Member of the Legionary Movement, canonized by the BOR Synod

Given that the recent report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights shows that the number of cases of anti-Semitism has increased in Europe, the Romanian Orthodox Church has decided to canonize a priest, who is known as a member of the Legionary Movement.

According to the decision of the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, which met on Thursday and Friday at the Palace of the Patriarchate under the presidency of Patriarch Daniel, 16 Romanian saints will be canonized in the next period, among them are Father Archimandrite Sofian Boghiu, former abbot of the Antim Monastery in Bucharest, Father Dumitru Stăniloae - former professor of theology in Sibiu and Bucharest, proto-Singhilian father Arsenie Boca, hieroschimonk father Paisie Olaru - former clergyman at Sihăstria Monastery, archimandrite father Cleopa Ilie - former abbot of Sihăstria Monastery and father Ilie Lăcătuşu.

Passing over Arsenie Boca and Ilie Cleopa who helped during the communist regime the former members of the Legionary Movement, who fought against the dictatorship imposed by the USSR, a special problem is represented by father Ilie Lăcătusu who would be celebrated annually on July 22, according to the decision of the BOR Synod.

Ilie Lăcătusu, who was a political prisoner and a priest, was a member of the Legionary Movement. He held the position of head of the legionary sector during the time of the national-legionary government. Practically, Lăcătuşu was not a simple member, but the head of a legionary nest in the Oltenia region, confessing that he joined the Legionary Movement out of conviction.

According to a testimony from 1941, quoted by DC News, Ilie Lăcătusu said: "I joined the Legionary Movement with the purest intentions, with the thought of sacrifice, for the good of the Nation and the Homeland, working with wisdom and tact in my role as an educator in this aspect of civic-national-patriotic guidance".

However, the members of the BOR Synod decided to canonize him along with the other 15 future Romanian saints. The liturgical texts of these future saints are to be completed and approved in a future meeting of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church.