Patriarch Justinian, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church, and the Communist Authorities between June 1948 and 1960
Patriarch Justinian, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church, and the Communist Authorities between June 1948 and 1960

Summary/Abstract: Patriarch Justinian Marina was long considered a “red patriarch” because he was imposed as head of the Romanian Orthodox Church by the Communist Party. His public statements in favour of the communist regime reinforced this belief among international public opinion. A closer analysis of his actions, documented based on archives kept secret until 1989, shows that Patriarch Justinian was a diplomat who sought to avoid open conflict with the communist regime, which he considered hopeless, and to consolidate the autonomy of the Orthodox Church. Patriarch Justinian assured the communist authorities that there would be no acts of rebellion against the political power within the Romanian Orthodox Church and, in return, asked for “full trust” and non-interference by other institutions (such as the Ministry of Religious Affairs) in the life of the church. This article presents how Patriarch Justinian negotiated with communist leaders, how he tried to control the Holy Synod, theological educational institutions, the patriarchal administration, and other structures within the Orthodox Church so that they would not fall under the influence of institutions outside the Church. The documents show Patriarch Justinian's clear intention to preserve the authentic values of the Orthodox Church and his desire to protect it from atheist propaganda. The article concludes with an assessment of the success of Patriarch Justinian's policy, whether or not he succeeded in achieving his goals.

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