Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / EUROPE
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Tuesday, 31 July 2007, 12:47 GMT 13:47 UK

Romania mourns Church patriarch

Romanian Orthodox Patriarch Teoctist in 1999 The late head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Teoctist, will be buried on Friday, Church leaders say.

The patriarch died of a heart attack on Monday, aged 92. His death came just hours after a prostate operation.

He had been head of the Church since 1986. In 2000 he asked for forgiveness for concessions the Church had made during communist rule.

The leaders of other Orthodox churches are expected to join many mourners at the funeral.

Patriarch Teoctist was widely praised for hosting the late Pope John Paul II in Romania in 1999 - the pontiff's first visit to an Orthodox country in modern times.

About 87% of Romanians are Orthodox Christians, according to census figures.



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Country profile: Romania (21 May 07 |  Country profiles )
Priest jailed for exorcism death (19 Feb 07 |  Europe )
Pope prays for murdered Catholics (08 May 99 |  Europe )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Romanian Orthodox Church
BBC Religion - Eastern Orthodox Church
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©