The city of Suceava was for the tenth time the host of the National Symposium „Perennial Values in the Creation of Metropolitan Bartolomeu Valeriu Anania”, an event that aims to bring back to the present aspects of the theological, scientific and literary work of the one who was a lover of books, Church and Nation, a worthy hierarch of the Church of Christ, the first Metropolitan of Cluj, Alba, Crisana and Maramureș.
The cultural event dedicated to the Hierarch Bartolomeu Anania is organized with the blessing of His All-Holiness Calinic, Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuților, by the Suceava School Association for Education and Development and the „Metropolitan Bartolomeu” Foundation Cluj-Napoca in partnership with the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților, „Stefan cel Mare” University, Suceava County School Inspectorate, „Mitropolitul Dosoftei” Orthodox High Theological Seminary „Mitropolitul Dosoftei” Suceava, Dragomirna Monastery, „Sfântul Gheorghe” Monastery Buciumeni, "Sfântul Nicolae" Parish Șcheia.
The works and discussions of the meeting held in the „Joseph Schmidt” Auditorium of the „Stefan cel Mare” University of Suceava centered around the writings of Metropolitan Bartholomew Anania, a man of culture, writer, poet, essayist and playwright of Romanian literature.
The opening ceremony was addressed by Prof. Dr. Mircea Diaconu, pro-rector of the „Stefan cel Mare” University, Prof. Daniela Ceredeev, inspector for the discipline Religion from the Suceava County School Inspectorate, and Prof. Grigore Bocanci, general school inspector.
This was followed by a special artistic moment performed by the „Children of the Voievod” Group from the „Grigore Ghica Voievod” Secondary School in Suceava, namely the dramatization of „The nectar poppy”, after Valeriu Anania.
The works of the National Symposium „National Values in the Creation of Metropolitan Bartolomeu Valeriu Anania”, now in its 10th edition, brought to the attention the beauty and theological depth of the word shared by Metropolitan Bartolomeu Anania, with lecturers from Cluj, Iasi, Alba Iulia, Galati, Suceava, but also from Brussels, professors, theologians and researchers revealing how it has borne fruit in the heart of each one.
Among those who have evoked the personality of the great hierarch and scholar are Prof. Dr. Virgil Nistru-Tigănuș, the writer Grigore Ilisei, the writer Ion Buga, Prof. Dr. Ioan Chirilă, from the Faculty of Orthodox Theology - „Babes-Bolyai” University, Prof. Dr. habil. Jan Nicolae, Faculty of Orthodox Theology - „1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia, prof. prof. dr. Ștefan Iloaie, Faculty of Orthodox Theology of „Babeș-Bolyai” University, arch. dr. Dumitru Cobzaru, exarch of the monasteries of the Metropolitan Monasteries of Cluj, Maramureșului and Sălajului, pr. Mihai Cobziuc, eparchial counselor in the Archdiocese of Sucevei and Rădăuților, and pr. Cezar Onesim, organizer and drd. at the University „1 Decembrie 1918” Alba Iulia.
Mr. Grigore Ilisei, a writer and journalist for the press, radio and television, confessed that this event keeps alive the memory the wordsmith. „Bartholomew Ananias Colloquium has become a landmark in the spiritual life of the country. It is a precious thing, because Bartholomew Ananias is a treasure and a reference point in the history of the Romanian Orthodox Church and Romanian theology. He was a paradigmatic monk, a thinker. He was an exceptional rhetor, a man of the word, of the homiletic spoken word. Memorable are the sermons that he preached and which captivated those who listened. But also a master of the written word. And a great translator of the biblical word. The version he gave us Book of Books is one that is truly pivotal in the existence of the New and Old Testament, with a language that preserves its ancient flavors and, at the same time, has the brilliance of today's utterances. It is to the credit of the organizers of this colloquium that they perpetuate the memory of this great figure, a stellar figure of the Romanian Orthodox Church, of Orthodoxy in general, and, in this way, what Sadoveanu said in his story, Bear eyes, that our dead never die as long as we do not forget them, finds its incarnation in this.”
The lecturers emphasized the importance of preserving the legacy left to the Romanian nation by Metropolitan and man of culture Bartholomew Bartholomew Ananias, and how they discovered this man minister of the word which is a constant source of inspiration for those who are eager to meet him.
Ioan Chirilă said about this cultural and scientific meeting: „An event that brought us once again close to the living spirit of Metropolitan Bartholomew, to his modeling force, because during his work in Cluj, as archbishop and, after that, as metropolitan, I worked closely with His All Holiness. Whenever I come to this symposium, organized here in Bucovina, I say that I meet the longing of Metropolitan Bartholomew. I meet these areas which are full, if you like, of national spirit; a theme very dear to the Metropolitan, the theme of the homeland, which we are looking at, this time, from the perspective of paternity, of pater-of the one who, for a while, was our model of life, of ministry, in this sphere of the word. That is why we were happy to see once again in Suceava, because it was the tenth meeting, to see once again some of the fundamental landmarks of the Metropolitan's creation as a creator of literature, but also his special concern for the younger generation. That is why I proposed this idea of the incarnation of the Logos, as he often defined himself as a man blessed. Of the incarnation of the Logos, of our closeness to the emblematic figures of Romanian culture, both in the area of patriotism and literature. I am thinking here, for example, of Ioan Valahul, of Calinic or, why not, of Mihai Eminescu, as only a few days have passed since we celebrated him. So we have rejoiced and fulfilled this longing for Bartholomew, and we hope that his spirit will live on in the younger generation that he loved and served with extraordinary devotion, always trying to sow the seeds of hope, hope and, of course, growth in a living morality of the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The event also included the launch of the book „Perennial Values in the Creation of Metropolitan Bartolomeu Valeriu Anania”, published by Crimca Publishing House of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților, in collaboration with Renașterea Publishing House. The publication gathers the papers of the first 8 editions of the Symposium, unpublished material about the man who called himself „a Bible scholar“, being the one who translated the Holy Scripture for 10 years.
„This 10th edition of the National Symposium Perennial values in the creation of Metropolitan Bartholomew Bartholomew Valerius Anania is part of a dynamic of fidelity to the providential Metropolitan of Transylvania and of us all. We are grateful, on the one hand, to His Eminence Archbishop Calinic, who blessed the organization and supported the work of this symposium and who, at the same time, blessed the publication of the SUMMUM volume of the lectures of all previous editions of the symposium at the Crimca Publishing House of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților. We are equally grateful to the Suceava County School Inspectorate, especially to the general inspectors who have participated in each of the last editions. Also, the Technical College „Petru Musat”, represented by the director Mrs. Maria Teodoreanu, and teacher Oana Diana Onesim, who show a special care”, said Prof. Daniela Ceredeev.
Among those who received the gift of the highest cultural ideas and deep emotions were students of the Orthodox High School Theological Seminary „Metropolitan Dosoftei”, monks from the Piatra Fântânele Monastery, teachers and students of the „Stefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, representatives of the County School Inspectorate, as well as members of the Suceava School Association for Education and Development.
„We were glad to be in Suceava today to be present at the National Symposium dedicated to Metropolitan Bartolomeu Valeriu Anania. Our presence, that of the people of Cluj, is very broad. There are several teaching fathers who have given a lecture today. I would also like to point out that there is a very large number of monks in attendance, because the nuns from Piatra Fântânele, the place where Metropolitan Bartholomew often went to for peace of mind and body. It is one that wants to preserve the memory of the Metropolitan for eternity. That is why we congratulate the organizers and we are grateful to all the people of Cluj”, said Archbishop Dr. Dumitru Cobzaru.
In this anniversary year, the Grand Prize of the „Metropolitan Bartolomeu Valeriu Anania” Symposium was awarded to Fr. prof. univ. dr. habil. Jan Nicolae, Faculty of Orthodox Theology - University „1 Decembrie 1918” Alba Iulia. „First of all, I am happy to be back in Suceava and in Dragomirna, at this Bartolomeu Valeriu Anania cultural forum, which is inspiring a number of professors from Suceava and from all over the country who come to celebrate the memory and the work of this great scholar of the Church and of Romanian culture. Of course, it was a surprise to receive this award, because, of course, I am wary of the efforts that many others have made to evoke and keep alive the memory of this wonderful man of the Church and Romanian culture.”
The cultural-scientific event was broadcasted LIVE by the Media and Communication Sector of the Eparchial Center, on the Facebook page of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților.
The event will continue tomorrow, January 21, 2022, when, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Calinic, at Dragomirna Monastery will be celebrated the memorial service for Metropolitan Bartolomeu Anania, who was transferred to the eternal eternal resurrection almost 12 years ago, by His Eminence the Most Reverend Father Damaschin Dorneanul, Vicar-Bishop of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților.
