I'd like to submit Fr. George Calciu...
what follows is a little about him:
Fr. Deacon Raphael gave me the sad news from November 21st today.
"The Archpriest George (Calciu), confessor of Christ Jesus, reposed a few moments ago in Fairfax Hospital. Fr George was Pastor of Holy Cross Romanian Orthodox Church in Alexandria and father confessor to many. He had been imprisoned twice in communist Romania (in Pitesti, the most notorious of prison-camps) for preaching the Word of Salvation. (The dictator Nicolae Ceausescu had declared Fr George his “personal enemy”.) He preached at Holy Cross in Linthicum a couple of years ago as we celebrated our Patronal Feast together and we will always remember his deep commitment to the Holy Church, devotion to the Fathers, and sheer joy in the life in Jesus Christ. As you pray for the repose of the soul of Fr George, please also remember his wife, Adriana, their son and grandson, and as well as all of Fr George’s spiritual children."
(from Neepeople)
Fr. George was very, very special to me. I met him on more than one occasion and he personally counseled me in my journey. He encouraged me to become Orthodox.
"Christ is calling you Seraphim. He loves you"
Here is the photo from the last time I saw him, in his parish in Fairfax:
"O Master, Lord our God, Who in Thy wisdom hast created man, and didst honor him with Thy Divine image, and place in him the spirit of life, and lead him into this world, bestowing on him the hope of resurrection and life everlasting; and after he had violated Thy commandments, Thou O Gracious lover of mankind, didst descend to the earth that Thou mightest renew again the creation of Thy hands. Therefore we pray Thee, O All-Holy Master give rest to the souls of Thy servants Fr. George, in a place of brightness, a place of green pasture, a place of repose, and, in that they have sinned in word, or deed or thought forgive them: For Thou art a good God and lovest mankind and unto Thee do we ascribe Glory, together with Thy Father, Who is from everlasting and Thine All-Holy and good, and ever giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen."
We have lost a living saint.
Memory Eternal. Fr. George, pray for us!
Any other candidates? Votes?
3 comments:
Seraphim,
A great man. But he is not glorified a Saint yet. I submit Herman of Alaska.....of course I am pretty biased right now!
Fr. Stephen Freeman mentioned him in connection to Kh. Frederica's tribute. You were blessed to have him as a spiritual father, Seraphim.
I would certainly second St. Herman of Alaska. His way of approaching the native culture of Alaska, in respect and compassion, is an example for us as we try to do the same with our own culture (which often seems foreign to me).
I didn't think of that Gina. My thought was that he is American, BUT you are absolutley right, his missiology is key. He wnet to the natives and respected theri culture, and showed them how their culture points to God. Thats should guide us in our interaction with PoMo.
Seraphim, you were blessed to walk in the presence of a living Saint. I missed out. I want to see Fr. Roman Braga in MI as he is ailing from what I understand.
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