Yesterday, the Holy Synod of the Rumanian Orthodox Church decided to "forgive" the metropolitan bishop Nicolae Corneanu of Banat, who "had taken Communion" during a Greek-Catholic Mass in Timisoara on May 25th. Along with the metropolitan bishop Corneanu, they also "forgave" the Orthodox bishop Sofronie of Oradea, who on Twelfth Night had celebrated the blessing of the water with the Greek-Catholic bishop of Oradea, mgr. Virgil Bercea. This settles a long controversy that had arisen in the Orthodox world after the gesture made by the metropolitan bishop Corneanu. "The Holy Synod disapproved of the non-canonical gestures made by the two leaders and accepted their change of mind and repentance as a first sign of their correction", reads a press release from the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate, relayed last night. In addition, the Holy Synod decided that no Orthodox person may celebrate sacraments or blessings with the ministers of other religions. "Those who do not abide by this decision is the end of the release will lose their communion with the Orthodox Church and as a consequence will incur the canonical sanctions matching the status they have within the Church".
