Neamț, Romania, June 29, 2026
Photo: basilica.ro
His Grace Bishop Emilian of Crișana, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Arad, reposed in the Lord on Friday, June 26, after a prolonged illness. He was 54 years old, reports the Basilica News Agency.
His Grace’s body lay in state at the historic cathedral in Arad through Sunday, with a Vigil celebrated by a host of hierarchs, clergy, and deacons, led by His Eminence Metropolitan Ioan of Banat. Following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, his body was transferred to Neamț Monastery.
Funeral services will be held today and tomorrow at the monastery, with his burial in the monastery cemetery tomorrow.
May Bp. Emilian’s memory be eternal!
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Bp. Emilian was born on February 12, 1972, in Berezeni, Vaslui County. He entered monastic life at Neamț Monastery at the age of 17, on September 1, 1989. He completed his seminary studies at the Veniamin Costachi Theological Seminary at Neamț Monastery and was tonsured a monk in 1991, receiving the name Emilian. That same year he was ordained a hierodeacon, and in 1995 a hieromonk. He served in various obediences at Neamț Monastery, including as great ecclesiarch.
In 1998 he was elevated to the rank of protosyngellus by His Eminence Metropolitan Daniel of Moldova and Bukovina—now Patriarch of Romania—and in 2004 received the rank of archimandrite.
He pursued academic studies at Ovidius University in Constanța, where he studied theology and history, followed by a master’s degree in medieval history. He defended his doctoral dissertation in 2008, on the topic of the Metropolis of Moldova and Suceava and the Archdiocese of Iași in the first half of the 20th century. He subsequently served as a spiritual father and lecturer at the Dumitru Stăniloae Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Iași.
On October 29, 2009, he was elected Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Râmnicu and was consecrated to the episcopate on November 14, 2009.
On July 4, 2017, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church elected him Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Arad. He was installed on July 16, 2017, at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Arad. He continued his academic work alongside his pastoral and administrative duties, serving as an associate professor at theology faculties in Craiova, Iași, and Arad, and in 2020 became an associate professor at the doctoral school of the Ilarion V. Felea Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Arad.
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