The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, under the leadership of His Holiness Boris, Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, sent an official letter to the Romanian Patriarchate and to His Beatitude Father Patriarch Daniel, requesting to analyze the possibility of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church being received under canonical and administrative protection of the Romanian Patriarchate, as an autonomous metropolitan (exarchate) or in another form blessed by the Holy Synod of the BOR.
A call to Orthodox communion and unity
In the letter dated October 17, 2025, sent “with deep piety and brotherly love in Christ”, the Montenegrin Orthodox Church expresses its sincere desire for spiritual closeness and reconciliation, citing the example of the pastoral care of the Romanian Orthodox Church towards the Orthodox believers in the diaspora, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
“Through this request we seek nothing more than what every Church has desired throughout the ages — the preservation of the Orthodox faith and the identity of our own people in unity and love in Christ”the document states.
Metropolitan Boris emphasizes in the letter that the Montenegrin Orthodox people are today facing the danger of spiritual assimilation and marginalization, and that the support of the Romanian Patriarchate could represent an act of fraternity and spiritual solidarity between the Orthodox peoples of the Balkans.
“We humbly ask that, following the example of the bright care of the Romanian Patriarchate towards the Orthodox believers in Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the possibility for the people of Montenegro to find spiritual support and fraternal understanding in the bosom of the Romanian Orthodox Church will also be taken into account.”
Openness to dialogue and canonical cooperation
The Montenegrin Orthodox Church affirms its full awareness that such a decision must be based on the canonical order and the sobornic unity of the Church, expressing at the same time the readiness for consultations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, “in whose wisdom and experience the full unity of Orthodoxy is reflected”.
The document also states that the Montenegrin Orthodox Church disposes, by His vicariate in Romaniaof an adequate logistical and administrative base, with headquarters in Ilfov, Cluj and other regions of the country, thus providing a solid framework for an eventual canonical organization under the blessing of the Holy Synod of the BOR.
A message of Christian brotherhood
The letter ends with a call to prayer and unity in the Holy Spirit:
“We humbly ask that, in the prayers and advice of Your Beatitude, you do not forget the Montenegrin people, small in number but steadfast in faith, who wish to glorify God together with the Romanian people and all Orthodox peoples, in Spirit and Truth.”
The full document bears the registration number Nr. 48/17.10.2025 and is signed “By the entrustment and with the blessing of IPS Boris, Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church. The document was also countersigned by the representatives of the Vicariate of the Montenegrin Orthodox Metropolis in Romania.”
