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Full life for two theology students in love
Iulia Roşca
He has dreamed of becoming a priest since he was a little boy. She only discovered her passion and talent for sacred art in college. They found each other during first year and plan to get married this summer.
Ionut Strechioiu and Cristina Ciobanu are both third year students at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology at the University in Bucharest. He studies pastoral theology, she arts. "I came to this faculty because I had wanted to become a priest ever since I was really young. There are no priests in my family but they supported me in my decision," Strechioiu said.
His fiancée has a different story. "It was by accident that I got here. I had been planning to go to medical school … The person that was tutoring me at math and physics was an assistant at this faculty, and one day he discovered some of my drawings," she said. "He told me I 'had the hand' for art and that I should try studying art here … I don't regret it at all."
So would they recommend theology to other young people? "They should try if they really feel it, otherwise, if they're in doubt, not," Ciobanu suggested. "Theology is something you should have had in you heart for a long time. You shouldn't think of it as a job, you must know that you are an example to yourself, and then, a much bigger example to others. And you shouldn't expect to earn money from it. You should expect pure poverty, and just follow Jesus. That is my belief," Strechioiu said.
Although they were happy with their experience in the faculty, they also had some criticisms. "One shouldn't expect complete and total holiness here…we live in a disorderly world," Strechioiu said and they both smiled.
"Most of our professors are priests, and you have to address them as 'your holiness' or 'your devoutness,' which is weird when you think that you address God simply as 'you' (singular Romanian form 'tu')," Ciobanu noted.
When not at school, he teaches and she paints icons. Recently, with the help of a priest from the Putna Monastery, Strechioiu also learned to paint and now they work together. "She is responsible with the hardest part - the faces - and I work on the garments. We do manage to sell them -- people want icons -- but it isn't a sure income," he said.
He teaches religion at three grade schools in Campina, 90 km from Bucharest and has to commute three times a week. The other two days, he has classes from eight in the morning until late in the evening.
Where do they see themselves in five years? "I have the hope and belief I will be a priest, because this is what I want very much," Strechioiu said. But Ciobanu wants to graduate from a different school. "I don't exactly have a future with this one. I can teach, but religion might become an optional subject in schools … I'm not sorry I came here though, I discovered a new side of myself. And I won't stop painting," she said.
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