On 21 February 2019, in the Synodal Hall of the Patriarchal Residence, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, took place the working session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, in which:

1. The rich and multiple actions made in the Romanian Patriarchate in the Centennial Year 2018, which culminated with the event of the consecration of the Altar of the National Cathedral on November 25, 2018, were appreciated.
2. At the same time, the numerous social-philanthropic activities, activities worth over 114 million lei, about 24 million euros were highlighted.
3. In particular, the activities of the Romanian hierarchs and clergy for the preservation of the Romanian identity, spirituality and culture, carried out in the diaspora and in the eparchies near the borders of the country, were appreciated.

Regarding the church situation in Ukraine, the Holy Synod underlined the following aspects:

1. For almost 30 years, the problem of schism in Ukraine has not been resolved nor was there a call for pan-Orthodox mediation, as it was the case with the schism in Bulgaria. In finding this impasse in solving the situation, the Ecumenical Patriarchate granted the Tomos of the autocephaly to hierarchs, clergy and faithful who were schismatic with the Russian Orthodox Church and all Orthodoxy, but this Tomos was accepted only by the Ukrainian Orthodox who were not in communion with the Moscow Patriarchate.
   Therefore, the issue of ecclesial unity in Ukraine is not currently fully resolved, and because there is a large Russian ethnic population that maintains direct contact with the Moscow Patriarchate.
2. Regarding this tense ecclesiastical situation in Ukraine, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church reiterates the view expressed previously at its meetings of 24 May 24^th and October 25^th 2018. It was then recommended that the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Patriarchate of Moscow identify by dialogue a solution to this church dispute by preserving the unity of faith, respecting the administrative-pastoral freedom of the clergy and believers in this country (including the right to autocephaly) and restoring the Eucharistic communion .
   In the event of a failure of the bilateral dialogue, it is necessary to summon a synaxis of all the leaders of the Orthodox Churches to solve the existing problem.
3. For a concrete and correct decision of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church at a forthcoming meeting of the Holy Synod, one priority will be given to the fact that there are 127 Romanian Orthodox parishes in Ukraine, especially in the North Bucovina area, under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine - the Patriarchate of Moscow. It is necessary to have a real consultation of these Romanian Orthodox, who are concerned about preserving their ethnic and linguistic identity. In this respect, it is necessary to obtain written guarantees from the Church authorities and the Ukrainian state that the ethnic and linguistic identity of the Romanians will be respected, and that these Romanian Orthodox will have the opportunity to organize themselves in a Romanian Orthodox Vicariate and to cultivates spiritual ties with the Romanian Patriarchate supported by sending cult and theology books in their mother tongue, that is, the Romanian language. It is mentioned that in Romania, a Ukrainian Orthodox Vicariate has been operating since 1990.
4. The Romanian Patriarchate will also ask the Ecumenical Patriarchate for clarification on the settlement of the problem of hierarchs and non-canonical priests in the West, who belonged to the former "Patriarcate of Kiev."

Following the consultations mentioned above, the Holy Synod will express its official position on the situation of Orthodoxy in Ukraine.

(source: basilica.ro)