On Monday the 29th of July 2024, two exhumations took place of Romanian Confessors who will be canonized as Saints by the Romanian Orthodox Church in 2025: Archimandrite Sofian Boghiu and Father Dumitru Stăniloae. This was done in preparation for their upcoming canonization, in order to transfer their relics from the monastery cemeteries they are buried in and move them into a church, where eventually they will be placed in reliqueries to be venerated by the faithful. Both services were performed by Bishop Timotei Aioanei of Prahova, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bucharest.
The first exhumation was that of Archimandrite Sofian Boghiu (+ September 14, 2002), who was abbot of Antim Monastery in Bucharest. He was buried in the cemetery of Căldărușani Monastery, and upon exhumation his relics were transferred to the church of the same Monastery in order for a specific service to take place after an exhumation, and from there they were brought to the church of the Antim Monastery.
"Father Sofian, although he served for a long time in the fortress of Bucharest, chose this place with the old monastery ordinance, where monks, hierarchs and many saints have lived throughout the history of this well-known monastery," explained Bishop Timotei as to why he was originally buried at Căldărușani Monastery.
"The time has come for the Lord's elect to be moved from the cemetery to the church and to be a joy and a model for the faithful, as he was during life. Father Sofian strove to show his disciples, whether they were residents of the Antim Monastery, whether they were faithful intellectuals of the Bucharest citadel, but also hierarchs, people of culture, writers, cultured people who met him, speaking to everyone about the joy of meeting the Savior Jesus Christ," he continued.
The first exhumation was that of Archimandrite Sofian Boghiu (+ September 14, 2002), who was abbot of Antim Monastery in Bucharest. He was buried in the cemetery of Căldărușani Monastery, and upon exhumation his relics were transferred to the church of the same Monastery in order for a specific service to take place after an exhumation, and from there they were brought to the church of the Antim Monastery.
"Father Sofian, although he served for a long time in the fortress of Bucharest, chose this place with the old monastery ordinance, where monks, hierarchs and many saints have lived throughout the history of this well-known monastery," explained Bishop Timotei as to why he was originally buried at Căldărușani Monastery.
"The time has come for the Lord's elect to be moved from the cemetery to the church and to be a joy and a model for the faithful, as he was during life. Father Sofian strove to show his disciples, whether they were residents of the Antim Monastery, whether they were faithful intellectuals of the Bucharest citadel, but also hierarchs, people of culture, writers, cultured people who met him, speaking to everyone about the joy of meeting the Savior Jesus Christ," he continued.
Father Dumitru Stăniloae (+ October 5, 1993), on the other hand, was buried in the cemetery of Cernica Monastery, in order to, as he once said, "listen to the liturgy under the furrow of earth in the monastery cemetery." Upon exhumation, his relics were transferred to the church of the same Monastery.
"Father Professor Dumitru Stăniloae came to Cernica Monastery in a place where numerous hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church are waiting for the Great Day of the Resurrection, even primate metropolitans, assistant bishops who served in Bucharest or in other dioceses and who chose the cemetery of this lavra of Wallachia as their final resting place," explained Bishop Timotei.
"Along with Father Stăniloae, before him and after him, other theology professors or priests who served in many important parishes in Bucharest also wanted to listen to the liturgy under the furrow of earth in the monastery cemetery," he continued.
"Father Professor Dumitru Stăniloae came to Cernica Monastery in a place where numerous hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church are waiting for the Great Day of the Resurrection, even primate metropolitans, assistant bishops who served in Bucharest or in other dioceses and who chose the cemetery of this lavra of Wallachia as their final resting place," explained Bishop Timotei.
"Along with Father Stăniloae, before him and after him, other theology professors or priests who served in many important parishes in Bucharest also wanted to listen to the liturgy under the furrow of earth in the monastery cemetery," he continued.
The exhumation of the bones was done ahead of time to comply with church regulations regarding the preparation of honorable relics. More precisely, previous experiences related to the canonization of saints from the Archdiocese of Bucharest were also taken into account.
This exhumation aimed to achieve an adequate preparation of the relics, to be placed later in the silver caskets that are being made at the workshops of the Romanian Patriarchate, with a view to proclaiming the canonization at the beginning of 2025.
The Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church decided their canonization in the meetings of July 11-12, 2024, together with 14 other Romanians. The proclamation of the canonizations will take place in 2025, at the Centenary of the Romanian Patriarchate.
This exhumation aimed to achieve an adequate preparation of the relics, to be placed later in the silver caskets that are being made at the workshops of the Romanian Patriarchate, with a view to proclaiming the canonization at the beginning of 2025.
The Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church decided their canonization in the meetings of July 11-12, 2024, together with 14 other Romanians. The proclamation of the canonizations will take place in 2025, at the Centenary of the Romanian Patriarchate.
