Repose of Metropolitan Vlasie (Mogârzan) of Romania

(Source: Fr Marco Giorgi) Metropolitan Vlasie of Romania, the fourth Metropolitan of the True (Old Calendar) Orthodox Church of Romania, was given funeral rites Tuesday by Metropolitan Demosten and buried at the Monastery of Slătioara.

Born in Slatina on October 8,1941, the future Metropolitan was baptized with the name Vasile. He entered the monastic life at a young age, joining the Slătioara monastery under the abbacy of Hieroschemamonk David (Bidascu), whose own name is tied to the life and sufferings of St. Glycherie. He was tonsured a monastic by St. Glycherie himself in 1968 and was ordained a priest by Metropolitan Silvestru. He became Abbot of the Monastery in 1984, and refused to bow to the requests of the communists to remove monks under the age of 50 from the Monastery. A year later, he was elevated to the episcopate by Metropolitan Silvestru and Bishop Demosten.

He received educational certification from the Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies in Etna, California.

For a short period before his death, he was embattled under accusation of impropriety towards the faith (from March of this year) and was removed by the Synod. Before his death, he made peace with Metropolitan Demosten and the Synod and was buried in his rightful place, at the monastery of Slătioara he called home for over 50 years. Memory eternal!