Bishop Atanasie Mironescu (1898-1909)

Metropolitan Primate

After 11 years of pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Râmnic, where he accomplished “many fine things”, 1 on 5 February 1909, he was elected to the seat of Metropolitan Primate, which had become vacant following the passing of Iosif Gheorghian on the night of 23–24 January. 2 Receiving 187 votes out of 188, 3 the new Primate, “known for his learning and energy”, possessed, at the age of only 53, “the qualities of a well-prepared man, capable of facing all the difficulties that might arise. He was esteemed, loved and respected by both the clergy and the people”. Entrusted with this high office, “the scholar of great merit, the unrivalled orator, the man of learning of high repute”4 delivered a fine speech following the announcement of the election result by the Grand Electoral College, from which we shall quote a few lines: ‘The experience I have gained over 11 years as Bishop of Râmnic has instilled in me a deep conviction that positions such as these—and especially the office to which you have appointed me— are not a place of rest, but of labour; not a place of indulgence, but of vigilance; not a place of self-enrichment, but of self-sacrifice, for the spiritual good of the flock which, from this day forward, is under my pastoral care. I shall serve, my lords, with justice and fairness; I shall be a watchful guardian so that our ancestral faith may be preserved and preached in its purity, and may penetrate as far and as deeply as possible into the hearts of our people, so as to guide them ever more towards the observance of the laws, respect for the authorities, and love for God and country”.5

The day after his election as Primate Metropolitan, he was to reaffirm his attachment to the faithful of Oltenia, to whom he addressed a moving farewell address, recalling the years spent amongst them and offeringthem his final words of advice for the good of their souls: ‘For 11 years I have spent time with you in love and joy, just as you have always embraced me with love and honour. I have striven to get to know you face to face, to proclaim to you, both in person and in writing, the saving teaching of the Gospel for the benefit of our souls, and to give you guidance on all that serves our physical well-being. From Câineni to Strehaia, from Baia de Fier to Baia de Aramă and along the banks of the Danube, from Corabia to Severin, on the mountain peaks as well as on the fertile plains of our proud Oltenia, you have heard my voice and received the word of comfort. Following the teaching and example of the Divine Apostle to the Gentiles, ‘I have served the Lord amongst you with all humility, with tears and trials which befell me from the Wily One’. (Acts 20:1, 9). With justice, love and gentleness I have shepherded you […] It is with tenderness that I now take my leave of you, my beloved brothers and sons in the Lord. I entrust you, however – in accordance with the apostolic teaching – to God and to the word of His gift, which is able to build you up and grant you an inheritance amongst His saints. You yourselves know that I have never coveted or begged for the silver, or the gold, or the clothing of any of you. I have given to each one what was rightfully due. I have wronged no one. I have shown you all the ways of teaching, so that through honest and righteous labour you may earn what you need, so that you may have the means to help the poor and the weak amongst you, and so that you may guard yourselves against all passions that destroy both soul and body, and to purify yourselves by attending the holy services of the Church on Sundays and feast days, and by receiving the Holy Sacraments. Raise your children in the fear of the Lord and in the teaching of the Scriptures; live in purity and harmony with your wives; manage your households well, submit to the authorities, love your country and your homeland, and be prepared to give even your lives for your country and the throne. Therefore, my brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, any good deed and any praise—these things let you think upon, which you have learnt and received and seen in me; these things let you do, and the God of peace will be with you…”.6

Two days later, on Sunday, 8 February, the investiture and enthronement ceremony took place, accompanied by the customary procession. With his thoughts turned “to the former shepherds who shone at the head of the Diocese of Ungro-Wallachia as great beacons of our Church”, the new metropolitan pledged in his address delivered at the Royal Palace to shepherd “this diocese with sound judgement”, following “above all, at all times, the example of kindness and gentleness set by my much-lamented predecessor”.7 Equally important is the address delivered on the same day, in the Metropolitan Cathedral, on the occasion of his installation on the See of Bucharest: “With the same diligence, with the same love with which I shepherded the Diocese of Râmnic, I hope that, with God’s help, I shall also shepherd this holy metropolitan see and shall regard as the sweetest reward for my labours in spiritual ministry the fact that, amongst you, my brothers and sons in the Lord, the same warm welcome and love that my dear spiritual sons in the Diocese of Râmnic – Noul Severin have shown me”.8

Possessing a rich cultural heritage, he rose to the challenge of his mission in his new role. The pastoral letters addressed to the faithful and the speeches delivered at meetings of the Holy Synod and the Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory, or in the country’s Parliament, are true masterpieces.9 Constantly taking an interest in the lives of his flock, the worthy hierarch saw fit to republish ‘Advice to Priests’ by various authors in a separate edition of the church magazine The Word of Truth, which he had published, immediately upon his installation, at the Church Books Printing House. In the Preface, he states: ‘The pastoral advice we are publishing in this book was addressed to the clergy of the Diocese of Râmnic–Noul Severin whilst I was bishop of that diocese. They have been adapted for the needs of the Orthodox pastor, drawing on various authors and based on Saettler’s treatises on moral theology; the pious priest Petre Nițescu, then a teacher at the Grammar School in Râmnicu Vâlcea, assisted with their translation from Latin. Their publication in the church magazine Cuvântul Adevărului was gratefully received by many of the clergy readers […] I have dedicated these pieces of advice to the beloved clergy of the Diocese of Râmnic as a token of gratitude for the precious gift they bestowed upon me on the occasion of my humble election to the Metropolis of Ungro-Wallachia. That gift—a beautiful, artistically bound album on parchment, containing the signatures of all the priests of the diocese I shepherded for 11 years—will remain a precious and indelible memento of that time in my pastoral life”.10

In particular, we reproduce here a few lines from the pastoral letter addressed to the secular and monastic clergy of the diocese on 12 February 1909, in which he set out new duties for them: “I urge you, my beloved, to offer regular prayers at all times for all people, for the king and for the country’s rulers, so that under their protection and defence we may lead a peaceful and restful life in all good faith and purity […] Furthermore, brothers, strive to preserve the holy deposit of the Orthodox faith, which we have inherited from our forefathers, and to proclaim it with all diligence and zeal, in season and out of season, in church and in the homes of the faithful, in workshops and factories, in the fields and along the village lanes, so that all may come to know it ever more fully and make use of it as that which holds the promise of this life and of eternal life […] Strive to win over all your people through the saving teachings of the Gospel, for the bond of marriage is holy and necessary for a well-ordered life and for raising up healthy and worthy members for the Church and the country […] Strive to eradicate cohabitation from your parishes, and wholeheartedly help those who live in such a state to marry according to the law. Explain to the faithful the true meaning of fasting, which is more a matter of abstaining from sin than from food, more a matter of abstaining from wickedness than from the good things of the table […] Let your hearts be sensitive to the sighs of the poor and the needs of the needy, helping and showing mercy to them as far as you are able, for ‘blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’. In the words of the Apostle, weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Beware of the love of wealth, of idleness, of idle talk, and of the love of vain glory. Love one another; regard one another as more honourable […] shun political strife; do not take part in the turmoil and quarrels between parties, so that, with your minds and knowledge at peace, that you may offer to God prayers well-received for all and for everything, thus serving the Church worthily, which is the mother of good order and, as such, is entitled to the love of all. Conduct the holy services as prescribed by the liturgical calendar on Sundays and feast days. Maintain proper cleanliness in the churches; take care to preserve the sacred vessels and vestments, as well as the liturgical books […] Be an example to the faithful in word and deed, in love and piety, in faith and purity, as the Apostle commands […] guard yourselves against the passions of gluttony and insatiability, which render vain the prayers you offer up to the throne of His mercy and cause the gift of the Holy Spirit to grow cold amongst you […] always and everywhere present yourselves as pure in body and well-ordered. As those who dwell in the holy place, let your conduct be gentle. Let your hands be free from violence and injustice, for with them you lift up the Body of the Lord, the Holy of Holies. Let your tongue be free from condemning your neighbour, for with it you glorify God. Bless those who slander you; bless them and do not curse them. In order to respond well in every respect to the holy calling of the priesthood, devote yourselves to reading the Holy Scriptures attentively and with understanding, particularly the epistles of Saint Paul the Apostle concerning the priesthood, as well as the writings of the Holy Fathers, especially those of Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, which concern the priesthood; and no less, the works on dogma, Christian morality and the canons […] Having done this, you will be deemed worthy of the reward of the good and faithful servant when you appear before the dreadful judgement…”.11

On 1 March 1909, on the third Sunday of Great Lent, a new pastoral letter followed, in which he urged his flock to come to church: ‘Just as the hungry and thirsty need physical food and drink to satisfy their hunger and thirst, so too must Christians who hunger for the bread of life—that is, the Holy Sacraments— as well as for the bread of the soul, that is, the Word of God, must come to the holy church to satisfy their hunger at the mystical table of the Lord’s Body, which is found here, and of the divine Word, and then to quench their thirst from the living spring of the Lord’s blood and from the waters of the teachings of the divine Scriptures, which spring forth in the Church of Christ […] Therefore, my beloved Christians, when you are in church, do not think that you are in a marketplace or a theatre, but in heaven; during the Divine Liturgy, do not make noise or cause disorder, but stand with reverence, piety and order; when you pray in church, do not let your eyes wander in all directions, nor dwell in your thoughts on earthly matters, but keep your eyes cast down and direct your mind and thoughts towards holy things. When you hear or see any disorder in church, do not laugh, nor cause others to laugh. Do not harbour enmity or malice in your hearts whilst you are in church, but rather love and unity. For if you sit in church without reverence, not only will you fail to receive from God what you ask for, but you will provoke His wrath against you. For if, in the presence of an earthly ruler, we stand with reverence and scarcely dare to raise our eyes, lest we commit some blunder and incur his displeasure, how much more must we stand steadfast before God, the Lord of Lords, and keep our minds fixed solely upon Him, and nowhere else […] stand in the church of Christ with all attentiveness, in good order and with reverence, in all peace and tranquillity, and with all humility. God looks only upon the prayer of the humble. But how will He look upon one who sits improperly in church? How will He hear the prayer of one who prays in church like the proud Pharisee? How will He look with merciful eyes upon the man or woman who comes to church to display the splendour of their jewellery and clothes, who wear make-up and apply colour to their faces, who anoint themselves with perfumes and fragrances? What humility can there be in those who sit in the pews with their legs crossed, those who pay no heed to what is being said, nor pray devoutly before the holy icons, but instead let their eyes wander hither and thither, gazing shamelessly at the beauty of strangers? People such as these derive no benefit whatsoever from coming to church; indeed, they burden their souls with sins and fall under the curse of which the psalmist speaks: ‘Let his prayer be turned into sin’. People like this not only fail to heal their spiritual wounds in church, but receive further wounds and leave the church with even more sins […] Let all of you who are in the church therefore be united; do not be angry with one another, harbouring enmity, hatred and division amongst yourselves, but let there be love, unity and peace; the very name ‘church’ itself—which means unity and assembly—should urge you towards this. Just as it unites you all with the body in one place, gives you the common word of teaching, and shares with you one loaf of bread and one cup, so it calls upon you to be united in one spirit, in one mind and in one purpose […] I also ask you, my beloved Christians, do not leave the church in haste, but listen diligently and attentively to everything that is read or sung, and take it to heart, so that, by remembering it, you may guard yourselves against evil […] Once you have left the church, brothers and sisters, at the appropriate time, not only should you reflect earnestly on what you have heard there, but you should also share it with others, and especially with your families […] Likewise, when you leave the church, show through your actions and your entire demeanour that you have come from a holy place, that you have spoken with God and beheld the divine and ineffable Mysteries of Christ. Therefore, be more devout, more orderly in your appearance, your gaze, your voice, your speech and your demeanour, and in all your senses, so that those who see you may not only praise you, but may also be inspired to come to church, to gain the same benefit and the same blessings […] And so that you may keep yourselves pure after leaving the church, always keep in mind what you have heard and seen in church; pray, sing the spiritual hymns of the church from the heart, and recite them at home, at work, on the road, wherever you may be. Each of you can do this without hindrance: the craftsman, just as the soldier; the merchant, just as the judge; the ploughman, just as the shepherd…”.12

Also significant is the Easter pastoral letter of 28 March 1909, in which he advised his flock to shun certain pagan customs, which were observed particularly during this great feast: “Beware, brothers, during these festivities, as indeed at all times, of anything that might lead you away from true Christian conduct. In particular, seek to rid yourselves of certain pagan customs that I observe during Easter, such as: feasts that lead to gluttony and games that descend into debauchery, and the observance of festivals condemned by the Holy Fathers, such as the Thursdays following Easter, the celebration of which serves no other purpose than to lead you into idleness and plunge you into greater poverty. As for the games and feasts full of gluttony and debauchery that take place during Easter, they weaken the body and defile the soul; at the same time, those who indulge in them squander in vain the money earned through the sweat of their brow on working days, so that they end up with debts incurred during the festivities to be paid off on the following working days, whereas any sensible person works to earn what is necessary for the future, not to pay off past debts incurred for frivolous pleasures […] Make use, therefore, in the interests of work—which is the source of blessed wealth—of every day of the week; and thus not only the Thursdays after Easter, but, if necessary, even on the third day of Easter, the day after Great Sunday, as well as on Pentecost. Work on these days and carry out the necessary work in the fields, which cannot be delayed”.13

Here, too, we must record his advice for Great Lent, given on 28 February 1910 in the Metropolitan Cathedral in Bucharest, on Cheesefare Sunday: ‘Let us strive to keep our bodies pure, as well as our souls, for they are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yet we shall not be able to do this, nor shall we be able to bear the fruits of good deeds, such as: peace, long-suffering, kindness, benevolence, faith, gentleness and self-control, unless we put to death within ourselves the passions and pleasures of the flesh, just as a grain of wheat, cast into the ground, cannot bear fruit unless it dies. The proper practice of fasting is a form of instruction, teaching us to abstain from things that are forgiven, so that we may abstain even more effectively from those that are not forgiven. He who takes great care of his body makes his own household his enemy. He who indulges his soul’s desires makes himself a source of joy to his enemies. He who is enslaved by the delights of the world has no Christ in his heart’.14

To these we add the pastoral letter issued to the clergy and people of the Diocese of Ungrovlahia on 6 July 1910 concerning the education of young people: ‘In the present day, little attention is paid to the religious and national upbringing of our youth, and particularly of girls, the future mothers of this country’s children. Hence, this is the reason why so many so-called ‘girls’ schools’ have sprung up in our beloved country, so-called ‘girls’ schools’, from which our girls will certainly acquire and learn many things, but not a love for our Orthodox faith and our Romanian nationality, which is the most important aspect of girls’ education. But this is a genuine national danger, and every Romanian Orthodox Christian—regardless of sex, age or social status—is called upon to combat it, out of love for the law and their nation. The alarm was raised by Romanian women in the capital, who formed an organisation under the name of the National Orthodox Society of Romanian Women in the Capital, with the specific aim ‘to promote the culture and education of Romanian children from a religious and national perspective, as required by patriotic interest’, and with a constitution drawn up for this purpose”.15

Alongside these pastoral letters from his early years as a bishop, Metropolitan Atanasie issued several circulars intended primarily for parish priests. For example, in 1910, he issued a directive to the archpriests drawing their attention to the fact that priests should use purely Romanian words during services: ‘The divine services performed for various religious needs, both in church and amongst the people, as well as the sermons of the priests, in order to be readily understood and utilised, should be presented and delivered in a language comprehensible to all, and this can be none other than that used in our ancient church books […]; I invite you to instruct the reverend priests to use, in all the holy services as well as in their sermons to the congregation, the language of the ancient church books’.16

Noting that many choirs were failing to fulfil the purpose for which they existed, disturbing the faithful at the most important moments during services, the Metropolitan instructed the choristers and conductors in his second year of ministry “to be imbued with a deep sense of piety and to appreciate the solemnity of the holy moments in church, maintaining a reverent silence throughout the service, paying particular attention to the work of the holy ministers in the sanctuary, so as not to make mistakes or cause disruption during the service”. At the same time, he asked the choir directors to perform, at all divine services, musical pieces from the well-known religious repertoires of Gavril Musicescu, D. D. Chiriac, I. Bunescu, Ion Cart, N. Podoleanu, G. Ionescu and I. Popescu Pasărea, and to rehearse them so that every voice knows what it is singing, ensuring that only the sweet sounds of the hymns resound within the church. In another instruction, he reminds his flock ‘not to forget in their prayers the worldly rulers and spiritual leaders, as well as all those who, to a greater or lesser extent, have the task of ensuring the smooth running of public affairs. This is given with the wise aim of ensuring honour, obedience and love from all towards their leaders, thereby contributing to the peace, well-being and progress of society towards its glorious goals”.17

We consider it appropriate to reproduce here a few speeches delivered within the framework of the Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory. For example, on 14 December 1909, on the occasion of the opening of this ecclesiastical forum, at the Central Seminary in Bucharest, the archbishop said: “We shall be dealing together with matters relating to religious education, such as: the examination of religious education textbooks in secondary schools, the revision of seminary curricula, as well as taking measures regarding the discipline of seminary pupils and students at the Faculty of Theology. We shall consider how to arouse greater interest in the Christian faith and morality amongst all categories of believers, and especially amongst the working classes: through cultural circles, through catechetical instruction and Sunday schools, or pastoral gatherings for young people who are no longer in school, as well as for elderly Christians, in order to protect them from tendencies towards disorder and to draw them towards observance of divine and human laws. They shall be shown the means to improve their material and moral condition, among which the following may already be mentioned: the elimination of wastefulness, guidance towards thrift, and the abandonment of superstitious beliefs and practices, which cause great moral and material harm; furthermore, the explanation, both now and in due course, of the laws pertaining to every social class. As regards the proper organisation of church services, we shall consider how the shortage of priests might be prevented without unnecessarily increasing their numbers, but simply so that the people may always have a priest at their disposal, unlike at present, when, should a priest on duty be prevented from serving, it is the people who suffer most. It will therefore be necessary to establish more favourable conditions for priests who fill vacant parishes and to appoint temporary priests attached to metropolitan sees, bishoprics and deaneries; furthermore, we shall also address the issue of schools for cantors and the circumstances of church cantors. We shall consider what measures need to be taken to facilitate the building of churches in villages, to encourage more regular attendance by residents on Sundays and feast days, and to ensure better maintenance of churches and cemeteries. A need felt by all is also the reorganisation of our monasteries, so that, through charitable works and the discipline that will prevail within them, they may be recognised as institutions beneficial both for the salvation of those who dwell within them and for society. As regards spiritual pastoral care, or rather, the ecclesiastical work of the clergy amongst their parishioners, we shall consider together the measures that must be taken so that priests may fulfil their pastoral duties ever more effectively, for the good of their parishioners: to teach those in authority to show obedience to their superiors and to instil in them justice and kindness towards those under their care; to advise parents to bring up their children in the Christian faith and to send them to school, and to advise children to obey their parents; the young, to be self-restrained and hard-working; spouses, to live in honour and harmony; masters, to show fatherly love towards their servants, granting them their due; and servants, to serve their masters faithfully. To prevent injustice and oppression within the parish, and to be a support to widows and orphans; to work in the spirit of the Gospel to settle disputes, reconcile enemies and put an end to quarrels amongst the inhabitants; to teach everyone to live according to the law and thus maintain order in their community; to urge them to do these things more out of the fear of God or love for God than out of fear of the police or of punishment. We shall therefore ensure that, in the pastoral conferences to be organised, priests not only refresh their theoretical knowledge and ritual practices, so as to carry them out uniformly, but also acquire the necessary guidance, so that they may be more adept at fulfilling the great social role they play amongst the people”.18

At the spring session of 1910, it noted with satisfaction that the various proposals made at the previous session had been implemented: “The Rules of Procedure for the work of the Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory were approved. A specific law has provided for certain concessions for priests who also serve in vacant parishes. A law has been passed granting priests the right to purchase land for cultivation in small plots. Arrangements were made for priests’ salaries to be paid directly to them, rather than through the parish wardens, as had been the case until now. Finally, I have been assured that work will soon begin on the construction of a dedicated building for the Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory and the Holy Synod”. To put a stop to Catholic propaganda in the country, he proposed intervening “with the education authorities to appoint Orthodox religious education teachers—namely priests—to all Catholic schools in the country. We must insist that Orthodox boys and girls from those schools be taken to the Orthodox Church on Sundays and feast days. Our clergy must devote themselves to the catechisation of children of both sexes, instilling in their souls, from the earliest age, religious ideas, and in their hearts, moral sentiments in the Orthodox spirit – love for God, for parents, for one’s neighbour, for one’s country, love for truth and goodness, submission and obedience to one’s elders, etc. […] To achieve this aim, the Consistory must draw up a catechism to serve as a standard for the entire clergy in the catechisation of Orthodox children. Finally, model schools must be established, where girls from Romanian families may receive a thorough education and upbringing in the Orthodox spirit, so that parents no longer feel the need to send them to foreign schools which are firmly established in the heart of our major cities. This idea has been enthusiastically embraced by Romanian ladies, and we hope that it will soon be realised […] Therefore, candidates for the priesthood who have not been ordained within one year of leaving the seminary or university should be required to sit a parish examination – similar to the qualifying examinations for primary school teachers and secondary school teachers, and if, even after sitting such an examination, they are not ordained within a certain period, they should be required to sit the examination again. This measure would also have the advantage of keeping candidates up to date with the theoretical and practical subjects required of a future priest. Just as the parish examinations are for candidates for the priesthood, so too should the conferences be for priests. As far as I am aware, pastoral conferences are held in almost all dioceses. They are well attended and highly instructive for the clergy, as the reports on them show. In the interests of ensuring that these conferences are conducted in an orderly manner, both in terms of their subject matter and their organisation, the procedure for holding them will need to be laid down in a specific set of regulations, to be discussed during the present session. No less important is the need, in order to strengthen the people’s religious and moral convictions, to distribute as widely as possible within the parishes booklets of a religious and moral nature, as well as small icons. We shall therefore also consider how such booklets and icons are to be compiled and distributed.”19

Nor were children or the elderly forgotten; the bishop sought to ensure their catechisation by priests, nor the clergy in the army, seminary pupils and theology students, nor the church cantors, about whom he was to speak at the opening of the Consistory, during the spring session of 1911: ‘A natural and essential consequence of the pastoral conferences will be the commencement of catechism classes for children and elderly Christians, in order to strengthen them in the Christian faith and way of life. In conducting these catechism classes, the catechism—the compilation of which has been entrusted to a commission of the Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory—is to serve as the standard. In addition to the measure proposed by the Consistory and approved by the High Government to grant an allowance to locum tenens priests in vacant parishes, in the interests of providing even better religious care for these parishes, it is also necessary to consider granting substitute priests the church land of the vacant parish, so that they may use it as provided for by the clergy law for titular parish priests. However, the numerous vacant parishes will not be more readily filled by titular priests until our seminaries are organised in such a way that they produce a greater number of graduates than at present in fewer years of study, without compromising the theoretical and practical knowledge currently required for the priestly vocation. The proposal for a more systematic organisation of priests’ service in the army, which has been referred to a committee for study, will also be brought before the Consistory, as will the proposals for the reorganisation of monasteries and for regulations governing the dress of the clergy, seminary students and students of the Faculty of Theology. The matter of improving the moral and material conditions of church cantors, and the measures that still need to be considered to this end, will soon be the subject of this Consistory’s deliberations.”20

In order to fulfil his mission fully, the Metropolitan did not neglect his canonical visits to the churches in the capital, offering valuable advice wherever he went. Tirelessly, he visited the churches of Domnița Bălașa and its dependencies, Saint Spyridon the New, Nicolae Vlădica, Icoanei, Amza, Crețulescu, Calist, Albă, Alexe, Saint Nicholas – Șelari, Darvari Hermitage and the monasteries of Cernica, Căldărușani, Ghighiu, Sinaia, Predeal, Pasărea, etc., where he counselled the monks, highlighting the vital role played by these spiritual strongholds in the very being of our nation. 9 Generally speaking, the services held in the Metropolitan Cathedral were on a par with those conducted by his predecessors, the church becoming too small to accommodate the faithful who came to attend the divine service from all over Bucharest and even from the provinces. Every Sunday he was present at church; on feast days he personally officiated the Divine Liturgy, and he attended the All-Night Vigil regularly, beginning on Sunday evening.21

During his tenure, several churches in the capital were consecrated, foremost among which was that of the Russian Legation on Bursei Street, which he consecrated on 26 November 1909, together with a Russian bishop, at the invitation of the Russian ambassador. On this occasion, he delivered a fine address, in which he highlighted the significant role of the new church for the faithful: ‘Truly, the Church consecrated today by His Grace Vladimir, Bishop of Kronstadt and our beloved brother in the Lord, is not only an ornament to the capital alongside the other holy Orthodox Christian places of worship, but will henceforth work fruitfully alongside them for the spiritual edification of the faithful Christians, lifting their souls towards the fountain of true life, righteousness and Christian love, which uplifts peoples and unites them in brotherhood for the glory of God and the eternal remembrance of the founders of such divine places of worship”.22

It was also at this time that the Palace of the Holy Synod was erected in the courtyard of Antim Monastery, the foundation stone of which was laid on 12 May 1910. After the conclusion of the religious service, the high-ranking hierarch delivered the following address: “Not half a year has passed since I was present at the blessing of the new premises of the Church Fund, and here we are today, fortunate enough to take part in the laying of the foundation stone for the premises of the Holy Synod and the Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory. This building stands on the land surrounding the foundation laid by the immortal Metropolitan Antim Ivireanu and, of course, its purpose will be to keep alive in the memory of the clergy the work of this great hierarch, which was of great benefit to the Church, and to inspire them to follow in his footsteps. For institutions can only bear good fruit and fulfil the purpose for which they were established through conscientious and well-considered administration. And just as the Church Fund, for no fewer than ten years, whilst largely ensuring the Church’s financial well-being, has managed to secure its own premises and has recently found further means to build its own premises for the Holy Synod and Consistory; in the same way, these institutions, through wise and zealous work, will be able to provide the church with many other facilities, which are still needed for its proper functioning.”23

This was followed by a further address delivered on 20 June, at the laying of the foundation stone of the Church of St Visarion in Bucharest, rebuilt by Elena Eraclide, from which we note the following words: “We are, my beloved, according to the words of the Apostle, the church of God, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and as such, we have a duty to mould ourselves after our model, Jesus Christ, in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily; let us therefore adorn ourselves with every kind of good deed, with wisdom, manliness, righteousness and temperance in life, and above all, with love for God and for our neighbour, which endures for ever, through the charitable and philanthropic deeds that spring from it, like the fruits from flowers. That is why St Paul the Apostle teaches us to build the temple of our soul with gold, silver and precious stones—that is, with good deeds that bring us praise and honour, as things pleasing to God and to people— and not with wood, hay or straw—that is, with all manner of vain and perishable things, which bring upon us condemnation in the fiery Gehenna”.24

From a simple reading of the sources of the time, we see that the venerable metropolitan held the hard-working priests and monks of the diocese in high regard, conferring upon them a multitude of ecclesiastical honours. Thus, he elevated Archimandrite Visarion Ionescu, abbot of Cernica Monastery, and Archimandrite Dionisie to the rank of mitred archimandrite, and on 21 May 1909 and 21 May 1910 respectively, he ordained the archimandrites Teodosie Atanasiu and Evghenie Humulescu as bishops. 25 As a sign of deep respect, esteem and remembrance, Ștefan Popescu, a former teacher at the Nifon and Central Seminaries, dedicated two axions to him, for the third and fourth echos, original melodies in the Romanian style.26

A highly significant development linked to this pastoral ministry was the founding, by a group of ladies from high society, led by Anastasia Filipescu, of the Orthodox Society of Romanian Women, which aimed to educate the daughters of Romanians through schools and to revive religious sentiment in the life of our people. The new organisation established schools and boarding schools, held conferences and congresses, and organised processions at which the hierarch was present, despite his numerous duties.27 In this context, on 28 March 1910, on the occasion of the reading of the protest and the appeal made by Romanian women against Catholic propaganda in the country, he stated: ‘On my part, on this fine day, I renew the promise I made on the day of my humble election to the See of the Metropolis, that we shall be the ever-vigilant guardian of our holy National Orthodox Church against all the open and covert machinations of our adversaries, and we shall work diligently and without hesitation for its strengthening and flourishing. I thank you warmly for the support you give to our holy national Orthodox Church and, in remembrance of your fine initiative, we shall arrange for your names to be inscribed on tablets, which will be placed at the altar in all churches, so that you may be commemorated during the Holy Proskomedia”.28

Shortly after the Te Deum held in the Metropolitan Cathedral on 4 April, in thanksgiving to God that the Church had been spared the blows prepared by the Catholics, he delivered an inspiring speech, an excerpt of which we present here: ‘The time has come for Romanian Orthodox parents, in view of this national peril, to stop sending their children—and especially their daughters—to foreign schools in our country, for in them the girls learn nothing better than to despise their parents’ religion and – once they are married – that of their husbands. The time has come, we believe, my dear sons and daughters, to give serious thought to raising all the children of the country in the spirit of our Orthodox religion and our national tradition, for only in this way will we be able to preserve the ethnic unity of our people and our State. As a philosopher says: ‘Whoever holds the upbringing of the youth in their hands holds the power in the State’. Only in this way will we, too, bequeath to our descendants the ancestral religion of the East as the dominant religion of the Romanian State, just as the men of the previous generation bequeathed it to us through the Constitution—of whom, alas! – few remain today, as if they were old oaks in a sparse forest. Only in this way shall we preserve our unity as a people with the same language and the same law, as well as the strength of our homeland.”29

Concerned with the work of this society, on 27 February 1911, on the occasion of the name-day celebration on Orthodoxy Sunday, he once again delivered a speech at St Silvestru’s Church in Bucharest: “Therefore, my beloved sons and daughters, as we celebrate today, as I have said, the Orthodoxy of our Holy Church and the name day of the praiseworthy ‘National Orthodox Society of Romanian Women’, rejoice in the Lord and take heed to the words of the Apostle: ‘The solid foundation of God stands firm, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His.” Let everyone who calls upon the name of Christ turn away from unrighteousness.’ In this way we shall show that we are true Orthodox Christians. Let us remain, my beloved, steadfast in the faith of our Holy Orthodox Church; let us devote all our strength and skill to her service, and let us be ready to give even our lives for her, for she alone is the true Church, one, holy, catholic and apostolic, in which we shall be deemed worthy of eternal life”.30

Thus, Metropolitan Athanasius delivered numerous sermons, seeking through them to revive the faith of his flock. However, not everyone approved of his involvement, and various accusations against him were published in newspapers and pamphlets, to which were later added the slanders levelled by a hierarch during the sessions of the Holy Synod. ‘He was, however, a man of pure heart, having nothing to fear, knowing that the slanderers were attempting to defame and compromise the Church and the faith’. As we shall see, many priests, teachers and people from all walks of life spoke out against them, standing in solidarity with the worthy bishop.

Despite these attacks, he continued his work, visiting institutions, hospitals, monasteries and barracks, where he taught those present and blessed them. He felt immense pleasure and boundless spiritual fulfilment when he attended the bazaars and exhibitions organised by the Orthodox Society of Romanian Women, accompanied by the Bishop of Huși, Conon Arămescu Donici. Without going into detail, we note that on 30 June 1909, he visited the ‘Ajutorul’ Society of the Romanian Clergy, at the invitation of its president, and on 21 January 1911, he officiated at the funeral of Metropolitan Partenie Clinceni of Moldavia, whom he laid to rest in Bellu Cemetery.

Last but not least, we must mention that he did not forget the sick in hospitals, whom he visited, comforting and soothing those in pain with the hope of healing and salvation. Thus, at the Maternity Ward of Filantropia Hospital, he was asked by a patient to baptise her baby girl, whom he named Anastasia. Writing about his life, Vasile Munteanu went on to state: “Metropolitan Athanasie performed countless acts of kindness. Entire volumes could be filled with them.”31

The Trial and Defence of the Metropolitan

Unfortunately, this erudite hierarch did not enjoy a long and peaceful ministry, for, from his very first year in office, the Bishop of Roman, Gherasim Safirin, began to bring various accusations before the Holy Synod concerning the new law of the Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory, which led to a humiliating trial, causing unrest amongst people of good faith. At the opening of the sessions in the summer of 1911, he, supported by certain defrocked priests and a few laypeople, once again accused the Metropolitan of various offences, such as heresy, plagiarism and immorality, launching a smear campaign against him unprecedented in the history of our Church.

Following these accusations, several bishops drafted and signed petitions calling for the Bishop of Roman to be brought to trial; he had gone so far as, at the meeting of 12 October 1909, he had excommunicated the hierarchs and those who had contributed to the drafting of the aforementioned law, which he considered uncanonical. Taking note of these events, the high court proceeded to initiate a trial, which lasted for over a month, between 18 May and 24 June 1911, presided over by Metropolitan Pimen Georgescu of Moldavia.32

Although he was innocent, “despite his extraordinary strength of will and self-control, his face was flushed and he was on edge. ‘It could not have been otherwise,’ says Metropolitan Irineu Mihălcescu, ‘for the ordeal to which he was subjected was too great, beyond human strength.’33 The Bishop of the Lower Danube was also to affirm his innocence in a report read on 25 May 1911: “It is well known that His Eminence Metropolitan Primate Athanasie Mironescu was a good Archbishop and is a worthy Primate, elected by the nation and confirmed by the wise King. To his credit is the sin of having worked to remove several people from office, to whom His Grace the Bishop of Roman owes gratitude. The Holy Synod represents God. We believe it would be right to say to Luceafăr and his followers: ‘Stand in fear and trembling’. May God not forsake our holy Church”.34

It is worth noting that, during the trial, the eminent historian Constantin Erbiceanu, former dean of the Faculty of Theology in Bucharest and a member of the Romanian Academy, gave evidence in his defence, sending a letter on 26 May 1911 to the newspaper Minerva, in which he stated, amongst other things: “All the members of the Holy Synod have known the current Metropolitan Primate for a long time and have always held him in high regard for his merits, his worth and his integrity. I have known him for 35 years. I had him as a student at the Seminary, was subsequently his colleague at the Faculty of Theology, and have followed his work throughout. At all times, in every position he has held, he has distinguished himself through his ability and his high moral character. It is unthinkable that such a man—against whom, in a career spanning 25 years, absolutely nothing could be levelled—should be subjected to the appalling injustice of having—without any evidence, on the basis of despicable set-ups – to have his honour and life dragged through the mud, thereby mocking the sacred Institution to the head of which the Country has elevated him. The people will not tolerate such injustice. The campaign being waged against the Primate by the worst of men and using the dirtiest of means will win him everyone’s sympathy, and his righteousness will triumph”.35

For his part, the historian A. D. Xenopol sent a letter on 28 May 1911 to the Minister of Religious Affairs, in which he stated the following: “I do not, therefore, consider Metropolitan Athanasie to be at fault, but I do consider Bishop Gherasim to be at fault, for he has made himself an instrument of destruction for our holy Church, which he had a duty to defend until his last breath, rather than defiling it as he has done in the recent sessions of the Synod…”.36

In his defence, Father Teodor Bălășel, a member of the Diocesan Consistory of Râmnic, also wrote a petition, which was read out at the meeting of the Holy Synod on 20 June 1911; from which we quote the following lines: “I declare in the fear of God, Who knows all things, and by all that is most dear to me in heaven and on earth, that I have not observed in His Eminence of His Eminence any gesture, any sign, any movement, any glance, or absolutely any act that might betray an immoral man. I further declare that, throughout the entire time he was Bishop of Râmnic, I heard absolutely no one say, or even imply, that His Eminence had committed any immoral act. On the contrary, in all these many circumstances, I declare that I have seen this worthy and thoroughly distinguished Hierarch always serious in word, deed and every movement; always measured in speech, always living up to the dignity of a Bishop, and always in such a way as to command respect and deep veneration”.37

In this context, the Metropolitan drafted his response to the charges brought against him, defending himself point by point against all the slanders. By way of example, we present his speech from the sitting of 22 June: “I have refuted, one by one, all the accusations levelled at me by my accusers. I have shown that all those accusations are passionate fabrications. I have established that my accusers, knowing full well that they cannot bring me down in a fair fight, due to the groundlessness and frivolity of their accusations, have resorted to underhand tactics, all manner of set-ups, and have sought to bring me down through scandal, provoked by their set-ups and machinations. I have demonstrated that this storm is being fuelled by the enemies of our Church, who seek to shake the Church of our forefathers and, through ecclesiastical scandals, to undermine the faith of our ancestors […] It is not my person that is at stake, but the dignity of the see I occupy and the peace and prosperity of our Holy Church. If only my person had been at stake, I would have preferred peace to turmoil and resignation to struggle. But, as the peace and prosperity of the national Church are at stake, I have had to choose struggle and turmoil and stand firm against the storm. I have, however, fulfilled a sacred duty by defending myself, shaking off the mud that is being thrown at our Church, and countering the attempts to undermine the faith of our forefathers. I expect the Holy Synod to fulfil its duty, too, to be a shield for the Church and the faith of our forefathers. This is a historic moment. It now lies within the power of this Holy Synod to ensure the peace and prosperity of our Church or to usher in an era of constant turmoil within the national Church. A hierarch of this country must not be targeted with frivolous and outdated accusations, nor with fabricated scandals such as those concocted against me, especially when no one can say anything against his administration, against his integrity, against his competence, or against his public conduct. It would be a glaring injustice and a veritable absurdity to say to a hierarch: ‘You are capable, you are honest, you are a good administrator, we find nothing to criticise in your public conduct, nor do we find anything to criticise in your private conduct today, but we suspect that you erred twelve years ago or six years ago and therefore you must step down […] No matter how long and distinguished a career—earned through hard work and integrity and under the scrutiny of public opinion—could at any moment be jeopardised by self-serving accusations. This would be tantamount to encouraging set-ups and the fabrication of scandals, and no one would be able to withstand it. Stability would vanish from the Church and, without stability, subjected to constant turmoil, our Church would be shaken to its very foundations and our ancestral faith would be endangered. Consider the responsibility you bear before God and before the nation, and spare the Church from such a lamentable future. Do what is right! I have come to the end of my defence. The Saviour, foreseeing the difficult circumstances through which His Church would pass, said: ‘Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung round his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks should come, but woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes’ (Matt. 18:8). I leave to others, I leave to Your Eminence and Your Graces, I leave to the High Government and its representative in this holy place, I leave it to my beloved spiritual sons of the diocese of the Metropolis of Ungro-Wallachia, I leave it to the Romanians who love their country, their people and our ancestral institutions, at the head of whom stands our holy spiritual mother, the Church, I leave it to all to judge whether I or others have caused the turmoil that has persisted for so long, the turmoil that wounds pure souls and innocent minds. I shall say only this: as long as there are evil spirits and hardened hearts in the world, there will inevitably be turmoil. Yet of all these disturbances, the worst is the division of the Church […] I await the decision of the Holy Synod in silence. My conscience is at peace, for in defending my honour and proving my innocence, I have at the same time defended the dignity of the See I occupy and of our Holy Church. Following the noble example set by the first martyr Stephen, who prayed that God might not hold that sin against those who were killing him, I too shall not utter words of rebuke against those who saw fit to pounce upon me like birds of prey and sought to mercilessly tear apart my honour and good name, earned through conscientious service in the Church over a quarter of a century, with all my zeal and love for the welfare of our Holy Ancestral Church and for the advancement of my spiritual children in good deeds…”.38

For the groundless slanderous accusations and his rebellion against the Holy Synod, whose decisions he failed to respect, on 24 June 1911, the high deliberative body removed Bishop Gherasim from his hierarchical office andunanimously acquitted the Metropolitan “of all the complaints and accusations brought against him, recognising him as innocent”.39 Here is the concluding part of this ruling: ‘Considering that, with regard to the charge of heresy brought against His Eminence the Metropolitan Primate, it cannot be substantiated by anything, as there is no heresy in the law establishing the Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory, as the Holy Synod has acknowledged on several occasions; considering that, according to Canons 139–134 of Carthage, if the most serious charge is dismissed, then the subsequent charges are also dismissed; considering, however, that debates have taken place before the Holy Synod on all points and that it is clearly in the public interest to examine and respond to them all; considering that the accusation of plagiarism is frivolous and serves only to diminish, in vain, the significant literary merits of His Eminence the Metropolitan Primate; considering that the so-called accusations of immorality are entirely unfounded and frivolous, the majority being slanderous fabrications, whilst the others were concocted in bad faith through the misinterpretation of notes that have no probative value; considering, therefore, that all the accusations brought against His Eminence the Metropolitan Primate have proved to be unfounded, the Holy Synod, by the power of the grace bestowed upon it by our Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, decrees: To acquit His Eminence the Metropolitan Primate D.D. Athanasie Mironescu, recognising him as innocent of all the complaints and accusations brought against him. Issued at the premises of the Holy Synod of the Holy Autocephalous Romanian Orthodox Church, today, 24 June 1911, in Bucharest”.40

The following day, the Metropolitan resumed his presidential seat and thanked the Holy Synod for the act of justice rendered, acknowledging through the ruling pronounced his innocence regarding the unjust accusations levelled against him. In the speech he delivered at that time, he explained that he had asked to be tried ‘in order to shed light on the rumours and slanders which sought to tarnish the foremost dignitary of our Church and – through him – the Holy Church of our forefathers itself. Otherwise, had it been a matter concerning only myself, I – as a representative of the Church, following the meek Jesus, Who, though reviled, did not revile in return; though mocked, did not revile in return, but, bearing with great patience, blessed those who cursed him – would have been duty-bound to endure to the end and leave everything to the judgement of God, Who judges righteously […] Such trials first arose at the end of 1905, whilst I was Bishop of Râmnic. At that time, the slanders and calumnies were immediately rejected and condemned, particularly through the solemn displays of respect and devotion on the part of my spiritual sons in the Diocese of Râmnic. The second time, the attempts at defamation were rejected and condemned on 5 February 1909 through my elevation by the Grand College to the dignity of Metropolitan Primate. Now, for the third time, all the slanders and calumnies hurled at me have been rejected and condemned – after due judgement – by yesterday’s decision of the Holy Synod. This has been done according to God’s divine order, so that, through this threefold affirmation of my righteousness, the plots and slanders of my enemies may be utterly shattered, thereby also glorifying God, who is praised in the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to Whom honour and glory are due for ever and ever…”. Finally, he declared that he would remain, as he had hitherto, ready to make sacrifices for the prosperity and peace of the Church, to which he had devoted all his labour and his entire life.41

From another account by Metropolitan Irineu, we learn that on 28 June 1911, four days after the acquittal was pronounced, “he was a completely different person: calm, with a pale face and a halo—I shall never forget this—of a saint upon his forehead. He spoke in whispers, but with an unusual warmth in his voice. His soul was filled with the most beautiful hopes for the immediate future of the ancestral Church. ‘My lady,’ he said to me suddenly, full of enthusiasm: ‘Just as in nature, so too in the Church, after the storm comes fair weather. Let us all stand shoulder to shoulder to restore the prestige of the ancestral Church, which has suffered great humiliation in recent weeks.”42

Resignation

Although he was found not guilty, on 28 June 1911 he nevertheless tendered his resignation to the King from the post of Primate Metropolitan of Romania, which was accepted. “Completely overwhelmed by the suffering and bitterness he had endured”43 following this painful ordeal, he had gone on leave to Sinaia, so that he might rest for a month or two abroad. As Metropolitan Irineu explains, on this occasion, the Primate met with the Prime Minister, who told him that the King wished him to resign. Believing this to be the wish of the country’s leader, he tendered his resignation, 44 thus bringing his tenure at the head of our Church to an end. Here is the text of the resignation submitted: “Throughout my life I have sought to follow the right path, conscientiously fulfilling my duty and striving to serve the Church, the Country and the Throne with zeal and faith. In recent times, amidst the turmoil threatening to shake our Holy Church, I considered it my duty to stand firm in my post and to defend the prestige of the Church and of the See I occupy. With this, I consider that my role must come to an end. I have come to this decision with deep sorrow, for I have always had the greatest zeal to serve the Church, to which I have gladly devoted all my labour and my entire life. But I am utterly overwhelmed by the sufferings and bitterness I have endured. Therefore, with the deepest respect, I beg you, Sire, to deign to accept my resignation from the office of Primate Metropolitan, which, by the grace of God and with the consent of the State, and the gracious acceptance of Your Majesty, I hold within the Church. I remain forever grateful to Your Majesty for the many tokens of kindness you have shown me during my ministry as Metropolitan and, before that, as Bishop. For as many days as the merciful God may grant me, I shall offer fervent prayers to the Throne of His mercy for the health and long life of Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Queen, and the entire Royal Family. I shall pray no less fervently for the prosperity of the fatherland, as well as for the peace and flourishing of our Holy Church.”45

According to contemporary sources, on Sunday, 30 June 1911, he celebrated one final Divine Liturgy in this capacity at the Metropolitan Cathedral, during which he also ordained a priest.46 On the same day, he issued a farewell letter to his diocese, in which he informed them that he had tendered his resignation: “I hereby inform you, my beloved, that having given careful thought to the great interests of our Holy Church, which I, humble, saddened and grieved by recent events, do not now feel able to defend and advance as is fitting, I have, of my own free will, submitted my resignation into the hands of His Majesty the King, from whom, in accordance with the custom of our land, I also received the pastoral staff of this God-protected Diocese. I have made this sacrifice with sorrow, yet with resolve, on the 28th day of the passing month of June; thus, from the first day of July, I shall cease to hold the helm of the Holy Metropolis and to be your spiritual guide. Therefore I say to you now: ‘Stay well, remain with the Lord’! Parting from you with great sorrow, my beloved brothers and spiritual sons, I pray to the Good Lord to send you a more worthy shepherd, for the greatest benefit of our Holy Church and of you, my beloved ones. I also pray that He may pour out all His gifts upon the Church and the Fatherland: peace, health and mutual understanding amongst the rulers, an abundance of the earth’s fruits, and tranquillity in the air. I thank you all, my beloved, for the love you have shown me in all circumstances and on every occasion when I have had the chance to see you more closely. I assure you that, wherever I may be and for as long as God grants me life, I shall always remember you in my humble prayers, that the Almighty may bestow upon you all that is good and beneficial for soul and body, that He may fulfil your petitions for salvation and help you to live in peace and prosper according to the good counsel and desire of your hearts. Just as on other occasions, so now I ask and urge you, my beloved, to love our ancestral Holy Orthodox Church, and for each of you to defend it, as far as you are able, against those who might seek to sow discord and strife within it. Give due honour to the church pastors, for they watch over your souls. Do this with joy, so that they too may be encouraged to serve more diligently in the Church of the Lord, which is you. Love one another, as the Apostle teaches; regard one another as more honourable; honour everyone; love the brotherhood; fear God; honour the King; so that you may be children of the heavenly Father, Who loves all and cares for all, and may you be made worthy of true happiness in this life and in the life to come, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, to whom, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, all glory, honour and worship are due, now and ever, and for ever and ever. Amen. Issued at the Holy Metropolis of Bucharest, on 30 June 1911”.47

The final years of his life

Thus, having fallen “prey to intrigues that spare no one and to the most treacherous of false friendships”, as Nicolae Iorga puts it, he retired from the metropolitan see to the “holy atmosphere of peace, tranquillity and pious remembrance” at Cernica Monastery, 48 his spiritual home, where he lived for over 20 years. It was here that he wrote and published many of his works, and it was also from there that he exerted a decisive and beneficial influence on the Church’s higher leadership. 49 In the silence and solitude of his cell, he devoted himself, “like a true ‘Paisian’, to Christian scholarship and church history”,50 but he never forgot to come to the aid of his former parishioners. For example, in 1912, on the occasion of the consecration of the Church of the Annunciation and the opening of the new school in the village of Vârfurile, Dâmbovița County, he donated the sum of 1,000 lei.51

A former teacher, tireless researcher and scholar of great merit, during all this time he travelled abroad to broaden his knowledge, attended universities, particularly German ones, attended renowned lectures, studied in libraries, and read hundreds of thought-provoking books and journals in the tranquillity of the monastery. ‘His horizons of knowledge had broadened enormously as a result of all this reading. The former professor of Ethics had become a profound theologian in all branches of theological scholarship and a master of philosophy. His keen mind had become even sharper in the light of dialectics, his memory had grown astonishingly rich, and his eloquence had increased considerably. It was an indescribable pleasure to discuss any subject with him. His capacity for work had not diminished, and the satisfaction he derived from a job well done brightened his life right up to the very last moments of his existence.”52

Among the books published at that time, we mention first and foremost The Psalter in Brief. Now published for the second time for the spiritual benefit of devout Christians, it appeared in Buzău in 1923. This abridgement of the Psalms, compiled by Blessed Augustine and first translated into Romanian by Metropolitan Grigorie Dascălul, who had it printed at Neamț Monastery in 1814, was intended to foster “in the hearts of readers a love for God and for one’s neighbour, as well as its fruits: humility, patience and purity of thought – these three flowers that form the most beautiful wreath of the Christian soul”.53

In addition to this work, between 1925 and 1928, a four-volume translation of the course on Universal Church History, taught at the faculty by the Bukovinian professor Euseviu Popovici, was published,54 and two years later, the History of Cernica Monastery. In the Preface written on 27 July 1930, the author stated: “Monasteries have always been the most popular holy places. In them, the people found – and still find – more readily the strengthening of their faith, encouragement and support in times of danger, and comfort in times of trouble and sorrow. Hence the close connection between monasteries and the life of the people, whose spiritual well-being was enhanced above all by the examples set within them. Hence, too, the need, when writing the history of a monastery, to take a close look at the life of the people or – which amounts to the same thing – their history. Monasteries are, at times, a very significant part of the history of the Fatherland as monuments to faith and ancestral piety. With this in mind, the history of Cernica Monastery has been treated in close conjunction with the history of the country during that period. I am publishing it in the hope that other, more gifted writers will produce something better.”55

Last but not least, it should be noted that in 1931 he published a critical review in the Holy Synod’s journal of the Psalter translated from Hebrew by the priests Vasile Radu and Gala Galaction. 56 At the same time, he also published studies and articles in the journal Predicatorul.57 It is also worth recalling his role in the establishment of the Monastic Seminary at Cernica, which was moved from Neamț at the request of Patriarch Miron, when he ‘offered valuable advice and assistance’.58

In particular, we must mention that in 1928 he drew up his will, in which he did not forget the cradle of his childhood, the place where he was born. Given its significance, we reproduce it below: ‘…For the account I must give before God of what I have done in this life, with a contrite heart I beg His mercy to forgive my sins, and I direct that from the income of my meagre movable and immovable assets a reading room with a public library be established for the enlightenment of the people of the village where Iwas born and where the first rays of the sun of Justice shone upon me, namely in the commune of Trohan, Vaslui County. My movable assets consist of: 1. 400,000 lei (four hundred thousand) in 5 per cent government bonds and in cash, as shall be found at the time of my death, less funeral expenses and any other costs incurred in carrying out the provisions of this will. The securities and cash are deposited at the Rahova-Bragadiru Bank in Bucharest. 2. A library comprising eight open cupboards, all of the same height but of varying widths, and two shelving units. Seven cupboards and one shelving unit are in my study, whilst the eighth is on the balcony next to the study and the other shelving unit is in the small room next to the bedroom. A complete collection of ritual books, printed in ancient script, is kept in a small walnut cupboard with a glass-panelled door, situated beneath the iconostasis in the hall of the house where I live in the summer. The library includes the Universal Church History in four volumes, namely: one thousand copies. Twenty-five copies will be set aside for it, and the rest will be sold to increase the fund. 3. From the furniture in the houses where I live at Cernica Monastery, for which I have drawn up a specific inventory. My immovable property consists of: 1. A house in the village of Trohan, Vaslui County, with a kitchen, cellar, barn and chimney, and surrounding it, on an area of approximately one falce of land, there is a garden, an orchard, a vineyard and a vineyard plot. The house is situated in the centre of the village and will serve as the premises I mentioned above. 2. Sixty-one and a half (61½) stânjeni of land in width, as part of the Trohan estate, that is to say, approximately 30 hectares of arable land, hay meadows and woodland. This property, including the house, is covered by the deed of partition between the brothers regarding the inheritance from our parents, signed by the brothers, as well as the authenticated declaration, duly formalised in accordance with the law, of my brother, Priest Dumitru Mironescu, who holds the usufruct of both properties for life. I appoint as my executor my beloved nephew Gheorghe Gh. Mironescu, a professor at the University of Bucharest and a lawyer. To cover the expenses he will incur, I also leave at his disposal a mortgage deed dated April 1916, duly executed in accordance with all legal formalities, for the sum of 12,000 lei (twelve thousand lei) on the estate of Teodor M. Mironescu, to whom I forgive other debts arising from certain loan agreements. The executor shall give to the Faculty of Theology in Bucharest all the specialist books not listed in the inventory for the Reading Room; he shall also distribute amongst my relatives, as a memento from me and as a sign of blessing, icons, paintings, portraits and photographs, as well as medals, which are not to be reserved for the Reading Room. However, two large icons, depicting Christ and the Mother of God, together with all the liturgical books and an oak chest shaped like a lectern, shall be given to the church in Trohan. The income from the coupons on securities and from the land, as well as the interest on cash, after deducting the annual taxes payable to the tax authorities and the costs of maintaining the Reading Room’s staff and keeping the premises in good condition, shall be credited to the capital, which, like the properties at Nos. 1 and 2, is and remains inalienable. Also from this income, orphaned children shall be assisted in learning a trade, and timely contributions shall be made towards the restoration of the church in Trohan. The executor is requested to carry out the above provisions to the letter and to appoint a successor in good time, or, if necessary, to transfer the institution to the care of the Schools Board. The institution shall bear the name ‘The Priest Miron and Metropolitan Athanasie Reading Room’. I shall lay down the administration, maintenance and operation of this institution in a special set of regulations. If I do not draw them up myself, they shall be drawn up by my executor. My funeral shall take place at Cernica Monastery, in accordance with the provisions set out in certain documents which are amongst the papers in the middle drawer of my desk. Drawn up today, 12 July 1928, at Cernica Monastery. † Athanasie Mironescu (signed) Metropolitan, former Primate of Romania”.59

The end of his life

Metropolitan Athanasie passed away on 9 October 1931, at 2.00 pm, at the Queen Elisabeth Sanatorium in Bucharest. According to the newspapers of the time, three days earlier, on Monday or Tuesday (5/6 October), he had come from Cernica Monastery for an audience with the Minister of Religious Affairs, Nicolae Iorga, to discuss a family matter. After a friendly chat, the great historian, knowing him to be ‘a skilled scholar’, wished to show him a book from his library. As he was leaving, whilst descending the stairs, he suffered a stroke, losing the use of his right hand and leg, and was rendered speechless. He was taken to hospital, where he lay for several days, but never recovered. The news of his death saddened both the clergy and the faithful, who held him in the highest regard, as he was known “for his learning, his resolute and manly character, and his commanding spirit, which had always been a defining feature of his life”. 60

He was buried in the cemetery of Cernica Monastery, in accordance with his last will and testament, on Sunday, 11 October, in the presence of an impressive assembly of bishops and priests, who delivered no fewer than 10 eulogies. At the funeral, Nicolae Iorga sent, via Father Nicolae Popescu, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, a moving address highlighting the former metropolitan’s great achievements: “Endowed with a lively intellect, a passionate lover of books right up to his final moments, when he said that from them came all his comfort, a spirit of order and authority, capable of leading a church in which, by then, an anarchic spirit had begun to take hold, so at odds with its two-millennia-old discipline and the holy aims it pursues, Father Atanasie fell victim to intrigues that spare no one and to the most disloyal of false friendships. From then on, in his solitude here at Cernica, he led a life of seclusion which may serve as an example to anyone. An incident that made me a moved witness to the blow that struck him down gave me the opportunity to learn of his final thoughts on the Church, which he loved so dearly; and, having become, as it were, the custodian of his moral legacy, I feel duty-bound to share them. Father Atanasie desired a church of clergy raised in the ecclesiastical spirit of days gone by. The glories of the world left him indifferent, and his dream—like that of many, myself included—was of a church leadership, somewhere at St Spiridon’s in Radu-Vodă, surrounded only by printing presses and monastic cells. In the episcopate, he was an opponent of hasty and impulsive initiatives, which do more harm than good, sowing the seeds of fruitless criticism. The monks, trained for monastic life in the tradition of Paisie and Gheorghe of Cernica, wished only to dwell in the venerable abodes bequeathed by their ancestors. As Minister for Religious Affairs and as a historian of this Church, I declare before this coffin that it is in this direction that I intend to direct my efforts in this department, as is the role of the State. In this way, I believe I shall honour the soul of the man who, with his mind, departed from this world on the threshold of my home, with words of gentle wisdom and holy resignation, which I shall never forget.”61

Thus passed away one of the most learned hierarchs of our nation. As a pious tribute, in 1942, Vasile Romanescu reconstructed his personality by publishing a 201-page monograph, which remains to this day the definitive work on his life and work, containing a wealth of information that is particularly useful to any priest, researcher or student wishing to learn more about the work of the Church at the beginning of the last century. Although, in recent times, several commemorative profiles have highlighted aspects of his life, 62 we are convinced that, as the years go by, his memory will endure in the hearts of the Romanian people and other historians will place him in his well-deserved position, alongside the country’s great bishops who dedicated their lives to the service of the Church and bequeathed enduring values to Romanian theology.

• 1

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 18.

• 2

  Niculae Șerbănescu, The Metropolitans of Ungrovlahia..., p. 821.

• 3

  P. G., The Election, Consecration and Installation of the New Metropolitans..., p. 1322.

• 4

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 8.

• 5

  P. G., The Election, Consecration and Installation of the New Metropolitans..., pp. 1323–1324; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 46–47.

• 6

  P. G., The Election, Consecration and Installation of the New Metropolitans..., pp. 1344–1346; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 55–58.

• 7

  P. G., The Election, Consecration and Installation of the New Metropolitans..., pp. 1327–1330; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 48–49; Niculae Șerbănescu, The Metropolitans of Ungrovlahia..., p. 821.

• 8

  P. G., The Election, Consecration and Installation of the New Metropolitans..., pp. 1335–1337; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 50–53.

• 9a9b

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 21–22.

• 10

  † Athanasie, Metropolitan Primate, Advice to Priests Compiled from Various Authors, Church Books Printing House, Bucharest, 1909, p. VII.

• 11

  P. G., The Election, Consecration and Installation of the New Metropolitans..., pp. 1347–1350.

• 12

  † Athanasie Mironescu, Primate Metropolitan of Romania, Pastoral Letter issued by His Eminence the Primate Metropolitan Athanasie to his spiritual sons in the Diocese of the Metropolitan See of Ungro-Wallachia on the occasion of the holy and great fast of Lent, concerning the Christian duty to attend the holy church, Church Books Printing House, Bucharest, 1909, pp. 6–28; † Athanasie, Metropolitan of Ungro-Wallachia, Primate of Romania, ‘Pastoral Letter issued by His Eminence the Metropolitan Primate on the occasion of the Holy and Great Fast of Lent’, in: BOR, vol. XXXII (1909), no. 12, pp. 1368–1390.

• 13

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 94–99.

• 14

  “Guidance for the Holy Great Fast. Delivered in the Cathedral of the Holy Metropolis of Bucharest on Cheesefare Sunday by His Eminence the Primate Metropolitan”, in: BOR, vol. XXXIII (1910), no. 12, p. 1325; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 125.

• 15

  His Eminence the Metropolitan Primate, ‘Pastoral Letter’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIV (1910), no. 5, p. 483.

• 16

  G., ‘Internal Church Chronicle’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIII (1910), no. 11, pp. 1317–1319.

• 17

  G., ‘Internal Church Chronicle’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIV (1910), no. 1, pp. 109–110; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 134–137.

• 18

  G., ‘The Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIII (1909), no. 9, pp. 1067–1071; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 111–116.

• 19

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 137–145; ‘The Spring Session of the Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIV (1910), no. 2, pp. 121–126.

• 20

  † Athanasie, Metropolitan Primate, ‘Address at the opening of the Higher Ecclesiastical Consistory’s spring session of 1911’, in: BOR, vol. XXXV (1911), no. 2, pp. 122–124.

• 21

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 24.

• 22

  His Eminence the Primate Metropolitan, ‘Address by His Eminence Athanasie, Primate Metropolitan of Romania, at the consecration of the church of the Russian Imperial Legation in Bucharest (26 November 1909)’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIII (1909), no. 9, pp. 1049; Vasile ROMANESCU, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 108–109.

• 23

  G. ‘Internal Church Chronicle’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIV (1910), no. 2, p. 223; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 22.

• 24

  M., “Internal Church Chronicle. Address delivered by His Eminence Metropolitan Primate Athanasie at the laying of the foundation stone of the Church of St Visarion in Bucharest, which is being rebuilt by Mrs Elena Eraclide, née Starcea. 20 June 1910”, in: BOR, vol. XXXIV (1910), no. 4, p. 470; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 145–149.

• 25

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 22–23.

• 26

  St. Popescu, ‘Two Axions dedicated to His Eminence the Metropolitan Primate D. D. Athanasie Mironescu’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIII (1910), no. 11, pp. 1309–1310.

• 27

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 22

• 28

  G., ‘The Catholic Movement in the Kingdom of Romania’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIV (1910), no. 3, pp. 327–328.

• 29

  G., ‘The Catholic Movement in the Kingdom of Romania’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIV (1910), no. 4, p. 443.

• 30

  His Eminence the Primate Metropolitan, ‘Sermon on Orthodoxy Sunday’, in: BOR, vol. XXXIV (1911), no. 12, p. 1226; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 161.

• 31

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 24–26.

• 32

  The Defence of Metropolitan Athanasie..., p. 19; “Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings. Spring session. Meeting of 20 May 1911”, in: BOR, vol. XXXV (1911), no. 4, pp. 405–406 (At the proposal of the Minister of Religious Affairs and Education, Bishops Sofronie Craioveanu, Teodosie Ploieșteanu and Nicodim Băcăoanu brought legal proceedings against Bishop Gherasim of Roman ‘for the unrest he had caused in the country and within the Church’); ‘Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings. Spring session. Meeting of 23 May 1911’, in: BOR, vol. XXXV (1911), no. 4, pp. 419–420 (On 23 May 1911, the two were asked to resign, “as this was the only way to ensure that the holy faith of our forefathers would no longer be needlessly disturbed”.); Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. V, 26–27; N. I. Șerbănescu, The Metropolitans of Ungrovlahia..., p. 821; Ilie RUSU, Primatial Metropolitans..., accessed on 21 October 2024.

• 33

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. VI.

• 34

  “Official Documents. Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings”, in: BOR, vol. XXXV (1911), no. 5, p. 488.

• 35

  The Defence of Metropolitan Athanasie..., pp. 182–183.

• 36

  The Defence of Metropolitan Athanasie..., pp. 171–172.

• 37

  The Defence of Metropolitan Athanasie..., p. 202.

• 38

  The Defence of Metropolitan Athanasie..., pp. 131–136; ‘Official Documents. Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings. Meeting of 22 June 1911’, in: BOR, vol. XXXV (1911) no. 5, pp. 651–653; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 163–169; “Official Records. Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings. The meeting of 3 June’, vol. XXXV (1911), nos. 5–6, 1911, pp. 506–507 (At the meeting of 3 June 1911, the Primate Metropolitan said: ‘The interference of politics in today’s matter is complicating things. His Eminence has always sought to protect priests from becoming involved in politics, as it makes them enemies. In 1899, the issue of closing certain seminaries came up for discussion in the Senate, and His Eminence opposed this, particularly in the case of the one in R.-Vâlcea. Similarly, in 1898, when the law on secondary and higher education was enacted, he outlined the measures that needed to be taken to ensure the proper development of religious education. In 1901, Mr Haret introduced the Church Fund Act, which His Eminence opposed, arguing that this institution – the Church Fund – should be under the authority of the Holy Synod, with only its financial aspects falling under the Ministry’s jurisdiction. In 1896, when the law on the clergy was amended, His Eminence acted as rapporteur and succeeded, amongst other things, in ensuring that priests were not obliged to contribute to the Review, but only parishes. In 1909, the Synodal Law was amended. Various articles were published in journals calling for the abolition of titular bishops, claiming that the bishops were not fulfilling their duties, and so on. The push to amend the Synodal Law stemmed from the wishes of certain theologians. Mr Haret believed it would be a good idea to amend this law. His Eminence sent him a letter advising him against making the amendment […] However, His Eminence was accused of having sold out the Church in order to become a Metropolitan. These, however, are merely manoeuvres stemming from partisan politics. He declares that His Eminence has never engaged in party politics, but only in ecclesiastical affairs. For this reason, he did not allow politics to interfere in ecclesiastical affairs. He was told that he was the ‘Metropolitan of the Liberals’; he therefore points out that on several occasions he opposed the requests made by the former Minister Haret and gives a few examples”.).

• 39

  “Official Documents. Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings. The meeting of 24 June 1911”, vol. XXXV (1911), no. 5–6, 1911, p. 663; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. V–VI; N. I. Șerbănescu, The Metropolitans of Ungrovlahia..., pp. 821–822.

• 40

  “Official Documents. Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings. Meeting of 24 June 1911”, vol. XXXV (1911), no. 5–6, pp. 662–663.

• 41

  “Official Documents. Minutes of the Holy Synod’s meetings”, in: BOR, vol. XXXV (1911), no. 9, pp. 961–962; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 171–173.

• 42

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. VI

• 43

  The resignation of His Eminence Metropolitan Primate Athanasie, in: BOR, vol. XXXV (1911), no. 4, pp. 361–364; Vasile Romanescu, ‘Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu...’, pp. 27–29; N. I. ȘERBĂNESCU, ‘The Metropolitans of Ungrovlahia...’, p. 822.

• 44

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. VII–VIII (‘The then President of the Council of Ministers, who was no great friend of the Church and, presumably, even less so of the Primate Metropolitan, informed the King that the Metropolitan was coming to tender his resignation. The King replied briefly, as was his custom: ‘Let him come in.’ The Prime Minister then went out to meet the Metropolitan on the path between Peleș Castle and the Monastery, and said to him: ‘The King wishes you to tender your resignation’. Without uttering a word, the Metropolitan returned to the Monastery, wrote his resignation and presented it to the King, who asked him: ‘Your Eminence, are you tendering your resignation?’ The Metropolitan, hearing the word ‘resignation’ from the King’s lips and believing that this was indeed the King’s wish, replied: ‘Yes, Your Majesty’, and his resignation was immediately accepted and handed over to the Prime Minister.”)

• 45

  “Official Documents. The Resignation of His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasie, Primate”, in: BOR, vol. XXXV (1911), no. 4, pp. 361–362.

• 46

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 27.

• 47

  † Athanasie, Primate Metropolitan, ‘Pastoral Letter’, in: BOR; vol. XXXV (1911), no. 4, pp. 362–364; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 175–177.

• 48

  Teodor N. Manolache, † Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 273; M. THEODORIAN CARADA, Efimeridele. Notes & Memories 1908–1928, Serafica Sabaoani Press, Roman, 1937, p. 22 (“Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu retired to Cernica, where he had his translations reprinted and took an interest in how the Scriptures were translated. He performed a fine gesture when he climbed into the Vâlcea Mountains to pray at Saffirinu’s grave”.).

• 49

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. VII; Ilie Rusu, Primatial Metropolitans..., accessed on 21 October 2024.

• 50

  Rev. George I. Negulescu, ‘General Reports of the Central Church Council to the National Church Congress’, in: BOR, vol. L (1932), no. 10, p. 638.

• 51

  ‘Donations’, in: BOR, vol. XXXVI (1912), no. 5, p. 518.

• 52

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. VIII.

• 53

  † Athanasie, Metropolitan Primate, The Psalter in Brief, now published for the second time for the spiritual benefit of faithful Christians, Luca I. Oprescu Printing and Bookbinding Works, Buzău, 1923, p. 2.

• 54

  N. I. Șerbănescu, The Metropolitans of Ungrovlahia..., p. 822.

• 55

  † Athanasie Mironescu, The History of Cernica Monastery, Cernica Monastery Press, Cernica, 1930, p. I.

• 56

  Mircea Păcurariu, Dictionary of Romanian Theologians..., p. 402.

• 57

  Fr. I. Ioanicescu, ‘Portraits of Preachers from the Oltenia Region’, in: MO, vol. XXXVIII (1976), no. 7–8, p. 637.

• 58

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 29.

• 59

  Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. 178–182.

• 60

  “Church Chronicle. The Death and Funeral of Metropolitan Athanasius”, in: BOR, vol. LIII (1931), no. 10, p. 634; M. Theodorian Carada, Efimeridele..., p. 22 (“He died suddenly whilst leaving an audience at which it seems he had been spoken to regarding his possible election to the Patriarchal See. Looking at what has followed since 1911, I sincerely wonder whether it would not have been better to have left Mironescu in the seat to which we had elevated him, for Vladica Atanasie was anything but a money-grubber”.); Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasie Mironescu..., pp. IX, 29 (“He passed away suddenly, in the full vigour of his body and soul, at the ripe old age of 75, on 9 October 1931. He had gone, in perfect health, to an audience with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs, Professor N. Iorga. It is likely that the impetuous Prime Minister spoke to him in a raised voice, which caused the prescient Hierarch to feel unwell upon leaving the audience chamber and to breathe his last immediately whilst in a sanatorium”.); Biographical sketch and selected bibliography..., pp. 34–35.

• 61

  Church Chronicle. The Death and Funeral of Metropolitan Athanasius..., pp. 634–635; Vasile Romanescu, Metropolitan Athanasius Mironescu..., pp. 183–184; Teodor N. Manolache, † Athanasie Mironescu..., p. 274.

• 62

  “9 October 1931 – Metropolitan Atanasie Mironescu has passed away”, in: Basilica.ro, 8 October 2009, https://basilica.ro/9-octombrie-1931-a-trecut-la-cele-vesnice-mitropolitul-atanasie-mironescu/, accessed today, 1 November 2024 (to be cited as BR); “12 August 1856 – Metropolitan Primate Atanasie Mironescu was born in Trohan, Vaslui County”, in: BR, 12 August 2012, https://basilica.ro/12-august-1856-s-a-nascut-in-trohanjudetul-vaslui-mitropolitul-primat-atanasie-mironescu/, accessed today, 1 November 2024.At the same time, articles about the trial of Bishop Gherasim Safirin have appeared in various publications. (Liliana BEU: ‘A high-profile trial at the turn of the century. Two senior clergymen before the secular courts’, in: Muzeul național, XXIV, 2012, pp. 183–195; Alin Ion, ‘The story of a high-profile trial between two hierarchs. Metropolitan Atanasie Mironescu, accused of having relationships with several women’, in: Adevărul.ro, 10 December 2017, https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/targu-jiu/istoria-unui-proces-de-renume-intre-doi-ierarhi-1829501.html, accessed today, 1 November 2024.).