Wikipedia

Draft:Atanasie (Rusnac)

His Eminence

Atanasie
ChurchRomanian Orthodox Church
ArchdioceseRomanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
ProvinceRomanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe
SeeGreat Britain and Northern Ireland
Appointed25 October 2024
Predecessor(new see)
Other postsAuxiliary Bishop of Italy, titular of Bogdania (2018–2024)
Orders
Ordination17 January 2009
Consecration1 May 2018
Personal details
BornTudor Rusnac
(1982-01-17) 17 January 1982 (age 44)
Chișinău, Moldavian SSR (now Moldova)
DenominationEastern Orthodox Church
ResidenceEnfield, London, United Kingdom
Alma materINSA Lyon
Institut de Théologie Orthodoxe Saint-Serge
Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu

Atanasie (secular name Tudor Rusnac; born 17 January 1982) is a Romanian Orthodox archbishop who serves as the first Archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He was elected by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church on 25 October 2024[1] and enthroned on 10 May 2025 at the Cathedral of Saint George the Great Martyr in Enfield, London.[2][3][4]

Trained as a telecommunications engineer at INSA Lyon in France and a former employee of BNP Paribas in Paris, Atanasie subsequently pursued Orthodox theological studies at the Institut de Théologie Orthodoxe Saint-Serge and the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu. He served as a priest and monk within the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy from 2008 to 2018, and as Auxiliary Bishop of Italy with the titular see of Bogdania from 2018 until his 2024 election to the British archdiocese.[5]

Early life and education

edit

Tudor Rusnac was born on 17 January 1982 in Chișinău, then part of the Moldavian SSR, the first of two sons of Eugen and Ala Rusnac.[5] Between August 1998 and February 1999 he undertook a high school academic exchange semester in Springfield, Louisiana, United States. In 2000 he graduated from the Republican Mathematical and Physics High School in Chișinău, having participated several times in the Physics and Mathematics Olympiads at republican, national, and international levels.[5]

From 2000 to 2005 he studied at the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon) in France, earning a Master's degree in engineering with a specialisation in telecommunications and networks. He also obtained a European Studies Certificate from INSA Lyon in 2002, and from July 2004 to January 2005 completed an IT internship at MT System in Lyon.[5]

Following his engineering studies, he pursued theological formation at the Institut de Théologie Orthodoxe Saint-Serge in Paris, graduating in 2010 with a Bachelor's degree in Orthodox pastoral theology. He subsequently earned a Master's degree in practical theology (canon law) from the Faculty of Orthodox Theology "Andrei Șaguna" at the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania, in 2012. His thesis was titled Fundamentals of Canon Theology in the Diaspora, with special reference to Italy.[5]

Engineering career

edit

From 2005 to 2008 Rusnac worked in IT and financial engineering at BNP Paribas in Paris, within the Groupe Arbitrage at the Paris Stock Exchange. During this period he concurrently began his theological studies at the Institut Saint-Serge.[5]

Monastic life and priestly ministry

edit

On 4 December 2008 he was tonsured as a rassophore at the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery — the diocesan headquarters of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy in Rome — receiving the monastic name Dionisie, in honour of Dionysius Exiguus. He was ordained a deacon on 17 January 2009 and a priest on 16 April 2009, assigned to the same church.[5]

On 21 April 2011 he was tonsured as a hieromonk at the Monastery of San Giovanni Theristis in Bivongi, Calabria, receiving the name Atanasie, in honour of Saint Athanasius the Great. He was elevated to protosyngellos on 15 August 2011 and to archimandrite on 15 August 2013 by a decision of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church (No. 7124 of 10 July 2013).[5]

From 2009 to 2018 he continued his sacerdotal ministry and pastoral care at the Dormition Monastery in Rome.[5]

Episcopal ministry

edit

Auxiliary Bishop of Italy (2018–2024)

edit

On 1 May 2018 Atanasie was consecrated as Auxiliary Bishop for the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy, with the titular see of Bogdania.[5] In this role he continued to coordinate the diocesan chancellery and carried out administrative, pastoral, and representative duties within Italy and at metropolitan level. He bade farewell to Italy in 2025 after seventeen years of ministry there.[6]

Archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (2024–present)

edit

On 25 October 2024 the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church elected Bishop Atanasie of Bogdania as the first Archbishop of the newly established Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Holy Synod decision No. 10.240 of 28 October 2024).[1][5] Speaking after his election, he described the appointment to lead the largest community of the Romanian diaspora as making him feel "grateful yet overwhelmed".[7] He began his ministry in the United Kingdom with a pastoral visit to Oxford, during which he performed a diaconal ordination.[8]

He was enthroned on 10 May 2025 at the Cathedral of Saint George the Great Martyr in Enfield, London.[2] As archbishop he has undertaken extensive pastoral activity across the United Kingdom, including a Divine Liturgy at HM Prison Maidstone in Kent,[9] the establishment of new Romanian parishes,[10] and reorganisation of educational programmes at the Glasgow Romanian parish.[11] He is a member of the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops in the British Isles and has participated in pan-Orthodox vespers hosted by the Archdiocese of Thyateira.[12]

On the occasion of the first anniversary of his enthronement in May 2026, the archdiocese held commemorative liturgies attended by clergy from across Great Britain and Northern Ireland.[13]

Administrative roles

edit

Throughout his time in Italy, Atanasie held a series of increasingly senior administrative positions within the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy:[5]

  • June 2008 – September 2009: Diocesan Secretary
  • September 2009 – February 2011: Diocesan Advisor (Church Administration Department)
  • February 2011 – February 2013: Exarch of the Monasteries
  • February 2011 – April 2018: Diocesan Vicar
  • January 2015 – April 2018: Locum tenens, Exarch of the Monasteries
  • 2009–2024: Coordinator of the Diocesan Chancellery
  • February 2012 – 2024: Coordinator of the "Holy Hierarch Nicholas" Mission for Bessarabians and Bukovinians from Northern Bukovina

Ecumenical and inter-Orthodox activity

edit

Atanasie has represented the Romanian Orthodox Church at numerous ecumenical and inter-Christian events.[5] He represented the Church at the International Meeting of all Benedictine Abbots in Rome in 2012 and 2016, and at the 15th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican in October 2018. He attended the Bose International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality in 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2024. In May 2019 he provided official translation during the visit of Pope Francis to the Patriarchal Palace and the National Cathedral in Bucharest.[5]

He is a member of the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (since 2025) and of the Commission for External Church Relations of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church (since 2025).[5]

Selected publications

edit

Atanasie has authored and edited a number of publications on theology, canon law, and the history of the Romanian Orthodox diaspora.[5]

  • Cuvinte de folos în vreme de încercare, în zece capitole, hrănitoare pentru suflet [Beneficial sayings for times of trial, in ten chapters, nourishing for the soul], Rome: Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy, 2011.
  • "Monography of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy", in Autocephaly and Responsibility, Bucharest: Basilica Publishing House of the Romanian Patriarchate, 2010.
  • "Canonical and legal particularities in the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy: the challenges of the Orthodox diaspora", in Ius Ecclesiasticum / In the life of the Church, Studia Canonica collection, Bucharest: Basilica Publishing House, 2019.
  • "Pastorship of the Romanian Orthodox from the Italian Peninsula: beginnings, requirements, continuity", in Pastorship of the Romanians outside Romania: ecclesial responsibility and ethnic unity, Bucharest, 2021.
  • "The Church in the Italian Diaspora: encounter with Christ and self-finding", in Romanian Diaspora: testimonies and evocations, Suceava: Crimca Publishing House, 2021.
  • "Orthodox Monasticism: essential aspect of the mission in the West", in Ways of organisation and functionality of Orthodox Monasticism: a two-millennia tradition and contemporary challenges, Studia Canonica collection, Bucharest: Basilica Publishing House, 2024.

He served as Vice President of the Italian edition of Apostolia magazine (2014–2024), Vice President of the English edition of Apostolia magazine for Great Britain and Ireland (2015–present), and Vice President of Theologica magazine (2021–2024).[5]

Languages

edit

Atanasie's first language is Romanian; he also speaks Italian, French, English, and Russian.[5]

Honours and awards

edit
  • Cross of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy (6 December 2016)
  • Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew, conferred by Patriarch Daniel (25 November 2018)
  • Engolpion and Anniversary Diploma, conferred by Archbishop Irineu of Alba Iulia (2018)
  • Honorary citizenship of Bivongi, Italy (23 February 2020)
  • Eparchial Distinction of Holy Hierarch Sava Brancovici, conferred by Archbishop Timotei of Arad (2020)
  • National Order "For Merit", rank of Knight, conferred by President Klaus Iohannis of Romania (6 August 2020)
  • Order of Holy Venerable John Jacob of Neamț, conferred by Patriarch Daniel (17 December 2021)
  • Order of Bishop Roman Ciorogariu, conferred by Bishop Sofronie of Oradea (2022)
  • Order of the Mother of God the Supplicant, conferred by Patriarch Daniel (30 September 2022)
  • Order of Saint Demetrius the New, conferred by Patriarch Daniel (13 July 2024)
  • Order of Metropolitan Visarion Puiu, conferred by Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe (9 November 2024)

[5]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. 1 2 Iftimiu, Aurelian (25 October 2024). "Bishop Atanasie of Bogdania elected first Romanian Orthodox Archbishop for United Kingdom". Basilica News Agency. Romanian Orthodox Church. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 "First Romanian Archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to be enthroned in London this Saturday". Basilica News Agency. Romanian Orthodox Church. May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "His Eminence Atanasie enthroned in London as UK's first Romanian Orthodox Archbishop". Orthodox Times. May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  4. ↑ Ioniţă, Sorin (10 May 2025). "Patriarch Daniel congratulates Romanian Archbishop of Great Britain on his enthronement". Basilica News Agency. Romanian Orthodox Church. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "Biography of His Eminence Archbishop Atanasie". Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  6. ↑ Iftimiu, Aurelian (2025). "UK's Romanian Orthodox Archbishop-elect bids farewell to Italy after 17 years of ministry". Basilica News Agency. Romanian Orthodox Church. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  7. ↑ Iftimiu, Aurelian (2024). "UK Archdiocese to serve largest Romanian Diaspora community: Archbishop-elect feels grateful yet overwhelmed". Basilica News Agency. Romanian Orthodox Church. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  8. ↑ Iftimiu, Aurelian (2025). "Archbishop-elect Atanasie begins ministry in the UK with Oxford visit and diaconal ordination". Basilica News Agency. Romanian Orthodox Church. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "Romanian Archbishop of Great Britain celebrates Divine Liturgy at Maidstone Prison in Kent". Orthodox Times. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  10. ↑ "New Romanian parish established in Great Britain". Orthodox Times. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  11. ↑ "Glasgow's Romanian parish moves educational programs to new location". Orthodox Times. 15 February 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  12. ↑ "Archdiocese of Thyateira: Hierarchs of the Episcopal Assembly join in celebrating pan-Orthodox Vespers". Orthodox Times. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  13. ↑ Iftimiu, Aurelian (11 May 2026). "Archbishop Atanasie marks first year leading Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". Basilica News Agency. Romanian Orthodox Church. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
edit

Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:Eastern Orthodox monks Category:Moldovan engineers Category:Moldovan emigrants to France Category:Moldovan emigrants to Italy Category:Recipients of the Order of the Star of Romania

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:Atanasie_(Rusnac)&oldid=1353852894"