Evening star., 1939-03-07
Premier
OF Rumania as Nation
Mourns Cristea Death
New Patriarch Hailed
As Vigorous Champion
Of Law and Order
By the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
BUCHAREST, Rumania, March Z.
The death Of Miron Cristea. pre-
mler and patriarch Of the Rumanian
Church, brought a period of ma
tional sorrow today-and new pre-
mier who was hailed as political
strong man."
Three hours after the death of
the venerable DR.. Cristea at Cannes,
France, last night, King Carol
named as premier. Armand Cali
nescu, lawyer, educator and vigorous
champion of law and order in gov
ernment. Calinescu had been vice
premier, minister Of war and in
terror. He retains the latter two
posts.
Most Of the nation heard only
this morning of the death from
pneumonia Of the 69-year r-old pa
triarch, because radio and news
papers withheld the news until the
King formed the new government.
Highly Venerated.
To more than 100000 Ru-
manians the patriarch was Christ's
vicar on earth. Another 10000
did not recognize him as religious
leader, but venerated him for the
moral authority he brought to the
government. National mourning
was decreed.
An official of the prime minister's
office, Undersecretary Mihai Mogu-
reanu, departed by .airplane tor
Cannes to supervise the homeward
journey Of the body on Friday.
The Orthodox Church funeral
ritual provides that patriarchs and
metropolitans of the church be
buried in a sitting position.
Because his death occurred
abroad, however, Cristea's body is
to be placed in a half-reclining
position, instead Of the traditional
sitting posture, in a special, glass
covered coffin. The coffin will be
on view at many Rumanian stations
enroute to Bucharest in a special
railway carriage.
From the Rumanian frontier the
train will make a slow trip to the
capital, pausing at stations to per-
NIT peasants to say prayer before
the body and perhaps to touch the
hem of its golden gown. Touching
the hem means an eternal blessing.
In Government circles it was ex-
pected that decree law would be
promulgated to simplify the pro-
cedure of electing new patriarch.
Since there is now no Parliament,
decree would authorize the gov
ernment to confer with the church
synod and a new patriarch would
be elected by negotiation" rather
than by election.
Ordinarily five metropolitans of
the Rumanian Orthodox Church
and bishops Of the church form the
synod which elects the new patri-
arch. Parliament is supposed to
participate In the election because
the church is the official one Of Ru-
mania.
"StronE Arm" Tactics Seen.
The naming OF Calinescu was re-
garded as positive indication King
Carol approved his uncompromising
opposition to the Fascist patterned,
outlawed Iron Guard, and that Ru-
mania might expect more strong
arm" tactics against terrorism.
Calinescu is 46. He was educated
in France. His first job was a minor
1udgeship, then he was attorney
for the peasant party, became prom
inent In Parliament and was named
minister of education.
He became minister Of interior
under the anti-semitic Octavian
Goga and ket the position under DR..
Cristea.
The black monacle which makes
him a conspicuous figure in Bucha-
rest, conceals an eye, the sight of
which was destroyed by a nurse who
mistook acid for eye-wash when
Calinescu was years old.
DR.. Cristea, who became premier
on February II. 1888. went to
Cannes 10 days ago to avoid the
Rumanian winter.