The remains of Romanian Athonite elder Petroniu Tănase were ceremoniously exhumed on Thursday, April 27, 12 years after the elder’s passing away into the Lord. Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploieşti presided over the service held at Holy Mount Athos’s Romanian Prodromu Skete. The Romanian Metropolis of Muntenia and Dobrogea proposes the Athonite elder for canonization.
“He led a high spiritual life,” said Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploieşti, who represented the Romanian Patriarchate in the event.
“When we took out his leg bones, we thought about how tired they were, because Fr. Petroniu never sat down during the long services and vigils,” added the hierarch.
His Eminence also recalled how Fr. Petroniu Tănase always received pilgrims with great love and had “a voice that calls you to deep inner prayer, to piety.”
A beautiful handwriting
“I am convinced that there are thousands or tens of thousands of Romanians who keep in their homes blessings from Father Petroniu, who took the trouble to answer in writing to all those who sent him letters, asked him for advice or offered a penny in support of his monastic community. He had a handwriting of impeccable beauty, a rare calligraphy that he kept until old age”.
“Father Petronius remains an example for all who knew him, especially for the brothers of this skete, who enjoyed his spiritual guidance and especially the luminous model of his life as a teacher of prayer, of humility, repentance, piety and love of country,” added HE Varlaam of Ploiești.
Proposed for canonization
“The message that Father Petroniu gives us on this important day is to follow the example of our teachers, who have been our light. He has convinced generations that he is truly a light set in the candlestick to enlighten all,” the hierarch said, recalling the request of the Romanian Patriarchate to the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the canonization of the Romanian elder.
“Through the initiative of Patriarch Daniel, the light of his life is placed in the candlestick of the calendar to illuminate from now on all Christians”.
The hierarch noted that there are numerous testimonies about other Romanian Athonite ascetics and that there will be similar canonization efforts.
“We are all happy to have had the opportunity and the blessing to participate in such a holy event,” said the Patriarchal Auxilary Bishop.
Father Petroniu Tănase (1914-2011) was a native of Farcașa, Neamț County, Romania. He was formed spiritually in the Neamț Monastery. He studied Theology, Mathematics and Philosophy in Bucharest, and taught Homiletics, Catechetics and Pedagogy at the Monastic Seminary of Neamt Monastery. He was persecuted by the atheistic communist regime and had to retire from Neamț to Sihăstria.
At 64, he went to the Holy Mount Athos, where he was elected abbot of the Romanian Skete Prodromu in 1984.
He passed on February 22, 2011, aged 94 and was buried in the cemetery of the skete.
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Photo credit: Trinitas TV
