Archim. Roman Braga Remembered on 11th Anniversary of Repose
Orthodox faithful honor the life of the revered confessor, former communist prisoner, and spiritual father as efforts continue toward his glorification in the Orthodox Church in America.
RIVES JUNCTION, MI — April 29, 2026, marks 11 years since the repose of Archimandrite Roman Braga, the Romanian Orthodox confessor whose life of suffering, prayer, and pastoral ministry left a lasting spiritual legacy across both Romania and North America. A proposal for his canonization as "Venerable Confessor Roman of the Great Lakes" is currently under consideration by the Orthodox Church in America (OCA).
Widely remembered for enduring years of imprisonment under Romania’s communist regime and for later becoming a beloved spiritual father in the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, Fr. Roman reposed in the Lord on April 29, 2015, at the Dormition of the Mother of God Orthodox Monastery in Rives Junction, Michigan.
Born in 1922 in Condrița, Bessarabia, he entered monastic life at the age of 12 at Căldărușani Monastery. He later completed studies in theology and philosophy in Bucharest and became associated with the renowned “Burning Bush” spiritual gatherings at Antim Monastery, where he deepened his practice of the Jesus Prayer.
In 1948, communist authorities arrested him on accusations of ties to the Legionary movement, though no evidence was produced. He was sentenced to five years of hard labor, imprisoned at Pitești Prison, and later sent to forced labor camps along the Danube–Black Sea Canal.
After his release, Metr. Sebastian Rusan secretly tonsured him a monk and ordained him a deacon in 1954. However, in 1959, he was arrested again during the state crackdown on the Burning Bush movement and sentenced to 18 years of hard labor for alleged anti-regime activity. He served five years before being released in the 1964 general amnesty.
Following years of ministry in Romania, including parish service near Oradea and missionary work in São Paulo, Brazil, Fr. Roman was invited in 1972 by Abp. Valerian Trifa to serve in the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America in Michigan.
There, he became known for his tireless work in children’s catechesis, liturgical translations, and adapting Romanian church hymnography into English. He later served parishes in Ohio and Michigan and became the spiritual father of the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, before retiring to the Dormition Monastery, where he remained a sought-after confessor until his repose.
In September 2025, the Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America formally forwarded a proposal to the Holy Synod of Bishops of the OCA seeking Fr. Roman’s canonization. The proposal was later reviewed in November, reflecting growing recognition of his witness and sanctity.
Faithful continue to remember him not only for his endurance under persecution, but for his deeply personal teaching on prayer and communion with God.
“Conversation with God gives you this awareness of God’s presence," Fr. Roman was quoted by Basilica News Agency as teaching. "Tell God when you are hungry, when you are thirsty... Show God how beautiful the flowers are. Speak with God about everything. ‘Lord, what should I do? I must do this and that; I am hungry, I am going to eat a piece of bread.’ Keep these things in mind. They may seem childlike, but this conversation with God becomes prayer. For what is prayer? It is the unceasing communion of man with God.”
The Romanian Episcopate shared another teaching:
"My dear friends, I think the mystery of my life is joy. And I never tire of telling everyone to be joyful. Why should we be sad when we belong to the Lord and He loves us so much that He cannot takes His eyes off us, as a mother cannot take her eyes off her baby?"
Previously, the UOJ reported that the Romanian Episcopate had marked 97 years in America.
