The mystery of absolute selfless sacrifice: humanity has no uniform
Puiu Berianu comes from Cugir. After the fall of communism, he attempted to escape to the West. He reached Czechoslovakia, where he was discovered and returned to Romania. Investigated and sentenced to prison, he endured about three years behind bars before finally returning home, marrying, and having a child.
A fighter by nature, Berianu did not remain passive. He gathered a group of young people around him, striving to instill in them the credo of heroic Romanianism. In a time of heightened proletarian vigilance, such activity could not go unnoticed. Once again, Puiu Berianu found himself in prison, now alongside his young followers.
In his cell, he walked with an unusual rhythm and recounted memories of his adventurous life. One story, in particular, stands out—not only for its extraordinary nature but for its profound moral significance. It illustrates, through a nearly unique case, a previously unexplored dimension of the human soul: the mystery of entirely selfless sacrifice. It is a lesson in morality rarely offered in our age and one that deserves a place in textbooks:
After his arrest, Berianu was taken to the Securitate cellar in Oradea. The conditions of detention and interrogation were appalling. Exhausted from beatings and hunger, he could barely walk when summoned for questioning. All hope seemed lost. He knew well who the Communists were and what they were capable of. His mere attempt to flee to the West was interpreted as the act of a grand spy. He had fallen into the clutches of the Red pack.
Yet, in the midst of these beasts, a man appeared—a man among the monsters! It seemed impossible. And yet it was true: a strange, uninvolved, and discreetly courageous man was secretly helping him. The guardian, dressed in the garb of cruelty, displayed humanity—proof that humanity wears no uniform.
Overwhelmed by this incomprehensible kindness, Berianu, one day as the guard closed the door behind him and slipped him a piece of bread as usual, whispered in a trembling voice:
– Sir, tell me your name so that one day I can repay you!”
The stranger, who had performed an act of generosity perhaps greater than even a brother might have dared in the same situation, replied:
– Never mind, but don’t forget that I have four children!”
The door closed slowly, leaving Berianu in darkness, his face flooded with tears. For a moment, it seemed as though light had pierced the catacomb. It was as if lightning had struck from the heavens.
Will the children of this unknown hero ever know that their father committed this deed of incredible generosity—an act infinitely valuable because of the immense risk it entailed, yet one that preserved the dignity of humanity in a time of sheer bestiality?
(Fr. Liviu Brânzaș – Ray from the Catacomb)