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Veniamin

Bishop of Southern Bessarabia
PS Veniamin

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

  • He was born on 11 June 1975, son of Ion and Evdochia Goreanu, in Puhoi commune, Anenii Noi rayon, Republic of Moldova. He was baptized Veaceslav.

 

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • 1982-1990 – attended primary and secondary school in his native commune Puhoi, Ialoveni rayon, Republic of Moldova;
  • 1990-1995 – attends the Orthodox Theological Seminary “Veniamin Costachi” at Neamț Monastery;
  • 1995-1999 – attends the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Justinian the Patriarch” in Bucharest, specializing in Pastoral Theology, graduating in 1999 with an overall average of 9.45, with the defence of the bachelor’s thesis on The Meaning of Human and Christian Existence;
  • 1997-2003 – Attended the Faculty of Law of the University of Bucharest, finalized by the submission of the dissertation – The Legal Regime of Churches in the European Union;
  • 1998-2002 – Attended the Faculty of Political and Administrative Sciences of the University of Bucharest, where he presented his bachelor’s thesis – The Life, Work and Political Activity of Petre Mavrogheni;
  • 1999-2000 – Post-graduate studies at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Justinian the Patriarch” in Bucharest, specializing in Doctrine and Culture, completed by the dissertation entitled The Concept of Sofia in the work The Pillar and Foundation of Truth by the Theologian Pavel Florenski;
  • 1999-2000 – works as a volunteer religious education teacher at the elementary school in the village of Socoleni and at the secondary school in the village of Cobusca Noua, Anenii Noi rayon, Republic of Moldova;
  • 2000-2002 – PhD studies at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Justinian the Patriarch” in Bucharest, specializing in Canon Law;
  • 2000-2003 – lecturer at the Academy of Theology in Chișinău (Republic of Moldova), for the subjects Dogmatics and Christian Art;
  • 2003-2005 – he holds the position of Eparchial Inspector at the Education Sector of the Romanian Patriarchate;
  • 2004-2005 – pursued advanced studies at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey (Switzerland);
  • 2004-2005 – Attends Master’s courses at the Faculty of Law and Administrative Sciences, “Ovidius” University, Constanța, Department of Canon Law and European Institutions;
  • 1 April 2005 – joins the Antim Monastery in Bucharest;
  • 2005-2008 – he was appointed Eparchial Inspector at External Communities Sector of the Romanian Patriarchate;
  • 2006 – defends his doctoral thesis at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “St. Apostle Andrew” of the University “Ovidius”, Constanța, entitled: The Orthodox Church and Its Canonical Unity. Foundations and Testimonies of the Canonical Tradition and Contemporary Ecclesiological-Canonical Reality, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Nicolae Dură, receiving Summa cum laude honour;
  • 5 December 2007 – he was tonsured into monasticism in the church of the Ascension of the Lord at Neamț Monastery, receiving the name Veniamin;
  • 7 January 2008 – he was ordained hierodeacon at Antim Monastery, by His Grace Ciprian Câmpineanul, Patriarchal Assistant-Bishop;
  • 17 January 2008 – he was ordained hieromonk for Antim Monastery, by His Grace Ciprian Câmpineanul, Patriarchal Assistant-Bishop;
  • 29 February 2008 – ordained a spiritual father by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel;
  • 1 April 2008 – 12 May 2009 – Secretary at the Office of the Holy Synod;
  • 25 December 2008 – ordained as a protosyncellus in the Patriarchal Cathedral, for Antim Monastery, by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel;
  • 2009-2017 – participates in the Special Commissions for the amendment of the Statutes for the organization and functioning of the Romanian Orthodox Church and for the elaboration of the Regulations for the organization and functioning of the Committee for Church Painting, the Regulations for the discipline of the clergy;
  • 15 January 2009 – 25 May 2018 – Coordinator Priest at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Spyridon the New, Patriarchal Chapel, in Bucharest;
  • 12 May 2009 – 1 December 2015 – Church Administrative Counsellor at the Archdiocese of Bucharest;
  • 1 October 2010 – 2018 – filled the position of lecturer for the discipline of Ecclesiastical Law at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Justinian the Patriarch” of the University of Bucharest;
  • 28 November 2010 – was ordained archimandrite by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen in Bucharest;
  • 2012-2016 – Alternate member of the Higher Monastic Consistory of the Church, on behalf of the Metropolis of Muntenia and Dobrudja;
  • 1 December 2015 – 25 May 2018 – holds the position of Patriarchal Counsellor at the Office of the Holy Synod;
  • 24 May 2018 – elected by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church as Bishop of Southern Bessarabia;
  • 26 May 2018 – he is ordained hierarch by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, together with a group of hierarchs (His Eminence Petru Păduraru, Metropolitan of Bessarabia, His Eminence Casian Crăciun, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of the Lower Danube, His Eminence Galaction Stângă, Bishop of Alexandria and Teleorman, His Grace Varlaam of Ploiești, Patriarchal Assistant-Bishop, His Grace Ieronim of Sinai, Patriarchal Assistant-Bishop, and His Grace Timotei of Prahova, Assistant-Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bucharest) in the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest.