Bishop Emilian of Crișan, auxiliary bishop of the Holy Archdiocese of Arad, fell asleep in the Lord on Friday, 26 June 2026, at the age of 54.
The hierarch was born on 12 February 1972 in Berezeni, Vaslui County, receiving at baptism the name Vlad. He entered monastic life at the Holy Neamț Monastery at the age of 17, where he was tonsured a monk on 1 September 1989.
He studied at the “Beniamin Costachi” Theological Seminary of Neamț Monastery, and in 1991, he was tonsured into the great schema, receiving the name Emilian. In the same year, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and in 1995 a hieromonk. At the same time, he undertook various obediences at Neamț Monastery, including that of chief churchwarden, and became noted for his strictness and organizational spirit.
In 1998, he was granted the rank of protosyncellus by Metropolitan Daniel of Moldavia and Bukovina, now Patriarch of Romania, and in 2004, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
Academic path
He continued his academic formation at “Ovidius” University in Constanța, where he studied Theology and History, followed by postgraduate studies in medieval history.
For several years, he worked at the Episcopal Center of Iași, served as spiritual father of the “Dumitru Stăniloae” Orthodox Theological Faculty, and was a university lecturer. In 2008, he defended his doctoral dissertation entitled “The Metropolis of Moldavia and Suceava: The Archdiocese of Iași in the First Half of the 20th Century (1900–1948),” under the supervision of the scholar Emilian Popescu.
On 29 October 2009, he was elected Vicar Bishop of the Archdiocese of Râmnic, with the title of Lovişteanul, and was consecrated bishop on 14 November 2009 by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, together with His Eminence Irineu of Oltenia and His Eminence Gherasim of Râmnic.
Auxiliary Bishop of the Holy Archdiocese of Arad
After nearly eight years of ministry in Râmnic, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church elected him on 4 July 2017 as auxiliary bishop of the Holy Archdiocese of Arad, with the title of Crișan. His enthronement took place on 16 July 2017 at the Cathedral of “Saint John the Baptist” in Arad.
Alongside his pastoral and administrative work, he continued his academic activity. He served as associate professor at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Craiova, as visiting professor at the Theological Faculties of Iași and Arad, and in 2020, he was awarded the title of associate professor and habilitated doctor at the Doctoral School of the “Ilarion V. Felea” Faculty of Theology in Arad.
Throughout his ministry, His Eminence Emilian was distinguished for his love for the Church, his pastoral, cultural, and academic work, his closeness to monks, clergy, students, and faithful, as well as for his contribution to promoting the spiritual and historical values of Romanian Orthodoxy.
Further details regarding the funeral service will be announced in due course.
Photo: basilica.ro archive
Source: basilica.ro
