Priest Gheorghe Calciu Dumitreasa, a fierce opponent of the communist rule, died on Tuesday in the United States, at 81. The priest was born on Nov.23, 1925. He served two sentences under the communist rule, over 1948-1964 and 1979-1984.
After a general amnesty in 1964, he was released. He studied Philology and Theology, and was anointed priest. He was barred to take his doctor’s degree by communist authorities.
He taught at the Orthodox Theological Seminary in Bucharest.
Because of his sermons, he was sentenced again in 1979, prompting protests from Romanian exiles. After much international pressure, he was released from prison in 1984 and in 1985 he was asked to leave Romania for good.
In the United States, Priest Calciu preached at the Romanian Orthodox Church in Washington D.C.
He has recently come several times to Romania to attend religious events. ROMPRES
