Bistrița Monastery

Studia Humanitatis No. II (XX) / 2025 Where did Bishop Climent of Râmnic (1735–1749) stay when he took refuge in the Lotru Mountains? Fr. Nicolae Moga

Bishop Climent of Râmnic (head of the diocese between 1735 and 1748) is examined in the context of the Austro-Russian-Turkish War of 1737–1739, when he took refuge in the Lotru Mountains and the episcopal residence was burnt down by the Turks. A Holy Gospel printed in 1746 and donated to the church in Voineasa suggests that the village in the Lotru Valley was his place of refuge during his exile.

Studia Humanitatis No. I (XIX) / 2025 Bishop Iosif Gafton, a gentle and capable hierarch (1949–1984) Rev. Dr. Laurențiu Rădoi

This article presents the life and work of Bishop Iosif Gafton (1896–1984), from his origins in a priest’s family in Puțeni-Tecuci, through his parish ministry in Rotari and Bucharest, to his long tenure as Archbishop of the Diocese of Râmnic and Argeș, highlighting his administrative, pastoral, homiletic and cultural achievements throughout his 40 years in office.

Studia Humanitatis No. I (XVII) / 2024 Ghenadie Georgescu – a hierarch close to his priests Rev. Dr. Laurențiu Rădoi

Bishop Ghenadie Georgescu (1855–1912) led the Diocese of Râmnic between 1909 and 1912, distinguishing himself through systematic canonical visits to all the counties of Oltenia, the founding of the diocesan magazine Luminătorul, the organisation of pastoral conferences, the consecration of dozens of new churches and numerous philanthropic endeavours. The article traces the life and work of this little-known hierarch, from his training as a priest-teacher and pastor of the Romanian Orthodox community in Paris, right up to his untimely death, highlighting his contribution to the revival of spiritual life in Oltenia.

Studia Humanitatis No. II (XVI) / 2023 Vartolomeu Stănescu – a revered hierarch and patriotic senator (II) Rev. Dr. Laurențiu Rădoi

The work of Bishop Vartolomeu Stănescu of Râmnic in the Romanian Senate is examined through his speeches and parliamentary questions concerning education reform, clergy salaries, the withdrawal of priests from politics and the rights of the Orthodox Church, portraying a hierarch with a vast theological and philosophical knowledge, held in high regard by figures such as Nae Ionescu, Nichifor Crainic and Octavian Goga.

Studia Humanitatis No. I (XIII) / 2022 The ‘Saint Procopius’ Hermitage in Bistrița – Vâlcea Archimandrite Veniamin Micle

The article investigates the veneration of Saint Procopius the Great Martyr in medieval Wallachia and Moldova, focusing on churches and monasteries founded by Romanian voivodes — including Stephen the Great and Basarab I — following military victories. Central to the study is the identification of the Battle of Posada (1330) site with the Bistrița Gorge in Vâlcea, supported by Hungarian chronicles, diplomatic documents, and the existence of a hermitage dedicated to Saint Procopius founded there before Bistrița Monastery.

Studia Humanitatis No. I (XIII) / 2022 The hermitage at Pietrari, founded by Bishop Climent of Râmnic Prof. Dr. Florin Epure

The Buna-Vestire Hermitage in Pietrarii de Jos (Vâlcea County), founded in 1742 by Bishop Climent of Râmnic (1735–1749) together with his brothers, is presented in its entirety from an architectural, artistic and documentary perspective: the inscriptions, the post-Brâncoveanu frescoes executed in 1744 by Popa Gheorghe and his brothers, the founder’s votive painting, the history of the property and its endowments, as well as the biography of Bishop Climent.

Colloquium No. I (XI) / 2021 Interview with the Most Reverend Father Archimandrite Veniamin Micle Fr. Constantin Olariu

The interview conducted by Fr. Constantin Olariu with Father Veniamin addresses the deification of man, unceasing prayer and the Hesychast tradition in Romanian monasticism, with particular reference to Bistrița Monastery and the intercessions of Saint Gregory the Decapolite; the reader comes to understand that prayer, rooted in the teachings of the Holy Fathers, is man’s living and continuous communion with God.

Studia Humanitatis No. II (VI) / 2018 Bishop Teofil, a distinguished hierarch of the Church of Vâlcea (II) Rev. Dr. Laurențiu Rădoi

Metropolitan Teofil of Wallachia (†1648), Bishop of Râmnic and later Metropolitan during the reign of Matei Basarab, was a key champion of Romanian culture and language within the Church, supporting Mihail Moxalie’s translations and publications in Romanian, such as the Pravila de la Govora (1640) and the Evanghelia învățătoare (1644), and is regarded as one of the founders of the Romanian liturgical language.

Studia Humanitatis No. II (VI) / 2018 Popânzălești Monastery, founded by Saint Calinic of Cernica, Bishop of Râmnic Luiza Barcan

Popânzălești Monastery in the former county of Romanați, founded in 1678 by the logothete Hamza Popânzălescu and dedicated to Saint Gregory the Decapolite, has undergone several phases of restoration over the years, the most significant being the restoration in 1853 by Saint Calinic of Cernica, and its re-establishment as a monastery in 1992, at the suggestion of Metropolitan Nestor Vornicescu.

Studia Humanitatis No. I (V) / 2018 Bishop Theophilus of Râmnic, a distinguished hierarch of the Church of Vâlcea (I) Rev. Dr. Laurențiu Rădoi

Bishop Teofil II of Râmnic (c. late 16th century – 1637) is portrayed as a leading figure in Romanian Orthodox monasticism during the first half of the 17th century: a former abbot of Bistrița Monastery, hierarch of the diocese on the right bank of the Olt, and an active participant in the diplomatic and synodal life of Wallachia, he campaigned for the introduction of the Romanian language into church services and supported the consolidation of ecclesiastical properties, leaving numerous documentary traces in the charters of the time.

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