During its working session on Thursday, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church elected a new assistant bishop for the Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara.
By secret ballot, the synod elected the Very Rev. Archimandrite Gherontie Ciupe to assist the diocesan bishop of Deva and Hunedoara.
The abbot of The Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery in Crisan, Hunedoara, Archimandrite Nifon Jorza, ran for the same position.
Assistant Bishop-elect Gherontie Ciupe (56) studied theology in Craiova and Padova, culminating with a PhD at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Cluj-Napoca.
He was a grand ecclesiarch of the Orthodox Cathedral in Craiova (1996-2010), an exarch for the monasteries in the Archdiocese of Craiova (2002-2003; 2005-2009), and a diocesan secretary at the same archdiocese (2003-2005).
In 2010, he was appointed administrative vicar for the Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara. Between 2018-2021, Fr Gherontie was a diocesan adviser in the Pastoral-Liturgical Sector of the same Diocese.
Assistant bishop-elect Gherontie’s devotion to the catechesis of young people is notable, with activities in this regard in both Craiova and Deva.
Assistant bishop-elect Gherontie is the spiritual director of many clergy, monastics, and lay believers. He authored several studies and essays, participated in religious programmes, and advocated for spiritual reading and the construction of parish libraries.
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
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