Church of Alexandria (1971). the Church of Jerusalem (1975) ; the Church of Greece (1963, 1971 and 1975). He began relations with the Oriental Orthodox churches through reciprocal visits. Patriarch Justinian travelled to the Armenian Patriarchate at Echmiadzin (1958 and 1966), to the Ethiopian Church (1969 and 1971), to the Coptic Church of Alexandria (1969 and 1971) and to the Indian Orthodox Church (1969).

Relations were begun and maintained with a number of national Roman Catholic Churches, some of which were visited by Patriarch Justinian when he was at the head of synodal delegations : Austria (1969), Germany (1970) and Belgium (1972), and with the Old Catholic Church and the Church of England (1966).

In return, delegations from all these churches visited Patriarch Justinian and his Church. In 1961, the Romanian Orthodox Church re-entered the World Council of Churches and she has since participated in other ecumenical organisations, such as the Conference of European Churches.

Publications continue

Patriarch Justinian published 12 volumes entitled “Apostolat social” ("Social Apostolate", Bucharest, 1948-1976), containing all his pastoral letters, speeches and articles. New Church periodicals appeared, or old ones continued to be published : “Biserica Ortodoxă Română” (BOR) (“Romanian Orthodox Church Journal” from 1874), “Ortodoxia, Studii Teologice, Glasul Bisericii” (“Orthodoxy, Theological Studies, Church Voice Journal” of the Metropolitanate of Ungro-Vlachia), “Mitropolia Moldovei şi Sucevei, Mitropolia Ardealului, Mitropolia Olteniei, Mitropolia Banatului” (“Metropolia of Moldavia and Suceava, Metropolia of Transylvania, Metropolia of Oltenia, Metropolia of Banat” journals) and a series of periodicals edited by Romanian Orthodox communities abroad.

Because of Patriarch Justinian’s initiative, the synodal publication of the Holy Bible was re-edited, and then published in 2 editions (1968 and 1975). The New Testament was published. All the devotional books were published again, each in multiple editions. Nearly all the textbooks needed for higher and seminary theological education were published. There also appeared a series of theological or historical works written by bishops, professors of theology, and priests, as well as doctoral theses.

Summary of patriarchal activities

During the years of service of Patriarch Justinian (Marina), 302 new Temples were constructed, and 2,345 others were repaired or restored. Of these, 999 were historical monuments ; and of these, 128 were monasteries, sketes and other monastic communities. The new Temples were painted with frescoes as well, while a further 271 Temples had their frescoes restored.

Repose, 1977

On 26 March, 1977, in the evening, Patriarch Justinian fell asleep in the Lord, at the age of 76, after a painful illness and a long period of hospitalisation.

The Funeral Services for the Burial of a Hierarch took place in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen in Bucharest, and it was served by the bishops of the Church of Romania, with others, and also by many clergy.

After the conclusion of the funeral services, his body was immured in the tomb which he had prepared carefully for himself in the interior wall of the Radu Vodă Monastery in Bucharest. This monastery, dating from the 16th century, had been extensively renovated during 1969-1974, on his initiative. On the Cross fixed into the wall, the Patriarch had asked that the following inscription be engraved : “I fought the good fight. I guarded the Faith. I have reached the end of life's road. From now on, the reward of righteousness awaits me ; the Lord, the righteous Judge shall give it to me on that day” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

— Bishop of Vaslui 1945-1947.

— Vicar-Bishop of the Diocese of Iaşi, Moldavia, and Bucovina.

— Archbishop of Iaşi and Metropolitan of Moldavia and Suceava 1947.

— Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Patriarch of All Romania 1948-1977. Preceded by : Patriarch Nicodim (Munteanu). Succeeded by : Patriarch Justin (Moisescu).

Reflections

At the time of the repose of Patriarch Justinian (Marina), the Church of Romania had 10,000 parishes with trained clergy to serve them all ; 2 theological institutes of 1,400 students studying at undergraduate or graduate level, and a re-ordered monastic life which had managed to preserve its spiritual vitality.

During the war, there were 2 factors which produced a mixed assessment of Father Ioan’s disposition by “outsiders”. The one was the fact that he had helped the Communist leader Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej to hide in the parish house at Saint George's after the latter's escape from the Târgu Jiu internment camp in 1944. As the prominent Communist Ion Gheorghe Maurer later recalled, "After we passed Craiova by car, about 30 kilometres on, we stopped in a village where we were kept by a priest who was himself a communist. The car went back to Craiova and we stayed in that village about three days until another car from Bucharest came, to take us to the capital". Such a comment is not the same as a statement of truth. As in other atheist-communist environments, half-truths and falsehoods were habitually inserted into files and comments in order to distort the character of a person.

The other was the fact that there are 15 references to Patriarch Justinian in the book “In God's Underground” by Richard Wurmbrand, a Lutheran Pastor imprisoned by the communist regime. Pastor Wurmbrand was in constant trouble with the authorities because of his outspokenness towards the government. Nevertheless, he credits Patriarch Justinian for using his influence in the early days of his Patriarchate to ensure he was allowed to keep his licence to preach. However, he later describes Patriarch Justinian as having become “wholly a tool of the Party”. Both these allegations are not supported by other details in the life of the patriarch.

Despite many difficulties, during the 29 years of Justinian's patriarchal service, a series of events and changes took place which greatly raised the prestige of Romanian Orthodoxy in the Christian world and made him a representative figure for all of Orthodoxy.

From his enthronement to his death, as Mihai Urzică writes, "faced with the adversities to which the Church was subjected, Patriarch Justinian proved himself an able diplomat and he tried, as much as he could, to withstand the attacks launched against the house of the Lord. He maintained a close unity among the ranks of the clergy ; he provided support for priests who were political detainees and monks released from prison, and he restored many churches and monasteries, resisting the sanctions, threats and even the house arrest to which, for a time, he was subjected".

Archpriest Gheorghe Calciu-Dumitreasa wrote about Patriarch Justinian that although the patriarch seemed not at first to have been confident about his path, he soon became very strong in his stand against the political administration. He helped those who had been and prison and who were eventually released. When the government decided in 1959 to expel the younger monks and nuns from monasteries, the patriarch made sure that this was not enacted within the territory of his own diocese. Father Gheorghe visited a monastery near Bucharest, and he encountered a thriving monastery. The abbess told him that when the patriarch had visited along with the Chief of the Department of Cults and others of the Politbureau, the patriarch had said in their hearing to the nuns that no-one would or could force them to leave involuntarily, and that he would protect them. When Father Gheorghe had been released from prison with others at the 1964 Amnesty, and he asked that he be able to go to the seminary, the patriarch helped him in every way.

Father Cleopa (Ilie) wrote about the 1959 violent expulsion of monks in other dioceses as the "Securitate" forced monks and nuns to go away from their spiritual homes of repentance. Under some circumstances, Patriarch Justinian found ways for some of them to return. The patriarch welcomed them with love and nourished them spiritually.

As is usually the case with patriarchs and other heads of local Churches, there is criticism (often politicised) of their behaviours and decisions by those within the Church who disagree with them about one or another matter, and by those outside the Church who have a different perception of the world and of situations. An assessment of such a person cannot be limited to one or even several matters. Rather, it must consider the whole of the person's life and service. For an Orthodox Christian, a main criterion in discernment (or “litmus test”) is the Dominical saying : “By their fruits you will know them”.

 ‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  
 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even 
 so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad 
 fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and 
 thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them’ (Matthew 7:15-20).

References

Romanian Patriarchate biography (in Romanian)

Wikipedia biography

Radu Voda Monastery biography

Encyclopaedia Britannica biography

Patriarch Justinian of Romania explained

Russian Wikipedia biography

Additional information :

Anania, Archbishop Bartolomeu of Cluj, “Memories of Patriarch Justinian : Church in Mission, Romanian Patriarchate at the Anniversary Hour” (Bucharest : Publishing House of the Biblical and Missionary Institute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, 2005), pp. 524-557.

Deletant, Dennis, “Romania under Communism” (Philadelphia, PA : Routledge, 2020). ISBN : 9780367585570.

Gombos, Stelian, “Portrait of the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church Iustinian Marina”

Hall, Christine, ‘The Recollections of Patriarch Justinian of Romania: an intriguing document’ in “International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church”, vol. 12, issue 2 (2012), pp. 187-206.

Ignat, Adrian, "Interference and Economic Challenges Regarding the Romanian Orthodox Church during Patriarch Justinian Marina (1948-1977)" [“Ingerinţe şi provocări economice la adresa Bisericii Ortodoxe Române în timpul Patriarhului Justinian Marina (1948-1977)”, (2013).]

Lavinia, ‘Church Collaboration and Resistance under Communism Revisited: The Case of Patriarch Justinian Marina (1948-1977)’ in “Eurostudia”.]

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

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

Roman, Emilian Iustinian, ‘Church Legislation in the Time of Patriarch Justinian Marina’ in “Analele Ştiinţifice ale Universităţii 'Alexandru Ioan Cuza' din Iaşi” [“Scientific Annals of ‘Alexandru Ioan Cuza’ University of Iasi” (January, 2017), pp. 10-23.]

Scarfe, Alan “Patriarch Justinian of Romania : His early social Thought”, pp. 164-169.

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

Turcescu, Lucian and Stan, "Church Collaboration and Resistance under Communism Revisited: The Case of Patriarch Justinian Marina (1948-1977)"

Urzică, Mihai, "Biserica şi viermii cei neadormit" ["The Church and the sleeping Worms"]

Zamfir, Zenovia, “Patriarch Justinian Marina : the spiritual Father of the Romanian People” (Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania : Bibliostar Publishing House, 2013).

Basilica.ro In Memoriam : "Justinian Marina (baptised Ioan), Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church passed away" (26 March, 1977)

Wikipedia article about translations of the Holy Bible into Romanian

"Patriarch Justinian : God's Gift for the Romanian People" : Interview with Father Traian Valdman (1975)

Video : 2017 Parastas on the 40th Anniversary of the Repose of Patriarch Justinian

Wikipedia article “Anti-religious Persecution in Communist Romania”

Romanian Orthodox Church web-site