Irineu

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

• He was born on November 16, 1957, son of Gheorghe and Maria Popa, in Perișani, Vâlcea County. He was baptized Ion.

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 1965-1973 – Pupil at primary school in Perișani, Vâlcea County;
• 1975-1980 – student at the Orthodox High Theological Seminary “St. Gregory the Theologian” in Craiova;
• 1981-1985 – studies at the Theological Institute of University Degree in Bucharest, obtaining the Bachelor’s degree in Theology with the thesis Cunoașterea lui Dumnezeu și ideea de epectază la Sfântul Grigorie de Nyssa (The Knowledge of God and the idea of epectasis in St. Gregory of Nyssa);
• 1985-1986 – PhD studies at the Theological Institute of University Degree in Bucharest, History Department, specializing in Patrology;
• 1986-1987 – Attended courses in French language and literature at the Faculty of Letters in Grenoble (France);
• 1986-1990 – Doctoral studies at the Saint Serge Institute in Paris, specializing in Dogmatics;
• 1990 – defends his doctoral thesis at the Saint Serge Institute in Paris, entitled: La personne et la communion des personnes dans la Théologie de Saint Basile le Grand, receiving the magna cum laude honor;
• 1990-1991 – attends courses in Biblical Archaeology at the Institute of Biblical Archaeology in Tantur, Jerusalem (Israel);
• 1990-1991 – works as Professor of Universal Church History at the “Saint Serge” Institute in Paris (France);
• 6 September 1991 – was elected by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church as Assistant-Bishop of the Diocese of Râmnic, with the title of Slătineanul, and on 6 October 1991 was ordained by His Eminence Nestor Vornicescu, Metropolitan of Oltenia;
• 1991-1994 – Professor of the History of Byzantine Culture and Civilization at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Craiova, by transfer from the “Saint Serge” Institute in Paris;
• 1994-1997 – Professor of Dogmatic Theology and Ethical Theology at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Craiova;
• 1997 – appointed full professor within the Department of Dogmatic Theology at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Craiova;
• 1999-2001 – Professor of Ethical Theology at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Andrei Șaguna” in Sibiu;
• 2002-2005 – doctoral studies at the University of Law “Nicolae Titulescu” in Craiova, specializing in Civil Law;
• Since 2004 – Head of Department at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Craiova;
• 2005 – Doctorate in Civil Law, with a doctoral thesis entitled: Raportul dintre preceptele morale creștine și normele juridice (The relationship between Christian moral precepts and legal norms), defended at the “Nicolae Titulescu” Faculty of Law in Craiova, under the supervision of acad. Ion Dogaru, graduating Cum laude;
• 2008-2016 – Dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Craiova;
• 8 July 2008 – was elected by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church as Archbishop of Craiova and Metropolitan of Oltenia, being enthroned on 27 July 2008 by His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Craiova;
• Since 2009 he has been the doctoral supervisor for the discipline of Dogmatic Theology and Orthodox Spirituality at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Craiova.