Gherontie Hunedoreanul

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

• He was born on June 1, 1966, son of Nechita and Elisabeta Ciupe, in Huta, Cluj County. He was baptized Gheorghe.

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 1972-1976 – attended primary school in his native Huta, Cluj County;
• 1976-1980 – attended secondary school in Strâmbu, Cluj County;
• 1980-1982 – attends the Agro-Industrial High School in Beclean, Bistrița-Năsăud County;
• 1982-1984 – student at the Professional School of Electrical Engineering, Cluj-Napoca;
• 3 June 1986 – 30 October 1987 – military training;
• 1988 – he enters Lainici Monastery, Gorj County;
• 1989-1994 – Attends the Orthodox Theological Seminary “St. Gregory the Theologian” in Craiova;
• June 24, 1990 – enters monasticism, receiving the name Gherontie;
• 14 September 1990 – ordained hierodeacon by the His Eminence Nestor Vornicescu, Metropolitan of Oltenia;
• 19 January 1992 – ordained hieromonk by His Eminence Nestor Vornicescu, Metropolitan of Oltenia;
• 1994-1998 – attends the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Craiova, completed by the defence of the licentiate thesis entitled: “Viața și activitatea Sfântului Ierarh Petru Movilă” (“Life and Work of St. Hierarch Petru Movilă”), under the guidance of His Grace Damaschin Coravu, Assistant-Bishop of the Archdiocese of Craiova;
• 1996-2010 – fulfils the office of Ecclesiarch of the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Great Martyr Demetrius, the Myrrh-gusher in Craiova;
• 26 October 1998 – is elevated to the rank of protosyncellus by His Eminence Nestor Vornicescu, Metropolitan of Oltenia;
• 23 April 2000 – elevated to the rank of archimandrite by His Eminence Nestor Vornicescu, Metropolitan of Oltenia;
• 2002-2003 – he serves as Exarch of the Monasteries of the Archdiocese of Craiova;
• 2003-2005 – fulfils the office of Eparchial Secretary of the Archdiocese of Craiova;
• 2005-2009 – he serves as Exarch of the Monasteries of the Archdiocese of Craiova;
• 2010-2018 – serves as diocesan administrative Vicar of the Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara;
• 2014-2020 – attends courses at the Doctoral School of Theology “Isidor Todoran” of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the “Babeș-Bolyai” University, Cluj-Napoca, completed by the defence of the thesis entitled: “Taina Pocăinței și Reconstrucția Sinelui” (“The Sacrament of Repentance and Reconstruction of the Self”), magna cum laude, under the guidance of Archim. Prof. Dr. Teofil Tia, on 26 February 2020;
• 2018-2021 – serves as Eparchial Counsellor at the Diocesan Centre of the Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara;
• 2021-2023 – serves as diocesan Administrative Vicar of the Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara;
• 9 February 2023 – elected Assistant-Bishop of the Diocese of Deva and Hunedoara by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, with the title of Hunedoreanul (of Hunedoara), being consecrated on 19 February 2023 by His Eminence Laurențiu, Metropolitan of Transylvania (Ardeal), at the head of a host of hierarchs.