Today it is 20 years since the passing away of Father Dumitru Staniloae. On 4 October 1993, around 23.00 hours, the greatest Orthodox contemporary theologian was passing away. We shall render below some of the biographical dates of the great Romanian theologian:
1903 – On 16 November 1903, the last of the five children of Irimie and Reveca was born at Vladeni, county of Brasov; his mother was a priest’s granddaughter.
1917 – On 10 February, he left for Brasov to attend the courses of the Humanistic Confessional High School of “Andrei Saguna”.
1918 – He is granted a scholarship for the 4th form by “Gojdu Foundation”;
1922 – He is granted a scholarship within the University of Cernauti. Disappointed by the manuals and scholastic methods, he leaves the University after one year;
1923 – 1924 – He attends the courses of the Faculty of Philology within the University of Bucharest;
1924 – He meets metropolitan Nicolae Balan during the Lent, who offers him a scholarship at the Metropolitan Centre of Sibiu;
1927 – He finishes the 4th year of study at Cernauti and delivers his graduation exam in Theology under the supervision of prof. Vasile Loichita, with the thesis entitled “Baptism of the Children”; he is awarded a scholarship of specialised studies in Athens.
1928 – In the autumn he delivers his doctorate thesis in Cernauti, entitled <i>”Life and Work of Patriarch Dosoftei of Jerusalem and his relations with the Romanian Countries”.</i> The Metropolitan Centre of Sibiu grants him a scholarship for Byzantinism and Dogmatics. He leaves for Munich to attend the courses of professor August Heisenberg, father of the famous physicist.
1929 – He leaves for Berlin and Paris for studies and documentation on the original work of Grigorie Palama; back in the country he is employed as substitute teacher, then temporary teacher.
1930 – He leaves for Constantinople to research and copy the theological work of Grigore Palama; on 4 October he marries Maria (born Mihu).
1931 – On 10 May, his first two twin children are born, Dumitru (who dies in September 1931) and Maria; on 8 October he is ordained deacon.
1932 – On 25 September he is ordained priest. Catholicism after war appears in Sibiu.
1933 – On 8 October, Lidia is born, baptised by the Transylvanian historian Ioan Lupas.
1934 – On 1 January he is appointed director of “Telegraful Roman” newspaper, a job he holds till 1945. He meets and becomes close friend of Nichifor Crainic.
1936 – In June, he is appointed rector of the Theological Academy of Sibiu, a position held till 1946;
1938 – The basic work entitled <i>”Life and Teaching of Saint Grigorie Palama” </i>appears in Sibiu
1939 – He publishes <i>”Orthodoxy and Romanianism” </i>in Sibiu
1940 – In summer, Romania joins the World War II, the army accompanying the German troops till the River Volga. At the initiative of poet Sandu Tudor, the “Burning bush” group is set up, made up of: Hieromonk Ivan Kulighin, father confessor of the Russian metropolitan Rostov (refugee at Cernica), hieromonk Benedict Ghius, Sofian Boghiu, Prof. Alex. Mironescu, poet Vasile Voiculescu, Architect Constantin Joja, Rev. Andrei Scrima, Ion Marin Sadoveanu. The periodic meetings of the group were held at Antim and Cernica Monasteries making a spiritual revival of the Christian life in Bucharest.
1942 – <i>”The position of Mr. Lucian Blaga towards Christianity and Orthodoxy” </i>appears in Sibiu;
1943 – <i>”Jesus Christ or restoration of the human”</i> appears in Sibiu
1945 – At the end of April his daughter Maria (Mioara) dies.
1946 – He is asked to give up the rectorship of the Theological Academy by Metropolitan Nicolae Balan, against his will, at the request of Petru Groza; he remains professor till 1947. Filocalia, volume I appears in Sibiu.
1947 – He is transferred by “calling” to the Faculty of Theology of the University of Bucharest, for the chair of Asceticism and Mystics. He lives with his wife and daughter in the parish house of the church of <i>Saint Gheorghe Vechi. Filocalia,</i> volume II, appears in Sibiu.
1948 – <i>Filocalia, </i>volumes III and IV, appears in Sibiu
1949 – The Mystics chair is dissolved, and he remains Dogmatics professor for scholars.
1950 – He participates in the meetings of the “Burning bush” to which he belongs.
1955 – A great congress of the Orthodox priests is held in Sibiu; Petru Groza, member of the presidium, refuses to talk with Fr. Staniloae, which fact will have negative consequences later on. Saint Calinic from Cernica is canonised.
1958 – A new series of arrests takes place in Romania, as a condition for the retreat of the Soviet troops. The members of the “Burning bush” group are arrested. He is followed by the Security Forces. On 4 September, his place in Bucharest is searched. On 5 September, 4.00 hours in the morning, he is taken to the prison in Uranus St, for one month, then in Plevnei St, for one more month. On 4 November, his trial begins, typically set up by the communist regime.
1959 – He is taken to Arad, where one of his cell mates is priest Lazarov, parish priest in Dobrudgea. He was kept in complete isolation for a few months. Lidia, his daughter gives birth to his only grandson, Dumitru Horia; having been lecturer at the chair of Physics of the University of Bucharest – Prof. Hulubei – she is obligated to leave the University.
1961 – In the autumn, he is brought to Bucharest for penal research
1962 – In March, he is taken back to the prison of Aiud
1963 – In January, he is released from prison and works as employee of the Holy Synod. In October he is reintegrated at the chair.
1965 – He is asked to write articles and studies by those who had censored him before (Department for Religious Affairs was preparing to present the image of the religious freedom in the West).
1968 – He is invited to Feiburg and Heidelberg, by Professor Paul Miron, for lectures; he gets the approval of the Department for Religious Affairs which was carrying on the politics of changing the image of Romania.
1969 – He lectures at Oxford; he befriends theologian Donald Allchin.
1971 – He goes to Vatican as member of the delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
1973 – <i>Uniatism in Transylvania, attempt to divide the Romanian people </i>appears in Bucharest. He is retired with the title of honorary Professor, remaining consulting professor for the courses for a doctor’s degree.
1978 – <i>Treatise of Orthodox Dogmatic Theology,</i> vol I-III, and <i>Filocalia,</i> vol VII, appear in Bucharest
1979 – <i>Filocalia,</i> vol VIII, appears in Bucharest
1980 – <i>Filocalia, </i>vol IX, appears in Bucharest; in Geneva, Dieu est Amour, translated by D. Nesser; in New York, <i>Technology and the Church,</i> translated by R. Berringer; in Athens, <i>Prayer, Freedom, Holiness. </i>He is awarded “Dr. Leopold Lucas” prize of the Faculty of Theology of Tübingen.
1981 – He is awarded “Doctor Honoris Causa” of Saint Serge Orthodox Institute of Paris. He is awarded the honorary distinction of “Cross of Saint Augustin of Canterbury”, in London, for theological and Christian merits. <i>Prière de Jesus et experience de Saint Esprit</i> appears in Paris, and <i>Orthodox Spirituality and Orthodox Moral Theology,</i> vol II, in Bucharest.
1982 – He is awarded the title of “Doctor Honoris Causa” of the Faculty of Theology of Belgrade; in November he lectures in New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington. Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Writings, vol I (translation) appears in Bucharest.
1985 – <i>Orthodoxe Dogmatik,</i> vol I,translation by H. Pitters appears: in Paris, <i>Le genie de l’orthodoxie, </i>appears;
1986 – <i>Spirituality and communion in the Orthodox Liturgy </i>appears in Craiova;
1987 – <i>The Immortal Image of God </i>appears in Bucharest, and <i>Saint Atanasie the Great, Writings, </i>vol II (translation) in Bucharest;
1990 – He becomes corresponding member of the Romanian Academy. Orthodoxe Dogmatik, vol II, translated by H. Pitters appears;
1991 – He becomes titular member of the Romanian Academy. He is awarded the title of “Doctor Honoris Causa” of the Faculty of Theology of Athens. The book entitled <i>”Studies of Orthodox Dogmatic Theology” (Christology of Saint Maxim the Confessor, Man and God, Saint Simeon the New Theologian, “Hymns of the divine love”) appears in Craiova, and Saint Kyril of Alexandria, “Writings”, </i>vol I (translation), in Bucharest.
1992 – He is awarded the title of “Doctor Honoris Causa” of the University of Bucharest;
1993 – 4 October. “The theologian of Christian love” passes away.
(Information taken from the book “Father Dumitru Staniloae. Bio-bibliography” signed by Virginia Popa
