Teodor M. Popescu (en)

he following day—though I cannot recall the reason—I missed the afternoon meeting. That evening, however, brought an unexpected surprise: at the Patriarch’s recommendation, the Synod had promoted me to assistant professor at the Theological Institute, granting me the freedom to choose my own chair. This advancement was far beyond anything I could have imagined. (…) Professor Cristescu was only a year or two away from retirement, and I decided, in the meantime, to work in the Department of Universal Church History under Professor Teodor M. Popescu—a man of immense character and exceptional moral integrity, as well as a distinguished scholar. […]

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MILITARY TRIBUNAL OF THE SECOND MILITARY REGION College of Merits – Case No. 1455/59 JUDGMENT NO. 118 On 2 June 1959, the Military Tribunal of the Second Military Region convened in open session to hear the case of POPESCU TEODOR, born on 9 June 1893 in Contești, Titu district, Bucharest region, son of Marin and Safta, last residence Bucharest, 84 Trotuș Street, Grivița Roșie district, teacher at the Theological Institute, married, no children, Doctor of Theology, charged under Article 193/1, paragraph 2, of the Criminal Code. The tribunal panel consisted of: President: Lt. Colonel of Justice Emil HirschJudges: Major of […]

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Defendant: Popescu Teodor, born 9 June 1893 in com. Contești, Titu district, son of Marin and Safta, teacher; last residence: Bucharest, 84 Trotuș Street. Date and Place: 18 March 1959, Bucharest. Interrogation commenced at 9:?? and ended at ??:??. Question: Does this document reflect any criminal activity you carried out against the revolutionary movement? Answer: I engaged in anti-communist activity many years ago[1], but I began to actively express these ideas around 1934, during a lecture I delivered at the Dalles Hall entitled “The Christian Mission of the State.” In this lecture, I addressed various issues concerning the importance and […]

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The Meeting – 25 November 1958 With Captain Coman Nicolae and source “Prundeanu David” TOP SECRET NOTES Professor Teodor M. Popescu of the Theological Institute of Bucharest has been known to the source since 1931, when he was a student. He was always regarded as a serious and diligent teacher of theological students. He is a native of Contești commune, Titu district [1], Bucharest region, where he also owns a farm he visits during the summer. In addition to his teaching duties, he serves as etropist at the Church of St. Mary – under Patriarch Miron – located behind the […]

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Sheet 131 / 22 September 1949 Teodor M. Popescu was born on 9 June 1893, in Boteni commune, Dâmbovița County. He graduated from the Central Seminary in Bucharest in 1913 and subsequently enrolled in the Faculty of Theology, completing his studies in 1919. He furthered his education abroad, attending the universities of Athens, Leipzig, and Paris. At the time, he was domiciled at 84 Trotuș Street. In December 1925, he was appointed professor at the Faculty of Theology in Chișinău. In 1927, he was transferred to the Faculty of Theology in Bucharest, where he held the chair of History of […]

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“The Great Unordained Priest” This is the title by which Patriarch Teoctist referred to the renowned Teodor M. Popescu, one of the most distinguished professors of church history in Romanian theology. His life and work exemplify the universal priesthood that every Christian receives through Baptism, expressed through the cultivation of virtues. Historical records and surviving writings reveal a man who transformed his theological vocation into a practically sacramental ministry—a theology grounded in careful, deliberate words and a life devoted to spiritual growth. Many Romanian intellectuals, particularly theological professors, suffered under the communist regime, including Mircea Vulcănescu, Nichifor Crainic, and Radu […]

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The earliest documentary evidence indicating that Professor Teodor M. Popescu was under surveillance by the communist political police dates from 1946. On 30 January 1946, the General Directorate of Police “ordered an investigation into the antecedents and current political activity of the named Teodor Popescu, professor at the Faculty of Theology in Bucharest.” The subsequent investigation concluded that he “is not registered and does not belong to any political organisation. He is known to colleagues and students as a peaceful and devoted man of the Orthodox faith. The above-named is not known in the safety records of this prefecture. He […]

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Teodor M. Popescu: Life, Faith, and Perseverance under Oppression Teodor M. Popescu was born on 9 June 1893 in the village of Boteni, Conțești commune, Dâmbovița County, to peasant parents. From 1900 to 1905 he attended the primary school in his native village, and from 1905 to 1913 he studied at the Central Seminary in Bucharest. In 1919, he earned a degree in theology, followed by a doctorate in theology from Athens in 1922, where he also served as an interpreter at the Romanian legation (1921–1922). He pursued further specialization at the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy, University of Leipzig […]

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Professor of Church History at the Faculty of Theology in Bucharest. An admirable man, scholar, historian, a sincere believer to whom the dungeon brought him close to death. (Ioan Ianolide – Return to Christ. Document for a New World, Bonifaciu Publishing House, Bucharest, 2012, p. 330)

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