Nicodim Munteanu
Encyclopedia
Nicodim Munteanu also known as Patriarch Nicodim (December 6, 1864, Pipirig
, Neamţ County
, Romania
– February 27, 1948, Bucharest
) was the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church
(Patriarch of All Romania
) between 1939 and 1948.
and became a monk at Neamţ Monastery
in 1894.
Nicodim was supportive of the Royal Family of Romania
and a notable anti-Communist, refusing to give support for the Soviet-backed Communist regime
in the process of installation in Romania
in 1945-1947. His death in 1948 and the subsequent appointment of a new Patriarch, Justinian I
, who was supportive of the Communists, has been viewed as suspect by historians.
Nicodim Munteanu was buried at the Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral
in Bucharest
, next to the first Patriarch of Romania Miron Cristea
.
Pipirig
Pipirig is a commune in Neamţ County, Romania. It is composed of seven villages: Boboieşti, Dolheşti, Leghin, Pâţâligeni, Pipirig, Pluton and Stânca....
, Neamţ County
Neamt County
Neamț is a county of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra Neamț. It has three communes, Bicaz-Chei, Bicazu Ardelean and Dămuc in Transylvania.-Demographics:...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
– February 27, 1948, Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
) was the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Romanian Orthodox Church
The Romanian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. It is in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox churches, and is ranked seventh in order of precedence. The Primate of the church has the title of Patriarch...
(Patriarch of All Romania
Patriarch of All Romania
The Patriarch of All Romania is the title of the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church. As of September 12, 2007, the chair is occupied by Daniel Ciobotea.-Metropolitans of Ungro-Wallachia:* Maxim * Macarie II * Ilarion II...
) between 1939 and 1948.
Biography
He studied theology at the Kiev-Mohyla Academy, Russian EmpireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and became a monk at Neamţ Monastery
Neamt Monastery
The Neamţ Monastery is a Romanian Orthodox religious settlement, one of the oldest and most important of its kind in Romania. It was built in 14th century, and it is an example of medieval Moldavian architecture...
in 1894.
Nicodim was supportive of the Royal Family of Romania
King of Romania
King of the Romanians , rather than King of Romania , was the official title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947, when Romania was proclaimed a republic....
and a notable anti-Communist, refusing to give support for the Soviet-backed Communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
in the process of installation in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
in 1945-1947. His death in 1948 and the subsequent appointment of a new Patriarch, Justinian I
Justinian Marina
Justinian Marina was a Romanian Orthodox prelate...
, who was supportive of the Communists, has been viewed as suspect by historians.
Nicodim Munteanu was buried at the Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral
Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral
The Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral is located near the palace of the Patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, on Dealul Mitropoliei, in Bucharest, Romania....
in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, next to the first Patriarch of Romania Miron Cristea
Miron Cristea
Miron Cristea, was an Austro-Hungarian-born Romanian cleric and politician....
.