On 22 May 2014, the working session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church was held at the Patriarchal Residence under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel.
To start with the session, the election of the titular hierarch took place under the chairmanship of His Eminence Irineu, Metropolitan of Oltenia, for the vacant position of titular Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Ramnic.
On 17 May 2014, after consulting the eparchial Assembly of the Archdiocese of Ramnic, the Metropolitan Synod of the Metropolitanate of Oltenia assigned by secret vote His Grace Varsanufie Prahoveanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest and His Grace Emilian Lovisteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Ramnic, as candidates.
The Holy Synod elected by secret vote His Grace Varsanufie Prahoveanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest, for the vacant position of Archbishop of Ramnic, with 25 votes out of 43 valid ones. His Grace Emilian Lovisteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Ramnic got 18 votes.
The enthronement ceremony of the new Archbishop of Ramnic will take place in the Archiepiscopal Cathedral dedicated to Saint Hierarch Nicholas of Ramnicu Valcea city, on 8 June 2014, after the Divine Liturgy.
In 1998, he was tonsured into monasticism at Slanic Monastery (county of Arges), then ordained hieromonk for Radu Voda monastery of Bucharest. From 1999 – 2006, he was the abbot of this monastery, where he initiated the restoration of the painting, of the altar screen, building the belfry and the candle space in mosaic.
From 1999 – 2001, he was the exarch of the monasteries of the Archdiocese of Bucharest. In 2001, the Holy Synod elected him Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest with the title of Prahoveanul.
In 2007, following the proposal of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, he was appointed secretary to the Metropolitan Synod of the Metropolitanate of Muntenia and Dobrudgea and president of the Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Bucharest.
Having been Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest, His Grace Varsanufie Prahoveanul coordinated the construction works of the monasteries of Bolintin and Chiajna, of the parishes of Gherghiceanu, St Stevan the Great, Jilava, Vladiceasca and Ciorogarla II, of 66 other churches and chapels of public institutions (hospitals, prisons, military units, schools and social settlements), and set up 11 social canteens.
He has also coordinated the painting works of the prison of Ploiesti, of Rahova prison church and of Hyperion high school chapel of Bucharest.
His Grace has unfolded a rich didactical activity as religion professor in district 6 of Bucharest. He has been New Testament professor at the Metropolitan Nifon Seminary of Bucharest since 1998. It should be mentioned that His Grace Varsanufie Prahoveanul coordinated the construction works of the new building of the Theological Seminary of Metropolitan Nifon of Bucharest and the setting up 106 religion classrooms in schools and high schools of Bucharest, Prahova, Ilfov and Giurgiu.
His Grace Varsanufie Prahoveanul used to be editor of Martyria Orthodox publication (1993 – 1996), edited “Floara darurilor” children magazine, and he has been vice-president of the “Glasul Bisericii” magazine of the Metropolitanate and of Dobrudgea since 2001.
He published several articles and studies in the magazines of Glasul Bisericii and Mitropolia Olteniei and is the author of three plays in verse for children: Three Magi, Martyrdom of Saint George and death of Judas.
During the period he was Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest, His Grace Varsanufie Prahoveanul coordinated, with the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, the translation and drafting of a book of prayers and of the Divine Liturgy in the rromanes language, for the gypsies communities of Romania and supervised the issuing of several CD-s with religious content, out of which we mention: Chants for the Triode and Penticostar periods, Religious service of Saint Pious Gheorghe from Cernica, Service of the Romanian Saints, Life of Saint Maria the Egyptian.
PRESS OFFICE OF THE ROMANIAN PATRIARCHATE
