Bishop Antim Petrescu – the shortest tenure as Bishop of Râmnic (I)

Among the worthy hierarchs of Râmnic who led this diocese after the First World War, we must give a place of honour to Bishop Antim Petrescu, on 6 September marking 102 years. On the occasion of this commemoration, I believe it is worth offering a brief account of his life and work, particularly as very little has been written about him, and he has not been studied in a manner commensurate with his merits. Some information about his deeds is provided by the writings of that era, the textbooks on the History of the Romanian Orthodox Church, a few researchers who have briefly reconstructed his life based on existing documentary sources, and lawyer Yvonna Petrescu-Moscu of Bucharest, his granddaughter, who has dedicated a few lines to him, placing him amongst the ‘illustrious sons’ of his native village.

The life of Antim Petrescu up to his election as bishop

From contemporary sources, we know that he was born on 28 November 1875, in the village of Vlăduceni, in the commune of Păușești-Măglași, Vâlcea County, into the family of the church cantor Petre Marinescu, and was christened Alexandru. Although we have little information about his mother, his father was known as a worthy descendant of the family of Onisifor Vlăduceanul, the founder of the village’s first church, who became a monk at Arnota Monastery 1. ‘A sensible, gentle and wise peasant’2 took part in the battles of Plevna in 1877–1878, and was decorated for his bravery with numerous Russian and Romanian medals. On his return home, two years later he became a choir singer, instilling in his son’s soul a faith in God and a love for his people and country 3. Thus, under his guidance, Alexandru received a fine Christian upbringing, finding his way to the village church from a young age. It was not without reason that it was said that ‘through his parents, his childhood and his very being, he was a son of the people’, who ‘kept his peasant simplicity intact’4.

Enrolled at the local school, then at Râmnicu-Vâlcea, where his teacher was Șt. Ionescu-Cheianu, one of the finest teachers of the time, as his teacher; the future bishop was an excellent pupil, finishing his school years as a top student. After completing primary school, at his teacher’s urging, he enrolled in 1889 at the Vâlcea Theological Seminary, passing the entrance examination second out of 396 candidates and securing a scholarship. Under the guidance of highly qualified professors, he acquired a distinguished theological education there, distinguishing himself as a diligent student, consistently receiving awards, and being highly regarded both for his academic achievement and his conduct. His qualities, his strong faith and his thirst for learning caught the attention of the Seminary’s director, who, in 1893, sent him, at his own expense, to Bucharest to attend the advanced course at the Central Seminary, where he was admitted as the top-ranked candidate. Fully aware of his natural inclination towards learning, he distinguished himself here too amongst the top students in his class, so much so that Bishop Atanasie Mironescu of Râmnic urged him to enrol at the Faculty of Theology in the capital, granting him a study leave for this purpose.

Having in the meantime married Natalia Mocsa, who bore him five children, the young graduate was ordained a deacon in 1898, serving at the Dintr-un Lemn Monastery 5, and from 1 March, he was appointed scribe at the Diocesan Chancery 6. Also that year, he enrolled at the Faculty of Theology, completing his studies in 1902 with his bachelor’s thesis The Epistle to Diognetus: A Patristic Study, which he also had published. Having received the highest mark, ‘magna cum laude’, the chairman of the examination board stated at the time that he would have awarded Deacon Alexandru Petrescu the title of Doctor of Theology, had the Faculty at that time had the authority to confer degrees higher than the bachelor’s degree.

Highly regarded by the Bishop of Râmnic for his scholarship and perseverance, he was ordained a priest on 23 February 1903, on Orthodoxy Sunday, at the Church of the Holy Archangels in Craiova, although his father’s wish had been to see his son serving in his native village. “It was – as Yvonna Petrescu-Moscu notes – a well-deserved reward that was soon to bear fruit.” Endowed with a remarkable talent for oratory, Father Alexandru carried out a wide-ranging programme of work here, both as a preacher and as a renowned lecturer amongst the intellectuals of Oltenia. An energetic and ambitious man, endowed with a thorough education and a brilliant intellect, she also proved herself a woman of action, being appointed, in turn and alongside her priestly ministry, as confessor to the military garrison at the fortress of Bănie, president of the Diocese’s ecclesiastical appellate consistory, and a teacher at the D. A. Sturdza Military High School 7. A letter from the Ministry of Religious Affairs has been preserved, “in which it ordered that a copy of each of the books in its repository be sent to the priest and steward Al. Petrescu, chaplain to the Craiova garrison, as intercession had been made by the Holy Synod through letter No. 47/909’8. Another note from that time reveals that he heard the confessions of several soldiers from the garrison ‘and that he was horrified by what he found in their souls. And he added: ‘Much can be set right through spiritual guidance!’…”9.

A “conscientious, honest and much sought-after” minister, “for his devout spirit and for the holiness with which he ministered before God and men”4, he also demonstrated a marked interest in cultural matters during this period, printing numerous books of a moral and philosophical nature and contributing to several theological and literary journals that were then being published in various regions of the country. At the same time, he translated Christian writings, chiefly from German, which he then edited and distributed amongst the faithful, quickly making a name for himself, not only in Oltenia but also in other cultural centres of the country.

First and foremost, his bachelor’s thesis, published in 1902 in Bucharest under the title Epistle to Diognetus: A Patristic Study, is worthy of note. A patristic study in which the young graduate examines, amongst other things, the state of Christianity in the early centuries, the worship of the Jews and the error of pagan idolatry, the character of Christians and the value of their religion 10. Another important work by the future hierarch is With Jesus on the Road to Golgotha, published in a small-format edition in 1910 and 1913, in Craiova and Iași, in which he recounts the events of Holy Week 11. Regarding this, the newspaper Opinia reported: “With Jesus on the Road to Golgotha is the title of an elegant, very important booklet, recently published thanks to His Eminence Bishop Antim Petrescu-Botoșăneanul, Vicar of the Holy Metropolis of Moldavia and Suceava, one of the learned Moldavian prelates and a well-known writer in the field of ecclesiastical literature’12.

It is worth noting that at the same time he also published A Narrative of the Birth of Jesus Christ, a marvellous account of the Magi’s journey to Bethlehem and the birth of the Infant Jesus, adapted from the American novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, written by Lew Wallace, and Josaphat: A History from the Glorious Days of Christianity, translated from the German by Christoph von Schmid 13. Equally worthy of mention is another exceptional publishing achievement, entitled The Little Basket of Flowers: A Moral Tale, translated from the same author 14 and reprinted in 1929 at the Cozia Printing House, then in 1994 and 2005 in Râmnicu-Vâlcea, and in recent years by various publishers across the country15 and Crucea de lemn. A Moral Tale, first published in 1911, then in 1930, again in Râmnicu-Vâlcea16. Deeply impressed by these moral tales by Chr. von Schmid, Nicolae Bălan, the future hierarch of Transylvania, wrote that ‘they are full of tenderness and a deep religious spirit, possessing the gift of awakening in souls a belief in the reward for good deeds and in God’s fatherly care for mankind. I cannot find enough words to recommend all the stories under Nos. 2–5 to our priests, so that they may read them themselves and give them to their sons to read, and, above all, the last two to their daughters. I equally warmly recommend them to the attention of our catechists at secondary schools and girls’ schools”14.

Equally significant from an editorial perspective is the booklet How and What We Ought to Think About Jesus Christ*, a lucid exposition of the evidence upon which faith in the Saviour Jesus is founded, as well as the translation of The Greatest Good in the World, by Henry Drummond, a professor of natural sciences at the University of Glasgow, who had grasped the spirit of Christian morality and interpreted it in an engaging manner. Referring to Father Alexandru’s work, Nicolae Bălan went on to recommend that “these last two works deserve to be read not only by priests, but also by all our intellectuals. All these works can also be ordered from the Archdiocesan Bookshop in Sibiu’17”.

Furthermore, we cannot overlook the fact that this period was also particularly rich in the field of theological studies published in the journal Biserica Ortodoxă Română. Thus, in 1902, it published A Gospel from 1682, a particularly important book, “which deserves much attention for its age, the beauty of its binding and the significance of its donor”18, and a year later, A Gospel from 1693, in which he reproduces the book’s preface and the two epilogues, written by the hieromonks Atanasie Moldoveanu and Antim Ivireanul, who worked on its publication alongside the scholar Șerban Greceanu 19. In 1904, the following articles were published under his name: ‘The Romanian Bible of 1688’, in which the future hierarch demonstrates a wealth of knowledge about Romanian culture 20, and ‘The Church of Vlăducenii (Vâlcea)’, containing details of this church, built through the efforts of his father, who, for nearly ten years, had striven to raise the necessary funds 21. Last but not least, it is worth noting that the archives of the Church of the Holy Archangels in Craiova hold a significant book of honour, which contains a manuscript of his own about the holy place, with important information regarding all the clergy and auxiliary staff (cantors, sacristans and the choir), the material resources and the efforts required to renovate the church 22.

On the other hand, it should be noted that, during this time, the priest from Oltenia did not forget his roots, providing financial support to his parents and helping to raise funds to pay off the debts incurred during the construction of the church in Vlăduceni. Standing alongside his father, who had travelled throughout Oltenia, Muntenia and Bulgaria to realise this dream3 took part in the consecration of the church on 21–22 September 1903, delivering, with the blessing of Bishop Atanasie Mironescu, a fine speech about the difficult times the Church had endured, the piety and generosity of the rulers and the Romanian people, who had built numerous churches in these regions, and then on the history of the new church, urging the parishioners to visit it and look after it as well as possible 23.

From the accounts of lawyer Yvonna Petrescu-Moscu, we learn that all the furnishings for this church were obtained at her instigation, through various donations from people in Craiova and Bucharest. It appears that he also paid off the debt his father had incurred during the construction, which was secured by a mortgage on the house and the surrounding land, and which, due to the non-payment of interest, had quadrupled, and had been put up for auction by the Vâlcea Court in 1908. In this way, the house and the estate, together with the land in Vlăduceni, were transferred into his son’s name, who thus became their owner from that year onwards. A man of great deeds, Alexandru was so attached to his ancestors’ home that, in 1911, he began building a new house on the site of the old, ruined one, with the intention of settling there in his old age 24. In recognition of his extensive work, on 23 May 1904 he was awarded the rank of sachelar, and on 17 February 1905 he became the spiritual father 25. Driven by a desire to achieve great things, on 20 July 1906, he was awarded the title of iconom and was appointed parish priest of the church on 1 April 1908 26. From the records of the time, we know that on 9 January 1911, a religious ceremony took place in this holy place to mark the conversion to Orthodoxy of two sisters of the Protestant faith, after they had been catechised by the priest Alexandru Petrescu. On this occasion, he demonstrated that the Orthodox Church is the true Church of Christ, and that the new converts had performed an act pleasing to God by turning from error to the truth 27.

Despite these achievements, however, his life was not without trials. Unfortunately, in 1906, a terrible tragedy befell the family, and two of his children died. Following his mother’s death in 1909 25, his wife also passed away the following summer, following a serious heart condition, leaving him to raise his three surviving children alone: Adrian, Emilian and Gheorghe. It seems that this terrible blow took its toll on the young priest’s health, and he fell ill with a liver condition. At the urging of doctors and friends, he retired to a spa resort, Karlsbad, in Bohemia, where, thanks to the excellent medical care he received, his health improved 28.

During this turbulent period, he did not in any way neglect his family, devoting particular attention to the education of his sons, whom he sent to the finest schools. Indeed, Gheorghe, who held a doctorate in law, went on to reach the highest echelons of the judiciary, becoming president of the Vâlcea County Court, a judge at the Bucharest Court of Appeal, and, in 1945, Attorney General of Romania. Like his father, who, between 1916 and 1918, provided aid in Moldova to many refugees from Păușești-Măglași, he intervened during the difficult period of 1946–1947 to ensure that several wagons of maize were allocated to his native village29.

Vicar Bishop in Iași

His remarkable work in ecclesiastical matters and his contributions to the finest theological and literary journals led the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church to elect him, at its meeting on 28 February 1912, as vicar-bishop of the Metropolis of Moldavia and Suceava, with the title ‘Botoșăneanul’. It was a turning point in his life and work, a completely unexpected event, as he had no such lofty aspirations nor did he envisage leaving the city of Craiova.

Confirmed by the competent authorities, by a unanimous vote, on 23 March 1912, he was tonsured a monk at Neamț Monastery, receiving the name Antim, and a week later, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite in the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iași. Shortly afterwards, he was consecrated as a bishop, and the following day, on 23 April, he was ordained as a bishop in the presence of Metropolitan Pimen Georgescu of Moldavia and Suceava and a distinguished delegation from Craiova30 On this occasion, he delivered a word of thanks, from which we reproduce a few lines intended to reveal his feelings: ‘I was working quietly and without hesitation in the spiritual field of the church, of the garrison and the school entrusted to me, and whilst I neither expected nor anticipated it, I was called by God through the voice of His chosen ones to a higher calling. And I know that to be a bishop does not mean to enjoy rest and to live a life of ease, but it means to be a follower of Christ and to bear upon one’s shoulders the cross of His sufferings and passions…’31’.

The young bishop, who had not yet reached the age of 37, embarked upon a new and remarkable role as vicar of the Metropolis and abbot of the St. Spiridon in Iași, which at that time, using its own funds, maintained six hospitals and over 60 churches throughout Moldavia 32. From a report presented to Metropolitan Pimen on 4 October 1916, we learn that the new hierarch was constantly amongst the faithful, celebrating the Divine Liturgy at St Spiridon’s Church, various services at the Veniamin and Catholic Seminaries, memorial services for soldiers killed on the battlefield, and the blessing of holy water at various institutions in the city 33. Fulfilling with responsibility the missions entrusted to him by the Metropolitan of Moldavia, on 16 May 1912, together with other members of the Holy Synod, priests and numerous benefactors, he founded the Society of the Protection of the Mother of God, which aimed to strengthen the lives of monks, ‘through learning and work, in accordance with our spiritual and national needs’. Due to its intense activity, it was recognised by Royal Decree in 1913 as a legal entity, with its headquarters in Bucharest, and was led in Iași by Metropolitan Pimen or his delegate, Bishop Antim 34.

Held in due esteem, the vicar bishop was also, during this period, president of the Iași branch of the ‘Ocrotirea’ Priests’ Society, founded by the Bishop of Moldavia in 1909 to: assist infirm members, widowed priests’ wives, orphaned children and the families of the deceased, organising religious conferences and establishing a library, a magazine and a shelter for widowed priests’ wives and the minor children of deceased members. Between 1915 and 1916, the society he led provided aid to widows and orphans amounting to 1,260 lei, as well as 400 lei towards funeral expenses 35.

Appointed by the Metropolitan of Moldavia and Suceava, on 10 June 1913, Antim Botoșăneanul took part in the inauguration of the new premises of the Grigore Ghica Voevod Maternity Hospital in Iași, performing the blessing of the water, surrounded by the Saint Spyridon choir, in the presence of numerous officials and medical staff; he then delivered, on behalf of the Moldovan Primate, words of praise to all those who had contributed to the establishment of the institute 36. From the newspaper Opinia, we learn that on that day he was also present at the farewell ceremony for those who had graduated from the Academic Institute in 1877, conducting the religious service at the Metropolis, after which he explained to them with particular warmth the purpose of their reunion. He also attended the banquet held at the Institute’s former premises, alongside A. D. Xenopol and other professors and doctors, including A. Naum, P. Poni, Cosmovici, Rieger and Vincler 37.

We note in particular that, in the same year, on the occasion of the Congress of the National Orthodox Society of Romanian Women, held in Iași on 23–24 November, he made a substantial contribution to the establishment of the ‘children’s garden’ in the Frumoasa neighbourhood. Invited to the opening, he consecrated the premises in the presence of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education and many other dignitaries, delivering a moving speech about the love with which “we must show to these little human beings, these future sons of the Fatherland and spiritual children of the Church”. Impressed by his words, Petre Gârboviceanu wrote: “His Grace Antim’s beautiful address made a profound impression, and I regret that I did not have the full text to publish” 38.

We must not overlook the fact that he also spoke at the sessions of the National Congress, firmly defending the teachings of the Church and the traditions of the nation, as highlighted in the newspaper Universul: “Furthermore, the high-ranking prelate recalls the unfavourable wind that has blown over the country in recent times and which has had the effect of weakening the faith and corrupting pure morals; the alteration of the beautiful and wholesome Romanian customs; and, finally, the replacement of the sound and solid Romanian and Christian education with a pedantic, superficial and frivolous one, imported from other countries’39’.”

To these brief notes, we add the fact that, at the beginning of March 1913, Antim took part, alongside other priests, monks and the faithful, in the funeral of Bishop Narcis Crețulescu at Neamț Monastery, and on 23 August 1917, he was present at the return to Orthodoxy of Father Ștefan Berindei, from the village of Câmpu lui Neagu in Hunedoara, who read the Confession of Faith in Iași Cathedral, right in front of him, the assembly of priests and other believers 40.

He certainly undertook numerous canonical visits to his diocese, as entrusted to him by Metropolitan Pimen, in order to gain the best possible understanding of the religious and moral state of the faithful, as well as the material circumstances of the priests. A remarkable man of culture, he delivered hundreds of sermons during the services he conducted, offering words of teaching and encouragement to his listeners, and ordained many priests for the Moldovan churches. According to contemporary sources, on 29 June 1912, he ordained Constantin Bobulescu—a renowned historian of our Church 41—as a priest, and on 23 August 1915, he ordained Dumitru Furtună, an ethnographer and folklorist, director of the Seminary in Dorohoi 42. During this period, Antim was involved in the renovation and consolidation of several churches within the diocese, and others that had now been built were to be consecrated, such as those in Tarcău (1912) 43, Cerțieni (1914) 44, Nicolae Bălcescu (1915) 45 and Ghigoiești (1915) 46. Furthermore, he never forgot his roots, celebrating the Divine Liturgy on 1 July 1912 in his native village in Vâlcea County, where he inaugurated the houses built next to the parish church, which had been erected by his father, and took part in the local end-of-school-year celebration, presenting prizes to the children and encouraging them to work towards a better future 47.

Alongside his pastoral work, he also turned his attention to cultural activities, taking part in various pastoral conferences and educational events in Iași and other towns within the diocese, where he distinguished himself as a fine preacher and a highly regarded speaker. As a learned hierarch, he knew that he could only satisfy his flock’s hunger for spiritual nourishment through new publications rich in teaching. Thus, from the very first year, he set to work ‘with all his zeal in the service of propagating Christian ideas through moralising stories’48’, publishing various translations of German writers. We mention first and foremost Wilhelm Herchenbach’s work, The Martyr Sebastian. A tale set during the persecutions against Christians in Rome, published in Iași in 1912, then in Râmnicu-Vâlcea in 1931 49. Just one year after its publication, the book was recommended “as a highly edifying read not only for priests and their families, but also for secondary school pupils and the families of our intellectuals”50.

Another notable publishing achievement is the work Chipul mamei (The Image of the Mother). A historical narrative from the time of the struggles against icon worship, written by Otto von Schaching. Published in 1912 in Craiova and in 1929 in Râmnicu-Vâlcea, the book takes us back to the time of Emperor Leo III the Isaurian and illustrates the love of Christians for the holy icons 51. Having read it, the bishop sought the author’s permission from Regensburg to translate it, wishing ‘to kindle in many souls a veneration for these holy relics and to awaken zeal for the faith of their ancestors’52. Upon its publication, the following was to be written in the Theological Review: ‘If the style of this account were somewhat more accessible to the people, it would be an excellent read for combating the Nazarenes and other sectarians who do not accept the veneration of icons. We ask His Holiness to amend the style of the second edition with this need in mind’53.

No less significant is Kristina Roy’s book, A Wish Fulfilled: A Tale from the Days of the Saviour of the World, published in Iași, in his second year as bishop, which tells the story of Jonathan, a young Jew driven by a desire to draw closer to the Lord Jesus, particularly following the revelations of one of the shepherds to whom the angels had announced His birth 54. He was also responsible for the reprinting of the Paterikon, in two editions, in Iași, in 1910 and 1913 55, as well as the work by Chr. von Schmid, Innecul de pe Rin. A moral tale for the people and the youth, which came off the press in 1913 and was recommended from the very year of its publication, since those who “have read one of the writings of His Grace Archbishop Antim, will hasten to acquire them all’56’. At the same time, the hierarch had the work With Jesus on the Road to Golgotha printed in Iași, as I have noted; this was to be the second edition, which he had revised and provided with beautiful illustrations, thereby enhancing its value 57.

Equally important is the book published in Iași in 1914, entitled The Parables of the Saviour Jesus Christ, drawn from the Holy Gospel and interpreted on the basis of several works for the spiritual benefit of the people and especially of the youth, in which Antim interprets the Lord’s parables from the Gospel 58. It is also worth mentioning here A Treatise on the Good Death, written in Greek by Evghenie Vulgaris, Archbishop of Astrakhan, and translated into Romanian by Metropolitan Venianim of Moldavia, who had retired to Slatina Monastery towards the end of his life. In the 1914 edition, the author added the metropolitan’s biography and portrait and moved the notes to the relevant pages, from the end, where they had previously been 59.

To illustrate Antim’s cultural work as clearly as possible, we mention another translation, The Youth of Nysa, by the German writer Wilhelm Bauberger. It is a story recounted by Eusebius of Caesarea about a young man whom Saint John the Apostle entrusted to the care of the bishop of a town near Ephesus. Reflecting on this work, Deacon Nicolae Popescu wrote in 1915: ‘Against the backdrop of this tender scene of true apostolic life, the German writer Wilhelm Bauberger has woven a novel full of deep religiosity and pious veneration for the Lord’s beloved disciple. His Grace Bishop Anthim Petrescu, wishing ‘that this delightful book, too, might contribute to the spiritual edification of our youth’, translated it into Romanian under the title The Young Man of Nysa and thus placed a truly useful new work in the hands of the reading public’60

To these publications, we may also add the work by Dr V. B., The Hermit of Carmel: A Story for the Spiritual Edification of Youth, translated from German and first published in Iași in 1916. In response to demand from book lovers, it was reprinted in 1931 and 1992 in Râmnicu-Vâlcea, regaining its well-deserved place of honour amongst works of spiritual edification. Across its 12 chapters, the book presents a vivid picture of the spread of Christianity in the early centuries, presenting us with an episode from the life of a priest’s family, in which it illustrates the inner struggle between pagan and Christian thought 61.

In order to better understand his cultural interests, it is worth noting that this period as vicar bishop in Iași was also particularly fruitful in the field of theological studies. Thus, in several issues of the journal Biserica Ortodoxă Română, he published a translation of The Life of Saint Anthony the Great, written by Patriarch Athanasius the Great of Alexandria, in which he presents the life and miracles of the saint, his piety and his examples, his trials and his popularity amongst the people 62.

Without going into detail, it should be noted that, thanks to his efforts, other books were also published in Iași, intended to round out his cultural profile: The Greatest Good in the World. Reflections on Christian Love (1912), Christmas Eve (1914), Blessed Augustine (1915) and From the Lives of Christian Martyrs Who Were Soldiers (1918). To these works may be added those published by the Cozia Press of the Diocese of Râmnic, in the series ‘Religious Library for the People’: Saint George the Martyr, Saint Eustathius the Martyr, Saint Demetrius the Martyr, Saint Martyr Mina, Saint Martyr Sebastian, The Forty Holy Martyrs, Saint Theodore, Saint Martyr Alexander the Roman, Saint Martyr Mercury and Saint Martyr Procopius 63. To promote their circulation, the bishop addressed the following exhortations to book lovers: ‘Faced with the deluge of biased, anti-religious and immoral books that have recently sprung up like mushrooms after rain, these writings, like others of their kind, will serve as a welcome antidote; I therefore earnestly urge my devout brothers in the ministry and all lovers of wholesome nourishment for the soul, to recommend them and disseminate them as widely as possible amongst their circle of acquaintances…”.

In considering this impressive work, we must note that Antim dedicated his entire life to the service of Christ, whom he bore witness to in word and deed, maintaining a close bond with his flock through sermons and such edifying books. It is not without reason that the pages of the journal The Romanian Orthodox Church have reproduced his call for the dissemination of these works, ‘so that, on the one hand, the beautiful sentiments of His Grace and, on the other hand, so that we too may emphasise that the gaze of those who guide souls should be directed particularly in this direction. The spiritual education of Christians must be carried out. They must be given wholesome spiritual nourishment. If we do not take serious measures in this regard and if we are not vigilant watchmen, we shall face a moral disaster. His Eminence Antim will now be able to continue this work with greater success and greater zeal. The position he holds gives him full authority and will also increase the energy he needs”64

Having made a name for himself through his education and publications, the Cultural League for the Unity of All Romanians elected him president of the Red Cross of Moldova and of the Society for the Protection of War Orphans. The few documents available to us mention that, during the First World War, he was directly involved in caring for the wounded and the sick, washing them, dressing their wounds and visiting them daily in the hospitals on the front line 65. The purpose of the Church’s involvement in supporting the war was expressed by him personally at one of the pastoral conferences held in Dorohoi in 1915: “The horrors of war would pass, peace would return and the Romanian ideal would be fulfilled, with every social group receiving its due reward.” In other words, “through its actions during the war, the ecclesiastical institution sought to popularise and confirm its role as a major social actor within the Romanian state”66).

It was he who drew up the list of monks and the syllabus, as well as the examination board for the two groups of monks trained as orderlies at the Military Hospital and at the Frumoasa Monastery in Iași, to support the military medical service in the field hospitals in the spring of 1915. No less important was his role on the examination board for the 100 monks and 115 nuns, alongside several renowned Romanian doctors. We assume that it was also under his direct and careful supervision that nursing courses for nuns were organised at the Hospital in Târgu Neamț, under the leadership of Mother Eupraxia Macri. The effectiveness of his work in this regard was demonstrated during the war, when the monastic community served on the front lines at the field hospitals in Piatra Neamț, Iași, Dorohoi and Botoșani, and at the Agapia and Văratec monasteries67. As a result of sending numerous medical staff to the Russian Allied Army on the fronts at Tecuci and Mărășești, he was awarded the Grand Order of Saint Anne68 by General Șcerbaceff.

Having enjoyed a good relationship with Queen Maria and her entourage ever since he served as a priest at the Church of the Holy Archangels in Craiova, it was he who intervened in 1916 to mobilise approximately 100 monks in Bucharest, where they were received by the leaders of the Conservative Party and accommodated at the Theological Boarding School, with the consent of Father Constantin Nazarie, the director of the institution and archpriest of the army chaplains, whom he had met at the Seminary in Râmnic, and later as a deacon and clerk at the Diocese69.

Although the information is limited, we know that Vicar Bishop Antim was a member of the Initiative Committee for Aiding Refugees under the patronage of Queen Maria 70. Numerous priests from Transylvania, who had taken refuge in Moldavia following the repulsion of the Romanian offensive, were taken under his protection and appointed as military chaplains to the regiments and hospitals on the front, with ranks equivalent to those of captains. For this support, later, following the Union of 1918, the Transylvanian priests and bishops celebrated and honoured him with gratitude in one of Transylvania’s major cities.

It is also worth noting here that a great many refugees from Vâlcea County and, in particular, from the village of Păușești-Măglași, who had fled in 1916 due to the German invasion of Oltenia, were sheltered at Tărâța Monastery, near Iași, where they were provided with food and the necessities of life until the end of the war. Among those who found refuge in this monastery, at his behest, was the schoolmaster Dumitru Niculescu from his home village, who was then a child68.

We also know that the vicar bishop of Iași took care during this time of the war orphans and the numerous victims of typhus, which was ravaging both the civilian population and the army 71. Right from the opening of the two orphanages, at Agapia and Văratec, on 17 September 1917, Antim announced that Metropolitan Pimen had approved the Agapia Monastery selling 100 kg of honey to the orphanage at 10 lei per kg, with a further 100 kg to be sent to the orphans in Iași 72. To supplement these notes, it is worth emphasising that between 1916 and 1920, due to the harsh conditions of war, he ensured, alongside the Metropolitan of Moldavia, the protection of the head of Mihai Viteazul from Dealu Monastery, keeping it in a chest in the sacristy of Iași Cathedral, to the east of the Holy Altar 73.

It is worth noting that, as vicar, he also played an important role in the reorganisation of the Church in Bessarabia. As Archbishop Anastasie had left for Moscow, leaving the Diocese of Chișinău and Hotin without a bishop, on 14 June 1918 a synodal decision was adopted to send Bishop Nicodim of Huși in his stead, to ‘administer the ecclesiastical affairs of the Bessarabian archdiocese until the election of the titular archbishop’. In recognition of his merits, on 23 June, Antim read out the metropolitan’s letter appointing the future patriarch as locum tenens of the archbishop, then took part in the festive banquet at the archiepiscopal residence in Chișinău, where, together with the other guests, he delivered “speeches that uplifted the soul, all of which were like a sprinkling of the Holy National Holy Water upon the old foreign spirit that had reigned until now in these quarters”74.

An important chapter in his life was his dynamic involvement in the meetings of the Holy Synod. From the outset, he was held in high regard by the members of the Holy Synod, who elected him as a member of the Petitions Committee. A careful analysis of the documents shows that, at the meeting of 30 May 1912, he approved, together with the others, “that the Holy Synod should recognise the graduation certificates of the Faculty of Theology as equivalent to a full seminary diploma, so as to grant graduates of the Faculty of Theology the right to be ordained as priests in rural parishes”75.

In recognition of his prolific work, between 1912 and 1913 he served on the Commission for Parishes 76 and on the Commission for the Review of Religious Education Textbooks, where he argued resolutely for the involvement of the family, the Church and the state in the religious education of children 77. Constantly concerned with expanding his knowledge, on 29 October 1912 he requested the Holy Synod to grant him “free of charge, a copy of each of the liturgical books and other religious works printed at the Church Books Press, as well as the journal The Romanian Orthodox Church for the years 33, 34 and 35”. Given his experience as a priest, he also asked the authorities at this time to take measures “to ensure that, during the first and last weeks of Great Lent, all public performances are suspended”, so as to prevent the screening in cinemas of films containing certain erotic or criminal images and themes alien to Christian morality 78.

To highlight his contribution during the meetings of the Commission for Religious Textbooks, we consider it worth noting that, on 17 October 1913, he read a report concerning the manuscript entitled ‘Părintească Sfătuire’ (Paternal Advice), recommending that the author approach his bishop for publication, following the necessary corrections. As the records show, during the meeting he also read the report concerning the Bishop of the Lower Danube, in which he submitted a pamphlet of anecdotes published by a certain Hristu D. Goiciu, and requesting that the members of the Holy Synod intercede with the authorities to have such biased publications removed and to oblige priests to advise the faithful not to read these misguided writings 79. Equally interesting is his final intervention regarding the situation in the Quadrilateral, which he wished to be administered by a bishop, and, once it became a Romanian province, ‘for a Metropolis or a diocese to be established there, as deemed appropriate’80.

Given his intense activity within the Holy Synod, it is also worth noting here the meeting of 24 October 1913, at which he read another report concerning the request by the priest Grigore Popescu-Breasta of Craiova to have a Bible album printed, proposing the appointment of a commission “to undertake the compilation of a ‘Biblical Album’ in the Orthodox spirit, to be printed either abroad or at home and used in all our primary and secondary schools”81. The meeting of 28 October 1913 also merits special attention, during which he outlined the situation of the clergy in the country, supporting Metropolitan Pimen’s proposal that seminary graduates from Years 7–8 be ordained, rather than the older seminarians with four years’ study who “had not touched a book in a long time and had, in the meantime, been engaged in occupations such as innkeepers, notaries, cupbearers and other professions entirely at odds with the priestly vocation”82. Without going into detail, we note his contribution at the meeting of 30 October, when he read the report concerning the manuscript The Life Hereafter, suggesting to Father C. Gibescu to “approach the respective His Grace the Metropolitan, who may grant his blessing for the publication of this lecture, provided the petitioner complies with the corrections made to the text”83.

Highly regarded by the hierarchs of the Holy Synod, on 12 October 1913, he was elected to the Commission for Church Singers, having been known for his interest in Byzantine music since his time as a deacon at the Episcopal Cathedral in Râmnicu-Vâlcea 84. As non-clerical staff were being overlooked when it came to remuneration, he proposed, at the meeting in October 1913, that they should receive a quarter of the takings: “for no church service in the church is performed by the priest without a cantor. Even if he were to conduct the paraclis, the cantors and the paraclisarian must be present, so it is only fitting that they too should be given a quarter’85”.

At the same time, it must be said that Antim was equally energetic during the meetings of the Higher Church Consistory. Drawing on the experience of his seven years spent in Craiova, on 20 October 1912, he argued, alongside Father Dumitru Lungulescu, for the development of religious education within the army by increasing the number of garrison chaplains to deliver lectures to the soldiers 86. Of particular interest is the speech he delivered at the Consistory meeting on 14 May 1913, in which he requested “that every military hospital at army corps headquarters should have a priest”87. Taking a close look at church life within the diocese and the role of inspectors amongst the priests, he went on to request “that the inspector be retained, but that this inspector be elected from within the Holy Synod”88.

Following the thread of other records, we can see just how deeply he was involved in the meetings of the Holy Synod, firmly supporting the development of charitable institutions, opposing the introduction of foreign icons into the country, and participating in the drafting of the Regulations for the painting of churches, in order to avoid the Western influences encountered in the painting of some new places of worship 89.

(to be continued)

• 1

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• 2

  G. Galaction, ‘Vlădica Antim’, in Chemarea, vol. II (1919), 18 September, no. 155, p. 1.

• 3a3b

  Ion M. Stătescu, Victoria N. Stătescu, Contributions…, p. 60.

• 4a4b

  G. Galaction, Vladyka Antim…, p. 1.

• 5

  G…, ‘The Three Young Bishops’, in The Romanian Orthodox Church, vol. XXXVI (1912), no. 3, p. 259 (hereafter cited as BOR); Fr Niculae Șerbănescu, ‘The Bishops of Râmnic’, in Mitropolia Olteniei, vol. XIV (1964), nos. 4–6, p. 207 (hereafter cited as MO); Yvonna Petrescu-Moscu, ‘Antim Petrescu – Bishop of Oltenia. A brilliant son of the village of Păușești-Măglași, Vâlcea County’, in the volume TheDiocese of Râmnic. 500 Years Since Its Founding (1503–2003), Râmnicu-Vâlcea, 2005, pp. 408–409.

• 6

  THE HOLY DIOCESE OF RÂMNICU NOU SEVERIN, Yearbook for the year 1900. Bucharest, 1899, p. 15.

• 7

  G…, The Three Young Bishops…, p. 260; Niculae Șerbănescu, The Bishops of Râmnic…, p. 207; Dictionary of Notable Figures from Dolj County. Restitutio, edited by: Prof. Mariana Leferman, Prof. Gabriela Braun, Adrian Năstase (PhD candidate), Craiova, 1999, p. 165; Yvonna Petrescu-Moscu, Antim Petrescu…, p. 410; Encyclopaedia of Romanian Orthodoxy, ed. Rev. Prof. Mircea Păcurariu, Bucharest, 2010, p. 482.

• 8

  “Official Documents. Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings. The meeting of 22 October 1910”, in BOR, vol. XXXIV (1910), no. 9, p. 873.

• 9

  Archimandrite Scriban, ‘Church Chronicle. Between the General and the Bishop. A Polemic on the Issue of Military Priests’, in BOR, vol. XLIV (1926), no. 5, p. 290.

• 10

  Deacon Alexandru Petrescu, Epistle to Diognetus. Bachelor’s thesis, Bucharest, 1902, p. 69.

• 11

  N. B., ‘The Literary Movement: The Writings of Father Iconom Al. Petrescu of Craiova’, in Revista Teologică, vol. VI (1912), no. 4–5, p. 155 (hereafter cited as RT).

• 12

  ‘Information’, in Opinia, Year X (1913), 18 June, no. 1905, p. 2 (hereinafter cited as O).

• 13

  N. B., The Literary Movement. The Writings of Father Al. Petrescu, the church treasurer from Craiova…, p. 155; Archimandrite Scriban, ‘Devotional Literature in the Romanian Language’, in BOR, vol. XLI (1923), no. 7 (505), p. 498; A. S. ‘Church Chronicle. The Activities of the Biblical Institute’, in BOR, vol. XLI (1923), no. 14 (512), p. 1060.

• 14a14b

  N. B., The Literary Movement. The Writings of Father Iconom Al. Petrescu of Craiova…, p. 155.

• 15

  Chr. V. Schmidt, The Little Basket of Flowers. A moral tale, translated by Anthim Petrescu, edited by Rev. Nicolae STATE and Deacon Ion Tițu, Vol. V, Rm. Vâlcea, 1994, pp. 1–2; Chr. V. Schmidt, The Little Basket of Flowers, translated by Bishop Anthim Petrescu, Egumenița Publishing House, 2012, p. 174.

• 16

  The Christian Publishing Institute of the Holy Diocese of Râmnicu-Vâlcea and Noul Severin, The Wooden Cross: A Moral History, translated by Antim Petrescu, Râmnicu-Vâlcea, 1930, p. 32.

• 17

  N. B., The Literary Movement. The Writings of Father Iconom Al. Petrescu of Craiova…, p. 155; A. S. The Ecclesiastical Chronicle…, p. 1060.

• 18

  Deacon Al. Petrescu, ‘A Gospel from 1682’, in BOR, vol. XXVI (1902), no. 7, pp. 825–828.

• 19

  Deacon Al. Petrescu, ‘A Gospel from 1693’, in BOR, vol. XXVI (1903), no. 10, pp. 1145–1153.

• 20

  Fr. Al. Petrescu, ‘The Romanian Bible of 1688’, in BOR, vol. XXVII (1904), no. 2, pp. 132–148 and no. 3, pp. 285–291.

• 21

  Fr. Al. Petrescu, ‘The Church of Vlăducenii (Vâlcea)’, in BOR, vol. XXVII (1904), no. 7, pp. 812–821.

• 22

  Fr. Al. Petrescu, The Synodical Records of the Church of the Holy Archangels in Craiova, 1911, pp. 3–6; Dr Toma Rădulescu, ‘The Bishop of Râmnicu-Noul Severin, Antim Petrescu (1875–1919) – new documentary evidence’, in MO, vol. LXVI (2014), nos. 9–12, pp. 116–119.

• 23

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• 24

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• 25a25b

  Toma Rădulescu, Bishop of Râmnicu Noul Severin…, p. 108.

• 26

  ‘Changes in the clerical staff throughout the country’, in BOR, vol. XXXII (1908), no. 3, p. 351.

• 27

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• 28

  Yvonna Petrescu-Moscu, Antim Petrescu…, p. 411.

• 29

  Ion M. Stătescu, Victoria N. Stătescu, Contributions…, p. 71.

• 30

  G…, The Three Young Bishops…, p. 255; “Official Documents. Minutes of the Holy Synod. Extraordinary Session’, in BOR, vol. XXXVI (1912), no. 4, pp. 325; Niculae Șerbănescu, The Bishops of Râmnic…, p. 207; Yvonna Petrescu-Moscu, Antim Petrescu…, p. 412; † Gherasim Cristea, History of the Diocese of Râmnic, Râmnicu-Vâlcea, 2009, p. 245; Toma Rădulescu, The Bishop of Râmnicu-Noul Severin…, p. 109.

• 31

  G…, The Three Young Bishops…, pp. 255–259.

• 32

  Yvonna Petrescu-Moscu, Antim Petrescu…, p. 412.

• 33

  Archimandrite Emilian Nica, Remember Your Forefathers. The Archdiocese of Iași between 1900 and 1948, Iași, 2009, p. 377.

• 34

  † Metropolitan Efrem Enăcescu, An Overview of Christian Monasticism, 2nd ed., Craiova, 2007, pp. 316–318; Toma Rădulescu, The Bishop of Râmnicu-Noul Severin…, pp. 109–110.

• 35

  Emilian Nica, Remember…, pp. 303–304.

• 36

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• 37

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• 38

  G…, ‘A National and Orthodox Congress’, in BOR, vol. XXXVII (1913), no. 8, pp. 558–559.

• 39

  An Orthodox theologian, ‘On the Congress of the “Orthodox Society of Romanian Women”’, in Cultura creștină, vol. III (1913), 25 December, no. 20, p. 632.

• 40

  † Dr Nestor Vornicescu, The Fulfilment of Our National Unity – The Foundation of the Unity of the Ancient Church, Craiova, 1988, pp. 415, 537, note 136.

• 41

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• 42

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• 43

  Biserici.Org., Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, Tarcău, 23 March 2006, at https://www.biserici.org/index.php?menu=BIA1&code;=417&criteria;=&quick;=&radio;=bℴ=NAME, accessed on 31 January 2021.

• 44

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• 45

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• 46

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• 47

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• 48

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• 49

  Wilhelm Herchenbach, Saint Sebastian the Martyr. A tale from the time of the persecutions against Christians in Rome, translated by Bishop Anthim Petrescu, Cozia Press of the Holy Bishops/Vâlcea County, 1931, 182 pp.

• 50

  N.B. ‘The Literary Movement’, in RT, vol. VII (1913), no. 2, p. 67.

• 51

  Otto von Schaching, The Image of the Mother. A historical tale from the time of the iconoclastic struggles, translated from German by Anthim Petrescu, Cozia Press of the Holy Bishops/Vâlcea County, 1929, 104 pp.

• 52

  Doxologia Publishing House, Otto von Schaching, The Image of the Mother. A Historical Episode from the Time of Iconoclasm, translated by Anthim Petrescu-Botoșăneanul, edited by Agapia Monastery, Doxologia Publishing House, Iași, 2013, pp. 11–12, https://edituradoxologia.ro/chipul-mamei, accessed on 29 January 2021.

• 53

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• 54

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• 55

  The Paterikon, containing the edifying words of the holy elders, published by the Cozia Printing House of the Holy Diocese, Râmnicu-Vâlcea, 1930, p. 6.

• 56

  N. B., The Literary Movement…, pp. 133–134; Archimandrite Scriban, Devotional Literature…, p. 498.

• 57

  N.B. ‘The Literary Movement’, in RT, vol. VII (1913), nos. 9–11, p. 323.

• 58

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• 59

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• 60

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• 61

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• 62

  Bishop Antim, ‘The Life of Saint Anthony the Great. Written by Saint Athanasius the Great, Patriarch of Alexandria’, in BOR, vol. XL (1916), no. 3, pp. 265–266; BOR, vol. XXXIX (1915), no. 3, pp. 308–315.

• 63

  Toma Rădulescu, Bishop of Râmnicu Noul Severin…, pp. 116–117; Petre Petria, Cristina Tănăsoiu, Vâlcea: People of Science, Culture and Art. Dictionary, vol. II, Râmnicu Vâlcea, 2004, p. 295; Rev. Prof. Dr Mircea Păcurariu, Dictionary of Romanian Theologians, Sibiu, 2014, p. 486.

• 64

  G…, The Three Young Bishops…, pp. 260–261.

• 65

  Yvonna Petrescu-Moscu, Antim Petrescu…, p. 412; Emilian Nica, Remember…, p. 377.

• 66

  Rev. Dr Daniel Isai, Drd Ionel Moldovan, The Struggle of the Orthodox Church in Moldova for the Great Union. Reports from the Deaneries and Monasteries of the Metropolis of Moldova and Suceava (1916–1918), Iași, 2018, p. 11.

• 67

  Associate Professor Dr Claudiu Cotan, ‘Caring for the Wounded and the Sick during the First World War. The contribution of the Orthodox clergy to the organisation of the Romanian medical service during the war’, in Mehedinți, History, Culture and Spirituality, Vol. V, 5–8 June 2012, Drobeta Turnu Severin, 2012, pp. 880–881; Toma Rădulescu, Bishop of Râmnicu Noul Severin…, pp. 112.

• 68a68b

  Yvonna Petrescu-Moscu, Antim Petrescu…, p. 413.

• 69

  Fr. Grigore N. Popescu, The Romanian Priesthood and the Unification of the Nation – Figures, Deeds, Sufferings and Examples for the Future, vol. I, Bucharest, 1940, p. 73; Claudiu Cotan, Caring for the Wounded…, p. 881; Toma Rădulescu, The Bishop of Râmnicu-Noul-Severin…, pp. 112.

• 70

  Toma Rădulescu, Bishop of Râmnicu Noul Severin…, pp. 112–113.

• 71

  Toma Rădulescu, Bishop of Râmnicu Noul Severin…, p. 113.

• 72

  Claudiu Cotan, ‘Caring for orphans during the Great War (1916–1918) – the Agapia and Văratac monasteries’, in: Iulian Boldea, Dumitru-Mircea Buda (eds.) CONVERGENT DISCOURSES. Exploring the Contexts of Communication, Arhipelag XXI Press, Târgu Mureș, 2016, p. 155, in: https://old.upm.ro/cci/CCI-04/Hst/Hst%2004%2013.pdf, accessed on 29 January 2021.

• 73

  Emilian Nica, Remember…, p. 111; Toma Rădulescu, The Bishop of Râmnicu-Noul-Severin…, p. 113.

• 74

  Dinu Poștarencu, ‘On the work of Bishop Nicodim Munteanu as locum tenens archbishop of the Diocese of Chișinău and Hotin (1918–1919)’, in The Orthodox Church in the Prut-Dniester Interfluve (1813–2013): International Academic Symposium, 14–15 October 2013, Chișinău, 2013, ed. Octavian Moșin, Ion Gumenâi, pp. 142–144, as cited in Toma Rădulescu, Bishop of Râmnicu Noul Severin…, pp. 113–114.

• 75

  Official documents. Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings. Extraordinary session…, p. 369.

• 76

  “Official Documents. The Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory”, in BOR, vol. XXXVI (1912), no. 3, p. 215; “Official Documents. The Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory, spring session, meeting of 2 May 1913”, in BOR, vol. XXXVI (1913), no. 5, p. 16.

• 77

  Official documents. Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings. Extraordinary session…, p. 332; ‘The Debates of the Holy Synod during the Autumn Session. The Year 1912. The Meeting of 22 October 1912’, in BOR, vol. XXXVI (1913), no. 11, p. 9; Toma Rădulescu, The Bishop of Râmnicu-Noul Severin…, p. 110.

• 78

  The Debates of the Holy Synod during the autumn session. The sitting of 29 October 1912…, pp. 66, 73.

• 79

  “The Meetings of the Holy Synod. The Autumn Session”, in BOR, vol. XXVII (1913), pp. 37–38.

• 80

  “The Meetings of the Holy Synod. The Autumn Session”…, p. 60.

• 81

  “The Meetings of the Holy Synod. The Autumn Session”…, pp. 123–124.

• 82

  “The Meetings of the Holy Synod. The Autumn Session”…, pp. 151–152.

• 83

  “The Meetings of the Holy Synod. The Autumn Session”…, pp. 200–201.

• 84

  Toma Rădulescu, The Bishop of Râmnicu Noul Severin…, p. 111.

• 85

  “The Meetings of the Holy Synod. The Autumn Session”…, pp. 161–162.

• 86

  “Official Documents. The Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory”, in: BOR, vol. XXXVI (1913), no. 10, pp. 130, 134–135.

• 87

  “Official Documents. The Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory. Spring Session”, in: BOR, vol. XXXVII (1913), no. 5, p. 201.

• 88

  Official documents. The Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory. Spring session…, pp. 225–226.

• 89

  Official documents. Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings. Extraordinary session…, p. 369; Toma Rădulescu, Bishop of Râmnicu Noul Severin…, p. 110.