15
May 1858 – Bishop IOSIF BĂDESCU (baptised Traian) was born in Șopotul
vechi, county of Caraș-Severin. Gymnasium studies at Caransebeș, Lugoj
and Seghedin, juridical studies at the University of Budapest (graduated
in 1884) and theological ones at the University of Cernăuți, where he
was awarded the doctor’s degree in 1889. Secretary (1888-1903),
eparchial assessor (counsellor), professor at the Pedagogical
Theological Institute and editor of the “Calendarul Românului” in
Caransebeș. Unmarried deacon (1890), then priest (1899), he was tonsured
into monasticism at Hodoș-Bodrog Monastery, with the name Iosif (1902),
having been ordained protosingel (1903) and archimandrite (1919).
Elected Bishop of Caransebeș in 1909, but rejected by the Government in
Budapest; re-elected on 8 March 1920, he was ordained and installed on
27 September /10 October 1920. He supervised the activity of the
Theological Institute (since 1927 member of the Academy), set up a
school for church singers, a museum and an eparchial library. He
published various other articles and speeches in “Foaia diocezană” in
Caransebeș and in some other Romanian periodicals. He passed away on 11
July 1933, in Caransebeș.
