Teoctist Arapasu

Teoctist Arăpașu was the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church from 1986 until his death in 2007. Born in Tocileni, Botoșani County, he became a monk at a young age and rose through the ranks of the church, eventually becoming the Patriarch. He was known for his ecumenical efforts, including inviting Pope John Paul II to Romania, marking the first visit of a Pope to a predominantly Eastern Orthodox country since the Great Schism. His tenure as Patriarch was also marked by the challenges of serving under the Romanian Communist regime and the transition period after the Romanian Revolution of 1989.