The international press on Thursday writes about the loss of the Romanian Orthodox Church as its Patriarch Teoctist died on Monday after 21 years of spiritual leadership. But loss is not all that comes with it - a power struggle within the church and on the political stage is expected to explode.

Le Monde underlines in its electronic edition that the death of the Patriarch leaves behind a Christian community on the verge of division between reformists and traditionalists.

The article mentions that according to tradition the Patriarchal seat should be taken by IPS Daniel, the head of the Metropolitan Church of Moldova, but there is a big change that he would not be sustained by the conservative voices.

On the other hand, the head of the church for the Cluj region in Central Romania, IPS Bartolomeu, has just as much chances to win the Holy Chair. The leader of the conservative wing is suspected of supporting the fascist ideology of the "Legion" movement of the WWII era when he was young.