Honorific-Prefix: | His Beatitude |
Patriarch Nicodim of Romania | |
Patriarch Of: | By God's mercy, Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Locum tenens of the throne of Caesarea Cappadociae and Patriarch of All Romania |
Enthroned: | 5 July 1939 |
Ended: | 27 February 1948 |
Church: | Romanian Orthodox Church |
See: | Bucharest |
Predecessor: | Patriarch Miron of Romania |
Successor: | Patriarch Justinian of Romania |
Birth Name: | Nicolae Munteanu |
Birth Date: | 6 December 1864 |
Buried: | Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral |
Nationality: | Romanian |
Religion: | Eastern Orthodox |
Alma Mater: | Kiev-Mohyla Academy, Russian Empire |
Nicodim (in Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan pronounced as /nikoˈdim/), born Nicolae Munteanu (in Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan pronounced as /nikoˈla.e munˈte̯anu/; 6 December 1864, Pipirig, Neamț County, Romania – 27 February 1948, Bucharest), was the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church (Patriarch of All Romania) between 1939 and 1948.
He studied theology at the Kiev-Mohyla Academy, Russian Empire and became a monk at Neamț 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. Immediately, rumors circulated to the effect that he had been murdered, perhaps with Soviet approval. However, all available evidence indicates the patriarch died of natural causes.[1]
Nicodim Munteanu was buried at the Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, next to the first Patriarch of Romania Miron Cristea.