On Saturday, July 18, the memory of Archbishop Victorin Ursache was celebrated at Putna Monastery on the 25-year anniversary of his repose in the Lord.
At 10:00 am, in the monastery cathedral, His Grace Bishop Damaschin Dorneanul, vicar-bishop of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți, presided at the memorial service. Also present were the father abbot of Putna Monastery, Archim. Melchisedec Velnic, and a sobor of priests and deacons.
At 11:00 am, the Trisagion for the Departed was served at Archbishop Victorin’s grave. Afterwards, Archim. Melchisedec Velnic recited the message sent by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of the Americas. In his message, His Eminence Nicolae recalled that Archbishop Victorin’s selfless dedication to his flock bore much fruit:
Archbishop Victorin was one of the most significant hierarchs of the Romanian diaspora during the last century. He arrived in North America during a period of great tribulations for the Romanian Orthodox people who lived far from home. Communities were scattered over great distances and often lacked resources. Additionally, the dramatic events that Romania experienced after the installation of the communist regime also left deep wounds in the life of the Church abroad. Amid these struggles, God brought to the fore people who, with dignity and selflessness, bore the burden of preserving the Orthodox faith and Romanian identity. Among these, Archbishop Victorin occupies first place.
Reflecting today upon the inheritance he left us, we understand that his true source of strength was not the authority of his office, but the authenticity of his life. He remained, unto the end, the same monk who had been formed in the spirit of the great Moldavian lavras and had preserved intact his commitment to prayer, obedience, and humility. Although he shouldered the responsibility of an expansive diocese during difficult times, he never ceased being the monk who placed all his hope in God. […]
In a society that admires exterior success and immediate results, the life of Archbishop Victorin reminds us that true victory is won through steadfastness, through endurance amid suffering, and through faithfulness to one’s vocation from God. He remained faithful unto the end to the monastic ideal and to the mission with which the Church entrusted him, bearing with dignity both the joys and the crosses of his ministry.
The event concluded with the launch of the monograph entitled: Archbishop Victorin of America: A Man Meek and Lowly in Heart. The volume was published with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, at the initiative of father abbot Archim. Melchisedec. The author is Archim. Ieremia Berbec, formerly a member of the Putna Monastery brotherhood and presently the abbot of Saint Dumitru Monastery in Middletown, NY. By way of the archival materials, the published correspondence, the numerous testimonies, and the rich photo album, the reader has the opportunity to encounter not only Archbishop Victorin’s biography, but also the drama, beauty, and complexity of the history of Romanian Orthodoxy on North American soil during the latter half of the 20th century.
In conclusion, we present several excerpts from the testimonies of two priests who were very close with the gentle shepherd:
“For Archbishop Victorin, example was everything. He guided the Archdiocese through a difficult period in our history, primarily by example. There were many temptations presented: temptations of power, of compromise with political forces, of diluting the faith, of even wealth and convenience. He chose, in his own gentle way, to remain resolute.”
Fr. Nicholas Apostola
“He’s a great man, a holy man. He was my guide by his life. That’s who he was for me.”
Fr. Mircea Panciuk
English 
Română