Romanian Orthodox Church Glorifies Sts. Andrew of Sibiu, Simeon of Balgrad

At its meeting yesterday the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church formally glorified Metropolitans Andrew (Saguna) of Sibiu and Transylvania and Simeon (Stefan) of Alba Iulia (then Balgrad) and Transylvania. More (in Romanian) on that decision here.

St. Andrew (Saguna) was born to Aromanian parents in central Hungary. After completing his theological studies the Saint moved to Sremski Karlovci where he served as a professor at the seminary there as well as in the administration of the Orthodox Church of Austria-Hungary, eventually being elected Metropolitan of Sibiu and Transylvania. In Transylvania St. Andrew successfully campaigned for the establishment of the Church there as a self-governing entity, creating a conciliar structure that would influence the later structures of the national Church of Romania and becoming a leader of the Romanian nationalist movement in Austria-Hungary. More (in Romanian) on his life can be found here, here, and here.

St. Simeon (Stefan) of Balgrad was elected Metropolitan of Balgrad and Transylvania in the 1600s, having previously served as a theological professor in the city. During his oversight of the Orthodox Church in Transylvania the first full edition of the New Testament in Romanian was printed in Alba Iulia. This edition was reissued as recently as 1998. More (in Romanian) on his life can be found here and here.

Pictured is St. Andrew (Saguna) of Sibiu.