Varlaam Ploieșteanul

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

• He was born on 28 October 1960, son of parents Constantin and Maria, in Știubieni, Botoșani County. At baptism, he received the name Vasile.

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 1967-1975 – attends primary and secondary school in Știubieni, Botoșani County;
• 1975-1977 – graduates the 9^th and 10^th grades at the High School in Săveni, Botoșani County;
• 1977-1982 – attends the Orthodox Theological Seminary in Neamț Monastery, Neamț County;
• 1982-1983 – fulfils the military service with reduced term;
• 1983-1987 – studies at the Orthodox Theological Institute of University Degree in Bucharest;
• 1987-1990 – attends doctoral studies at the Orthodox Theological Institute of University Degree in Bucharest;
• 1990-2013 – lecturer at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Dumitru Stăniloae” in Jassy;
• October 1991 – May 1992: attends specialization courses at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey – Geneva (Switzerland);
• 9 August 1998 – is tonsured a monk by Archim. Clement Haralam, exarch of the monasteries of the Archdiocese of Jassy, at Neamț Monastery;
• 12 August 1998 – is ordained hierodeacon by His Eminence Daniel, Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bucovina, at Neamț Monastery, then ordained hieromonk and made protosyncellus at the Secu Monastery, on 19 August 1998;
• 1998-2009 – Protosyncellus of the Archdiocese of Jassy;
• 25 February 2001 – is elevated to the rank of archimandrite at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Jassy, by His Eminence Daniel, Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bucovina;
• 2003 – defends his doctoral thesis at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Dumitru Stăniloae” in Jassy, entitled: Spiritualitate și istorie pe teritoriul României în epoca bizantină și postbizantină (Spirituality and History on Romanian Territory in Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Times), under the guidance of acad. Emilian Popescu;
• April – June 2004: attends specialization courses at Stephen’s College – Oxford, UK;
• October 2008: participates in the course Byzantine Spirituality in Asia Minor and the Balkans, organized by Bakke Graduate University, Seattle, in Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania;
• 29 October 2009 – is elected Patriarchal Assistant-Bishop, with the title Ploieșteanul (of Ploiești), being consecrated on 20 December 2009;
• Since 11 March 2013 he has been Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church.