Father Enache Graur in the communist dungeons
He was born on 21 March 1909 in Străoanele de Sus, Vrancea County. He attended the St. George Theological Seminary in Roman and graduated from the Faculty of Theology in Cernăuți in 1936.
After completing his seminary studies, he was ordained a priest in the parish of Bou, Viișoara village, Păunești commune. After 14 years of service in this parish, Father Graur was transferred to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Focșani.
On 28 April 1949, he was arrested by the communist authorities on the pretext of being involved in the anti-communist armed resistance in the Vrancea Mountains. After a lengthy investigation, he was sentenced by the Galați Military Tribunal to 18 years’ hard labour for “sedition against the social order”, under no. 663/1950.
He passed through the prisons and work colonies of Galați, Poarta Albă, Baia Sprie, Cavnic, Oradea, Aiud, Botoșani, and was released from the Văcărești hospital prison on 11 April 1964.
From 1 February 1965, he served in the parish of Biliești, Jud. Vrancea, then, on 1 August 1968, he was transferred to Săpunaru Church in Focșani.
He retired on 1 September 1987 and died on 23 December 1991.
(Adrian Nicolae Petcu – Ziarul Lumina)