14
March 1914 – Bishop VISARION AȘTILEANU was born in Cluj (baptized
Vasile). Studies at the Secondary School of “George Barițiu” of Cluj
(1925-1933), at the United Theological Academy of Cluj (1933- 1935) and
at the “De Propaganda Fide” College of Rome (1935 – 1942), where he got
his license (1941) and doctor’s degree (1942). Eparchial secretary and
priest in Cluj (1942-1949). Back into the Orthodox Church in 1958, he
became inspector and then patriarchal counselor (1958-1962); tonsured
into monasticism, with the name of Visarion, and ordained Assistant
Bishop to the Patriarch (1962-1969), Assistant Bishop to the
Metropolitan See of Transylvania (1969 – 1973), then Bishop of Arad
(1973-1984). He supervised the activity of the eparchy, re-opened the
Monastery of Prislop, and was very much concerned with the valuation of
the cultural-artistic patrimony; he drafted the book Monastery of
Hodos-Bodrog (Arad, 1980). He published studies on the re-completion of
the Church of Transylvania, reportages, sermons, reviews in the
magazines: “Biserica Ortodoxă Română”, “Mitropolia Ardealului”,
“Mitropolia Banatului”, “Telegraful Român” a.s.o.
He passed away on 6 August 1984, in Arad.
