16^th November 1912 – 27^th of September 2011

• Father Adrian  was a professional lawyer, during his young years
• After becoming a monk, at the end of WW2, Father Adrian enrolled as a university student, studying theology and philosophy as well
• Father Adrian spent many years in communist prisons, as a real enemy of atheist governments
• Father Adrian was part of the Burning Bush, the Orthodox movement from 1950’s
• Father Adrian lived his later years, after 1964, as a priest monk at different monasteries and churches in Romania
• Father Adrian was a very strong anti-ecumenist and he spoke up about the Truth, in any circumstances, even against top hierarchs who in return punished him by direct blows with the iron stick to his head…

“Humility is the greatest gift from God, the source of the others. Have meekness. Sacrifice yourself. And if you upset somebody, feel sorry and reconcile with him…”

“Only those who have the capacity to sacrifice for the others will be saved…”

“The atheists do not realise that they are unhappy without God. An atheist is like a paralysed person who does not feel pain anymore…”

“The communists said: one flock, one sheppard. But we know that only Jesus Christ is the Good Sheppard. We recognise His voice and we follow Him. The communists want to transform all sheep into goats.”

“In prison, I felt the closest to God. When you sense that all of them hate you, all hit you, all want your destruction, only then you could treasure the love of God towards you. He never leaves you!”

“Nowadays, one of the greatest heresies appeared, the world is confused, believing in signs rather than the Church, more in “secret codes” which are falsifying the truth, rather than the Truth given by Christ. A right believer has no need of such signs. The only hope that we must have is the one in our Good Lord. Therefore, we do not make plans on how to get away. God takes care of all who have faith in Him and who have hope in Him and also who call on Him.”

“There are many things that nobody else can understand. The strength that God gives to you would be one of them…  When I was arrested, the inquisitor wrested my cross from the neck and threw it into the rubbish bin. I took it from there. He beat me terribly and threw my cross again into the rubbish bin. I did not give up. Again I raised the cross from the bin and he trampled me under his feet. After 8-9 attempts, the officer gave up. He gave me some rest. Being in the torture chamber, I was talking to myself: “Resist! Do not betray Christ!” and maybe you will not believe me, my brother, but after 60 blows I did not feel any pain. My body worked without my will, as if going through a self-administered anaesthetic.

In the prisons of these extermination camps, you stop to exist; only Christ keeps you alive. After leaving that prison, I have heard that my poor mother, when she gave the akathists to the priest, she wrote my name on both lists, with the living and the dead, not knowing anything about me. My mother was right: in prison, I was alive and dead, in the same time.”