14
May 2002 – Priest and journalist VASILE ȚEPORDEI passed away. Studies
at the Theological Seminary (1929) and at the Faculty of Theology in
Chișinău (graduated in 1933). He was Religion professor at various
secondary schools in Chișinău (1935-1940; 1941-1944) and in Bucharest
(1940-1941; 1944-1948). Ever since a student he collaborated with
several church publications, turning out to be a rather good journalist
(Luminătorul, Misionarul, Studentul, etc.). He was editor in chief of
the “Raza” newspaper. Priest (1939), iconomos (1942), iconom stavrofor
(1947). In September 1948 he was arrested, in 1949 judged by a Soviet
military court, in Constanta city, and sentenced to 25 years of forced
labour. He spent eight years in prison in several Siberian camps, the
last one in Vorcuta, beyond the Polar Circle. He speaks of this period
of his life in the book “Memories from Gulag” (1992, Bucharest). He was
released in 1956, returned to Romania and was re-admitted to priesthood,
as parish priest in Islaz, county of Ilfov (1956-1966) and at “Mărcuța”
church in Bucharest (since 1966).
