Political Patriarch

-- The choice for the future Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church is up to Romanian politicians and businessmen.
In today's edition you can read the structure, kept secret, of the Church's Electoral College. Its members are due to elect the future Patriarch in September 9. 88 out of the 195 members are laymen, but over 70% of them are politically connected. Their polls, conducted by the pre-electoral games played in politics, may be decisive, especially if we take into account the fact that the clergymen in bishoprics are in tight connections with local officials.
On electors' list there are people like Dorel Onaca, a friend of President Basescu's, Social-Democrat Teodor Maghiar, now investigated for corruption, and the business mayor of Giurgiu, Liberal Lucian Iliescu.
Until the new Patriarch is elected his Holiness Daniel will be heading the Romanian Orthodox Church. If the latter decides to run as candidate, His Holiness Corneanu is to take over. (...)
Gusa: Masonry mustn't get involved
Cozmin Gusa, leader of the National Initiative Party, commented yesterday that the great peril related to the Patriarch to take over after the death of the Patriarch Teoctist was the influence of organizations such as the Masonry. Gusa argued: "I don't think an organization such as the Masonry should get involved in the election of officials for the Romanian Orthodox Church. I am not necessarily thinking about the Holy Synod, but about the National Churchly Assembly. Two thirds of the members are laymen and the Masonry has got significant influence over them".
According to the politician, the death of the Patriarch Teoctist is a regrettable event for the Orthodox Church in Romania. He added the death of a man who guided the Church's destiny in the last 21 years was highly important to a National Church such as the Orthodox one. (...)

D.I.
Ziua Miercuri 01 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english