|PIC1|The head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Teoctist, died on Monday aged 92 due to heart complications after prostate surgery.
Teoctist invited Pope John Paul to Romania in 1999, the first time a Catholic Pope visited an Orthodox country in a trip aimed at narrowing the age-old split between the two Churches.
"Patriarch Teoctist died at 5:00 pm," Constantin Popa, manager of the Fundeni hospital in Bucharest told reporters.
"He had prostate surgery. Afterwards, he developed heart complications ... which eventually led to his heart failure. He did not respond to resuscitation."
Teoctist, who was born in 1915, had been the head of the Orthodox Church since 1986. Eighty-seven percent of Romanians belong to the Church.
One of his main projects was to build a "Cathedral of the Nation's Absolution", which like the vast Christ the Saviour cathedral in Moscow was to be seen as a symbol of rebirth after 50 years of communist repression. Land and financing problems have delayed its construction, however.
-
The dire American political situation: a brief overview for faithful Christians in Britain
-
Conversion therapy ban supporters want prayer to be criminalised - this must not be allowed
-
Why the US election results do not bode well for America
-
Police appeal for witnesses after head smashed off Jesus statue at church war memorial
-
Are we seeing the end of Western civilisation?
-
Christian group sees increasing openness to Christianity among politicians
Most Popular
News
Calls for inquiry into Queensland assisted suicide system
Despite the rise in deaths, the watering down of safeguards has been proposed.
Justin Welby says government reparations for slavery a ‘moral evil’
Welby was supportive of Project Spire during his time as Archbishop of Canterbury.
South Sudanese churches work for peace as tensions mount
South Sudan is the world's youngest sovereign nation.
Alister McGrath: New Atheism has ‘tanked’
“I am seeing a growth in young people wanting to talk about Christianity."
