Valea Mănăstirii, Romania, September 30, 2021
Elder Dometie (L), Elder Serafim (R). Photo: basilica.ro
Yesterday, OrthoChristian reported that the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church will examine materials for the possible canonization of Protosyncellus Fr. Calistrat (Bobu) (†1975) and Fr. Ilarion Felea (†1961).
And following the session of the Metropolitan Synod of Transylvania on Tuesday, the Holy Synod will also consider the canonization of two disciples of the highly venerated Elder Arsenie (Boca), reports the Basilica News Agency.
The hierarchs of Transylvania proposed Elder Arsenie himself for canonization in 2019. At their session this week at Râmeț Monastery in Valea Mănăstirii, the hierarchs examined the proposals for the canonization of Elders Dometie (Manolache) from Râmeț and Serafim (Popescu) from Sâmbăta de Sus.
The hierarchs, each of whom contributed unique information to the two proposals, resolved to send the materials on to the Synod representing the entire Romanian Church.
After the meeting, the hierarchs served a memorial service at the tomb of Elder Dometie near the old church of Râmeț Monastery.
In February, the Romanian Synod announced that it intends to canonize a dozen elders and confessors who suffered under communism in 2025 to mark the 140th anniversary of autocephaly and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Patriarchate.
Five names were previously revealed: Elder Cleopa (Ilie), Fr. Dumitru Stăniloae, Elder Gherasim (Iscu), Elder Paisie (Olaru), and Elder Dionisie (Ignat).
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Elder Dometie (Manolache) is considered one of the greatest Romanian elders of the 20th century. Fr. Dumitru Stăniloae called him “a hero of the faith, a soul of great holiness and purity.”
Fr. Dometie was born on October 15, 1924, in Buzău County. In 1945, he graduated from the seminary in Buzău at the top of his class. He continued his theological studies in Bucharest.
In 1949, he joined Prislop Monastery, having Fr. Arsenie (Boca) as his monastic Godfather. In 1959, he moved to Râmeț Monastery to help consolidate the monastic life. He reposed in the Lord on July 6, 1975.
Elder Serafim (Popescu) was born in 1912 in Totoi, Alba County. He graduated from the Theological Academy in Sibiu in 1936, and then continued his theological studies in Chernivtsi.
After a short time in Greece, he returned to Romania, to Brâncoveanu Monastery at Sâmbăta de Sus, where he was tonsured a monk in April 1941, and where he served as abbot from 1944 to 1954. He reposed in the Lord on December 20, 1990.
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