Assistant Bishop Marc of Neamț of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western Europe celebrates on Wednesday 20 years since his episcopal ordination.
His Grace Bishop Marc of Neamț was born in Paris in 1958 into a Catholic family, where he received a distinguished education, graduating from the Institute of Urbanism and the Faculty of Architecture in Paris.
In 1980, Bishop Marc embraced the Orthodox faith and chose to join the monastic community of Sihăstria Monastery in Romania.
A Monk at Sihăstria
After over a decade of spiritual formation, he was tonsured a monk on September 6, 1992. A few days later, on September 9, he was ordained a hierodeacon.
Later, on August 20, 1994, he was ordained a hieromonk. Both ordinations were performed by the current Patriarch of Romania, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, who at that time was the Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bukovina.
In 1995, he completed his theological studies at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology at “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University in Iași. A year later, he returned to France, where he began his pastoral service in the parish of Saint Germanus and Saint Clodoald in Louveciennes.
Starting in 1997, he continued his mission for several years at Saint Silouan Monastery in Saint-Mars-de-Locquenay. In April 2003, he was entrusted with the leadership of Saint Joseph Parish in Bordeaux, and during the same period, he became a member of the French Deanery Council.
Episcopal Ministry
On October 27, 2004, His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe proposed him for election as Assistant Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western Europe.
This proposal was approved by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church on March 3, 2005. His episcopal consecration took place on Bright Saturday, May 7, 2005, at the Cathedral of the Holy Archangels in Paris.
His Grace Assistant Bishop Marc of Neamț is also known for his cultural and editorial work, including his French translation of The Life of Elder Cleopas by Archimandrite Ioanichie Bălan.
Photo: Basilica.ro
