Visarion Puiu - un ierarh al românilor de pretutindeni
Visarion Puiu - a hierarch of the Romanians abroad

Summary/Abstract: Visarion Puiu - a hierarch of the Romanians abroad. Visarion Puiu (1879-19640) was a hierarch well-known by the Romanians abroad, a hierarch that reached the high ecclesiastic see of Metropolitan Bishop of Bucovina. His destiny was a pattern. The cycle of his life of the deeds and events in which he was involved and his connections with all the Romanian communities qualify him to the title of ”hierarch of the Romanians abroad”. He was elected as Bishop of Arges in 1921 and from 1923 he was Bishop of Hotin, until 1935,when he was elected as Metropolitan Bishop of Bucovina, with his residence in the city of Cernauti. His achievements in Bassarabia were: the construction of the Cathedral in Balti, the Episcopal Palace, schools and printing house the sanatorim, the central park, the water delivery and energy supply, the sewerage of the city and the development of the railway transportation in Balti. Then, in Cernauti he built the Palace of Culture and canteens for the workers. He rebuilt Vatra Dornei resort, and for this he was appreciated by king Charles II (1930-1940), when His Majesty made some visits in the area. The events in 1944, found him across the border. He remained in Paris from 1949, and founded there the first Orthodox Bishopric in Western Europe, an opponent to the communist regime. Under the communist pressure, he was sentenced to death on February 21, 1946 and the Holy Synod was forced to defrock him on February 28, 1950. This act was canceled by the Orthodox Church on September 25, 1990. Since then, many different manifestations and scientific sessions rendered homage to his personality.

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