Casian

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

• He was born on 18 March 1955, to parents Vasile and Rada Crăciun, in Lopătari, Buzău County. He was baptized Costică.

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 1962-1970: attended secondary school in Lopătari, Buzău County;
• 1970-1975: he attended the Orthodox Theological Seminary “Chesarie Episcopul” in Buzău, where he graduated with honours;
• 1976-1980: attends the Orthodox Theological Institute of University Level in Bucharest, graduating as a prize-winner with the thesis: Biserica – locaş de închinare în tâlcuirea principalilor scriitori bisericeşti şi patristici (The Church – Place of Worship in the Interpretation of the Main Ecclesiastical and Patristic Writers), under the guidance of Rev. Prof. Dr. Ene Braniște;
• 1980-1985: he works as a teacher at the Orthodox Theological Seminary “Chesarie Episcopul” in Buzău;
• 20 December 1980: he was tonsured a monk at Ciolanu Monastery, and on 21 December 1980 he was ordained as a hieromonk at the Episcopal Cathedral of Buzău, by His Eminence Antonie Plămădeală, Bishop of Buzău;
• 1981-1984: attends doctoral courses at the University of Human Sciences “Strasbourg II”, as a scholarship holder of the French Government, with the blessing of His Eminence Antonie Plămădeală, Metropolitan of Transylvania (Ardeal);
• 1984: he obtains the Diploma of Advanced Studies in Theology and the Diploma of Graduation of the International Institute of French Language and defends his doctoral thesis at the University “Strasbourg II”, entitled: Icoana şi frescele exterioare ale mănăstirilor moldovene – încercare de prezentare a raporturilor dintre ele (The Icon and the Exterior Frescoes of the Moldavian Monasteries – An Attempt to Present the Relationship between Them);
• 1984-1986 – doctoral studies at the University Theological Institute in Bucharest;
• 10 November 1985: he is ordained a hieromonk in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sibiu, by His Eminence Antonie Plămădeală, Metropolitan of Transylvania, then ordained as a protosyncellus at the Monastery of Sâmbăta de Sus and as an archimandrite in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sibiu;
• 1985-1988: assistant professor and spiritual father at the University Theological Institute of Sibiu;
• 23 September 23 1986: he obtained the title of Doctor of Theology in France through a comprehensive examination of admissibility and the defense of his thesis in Romanian, entitled Icoana și frescele esterni ale mănăstirti monastiunile moldovene – încercare de prezentare a raporturilor dintre ei (The Icon and the Exterior Frescoes of the Moldavian Monasteries – An Attempt to Present the Relationship between Them), at the Orthodox Theological Institute of University Level in Bucharest;
• 1988-1990: assistant professor at the Theological Institute of University Level in Bucharest and as patriarchal inspector for under-graduate theological education in the Romanian Orthodox Church;
• Since 1990 he has been rapporteur of the Theological, Liturgical and Didactic Commission of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church;
• 18 February 1990: He is ordained hierarch, with the title „of Galați” (Gălățeanul), in the church of St. Nicholas in Galați, by His Eminence Antim Nica, Archbishop of Tomis and Lower Danube, together with a group of hierarchs (His Grace Lucian Florea, Assistant-Bishop of the Archdiocese of Tomis and Lower Danube, and His Grace Gherasim Cucoșel, Assistant-Bishop of the Diocese of Buzău);
• 12 July 1994: elected Bishop of the Diocese of Lower Danube and canonically installed on 24 July 1994, in the Episcopal Cathedral of Galați, by His Beatitude Teoctist, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church;
• 2000-2005: Professor at the Faculty of Letters and Theology, “Lower Danube” University, Galați;
• Since 2005 – Professor of Liturgy and Christian Spirituality at the Faculty of History, Philosophy and Theology of the University of “Lower Danube”, Galați;
• 27 September 2009: receives, on the basis of Decision no. 3621/2009 of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the title of Archbishop of Lower Danube, with the elevation of the Diocese of Lower Danube to the rank of Archdiocese, being installed in the Archiepiscopal Cathedral of Galați.