Symbol of anti-communist resistance in Vrancea, Father Marcu was born on November 28, 1906, in Poiana, the Vrancean village, in a family with a priestly tradition. He suffered martyrdom in communist prisons for 15 years and went to the Lord through a violent death. Great Orthodox lover and lover of nation, he is still one of the many Orthodox priests who have sacrificed themselves for faith, and may be among the martyrs.

In 1928 he graduated from St. George’s Seminary in Roman, then enrolled at the Faculty of Theology in Iasi, which he will finish later, because of the difficulties. On 1 November 1929 he was appointed professor at the Normal School of Physicists in Focsani, where he stayed until 1 December 1931. On 11 January 1931 he married Elena Chifulescu, being crowned the leader of the Legionary Movement, Corneliu Z. Codreanu. He had three children: Gabriela, Mihaela and Corneliu.

He was ordained at the Nistoreşti parish in 1931. He joined the Legionary organization as early as 1929, becoming the Iron Guard chief, then chief of Putna County until 1938, when the political parties were disbanded. During the December 1933 repression, after the death of Gh. Gh. Duca, he was arrested and taken to Focsani for more than a month without a warrant of arrest or explanation. The raising and consecration of a trot, in May 1936, on his initiative and with the participation of priest Vasile Boldeanu and other legionary leaders, will constitute a head of accusation as a “Legionary action”.

On March 25, 1938, Father Mark was investigated and searched by the chief of the gendarmerie station in the village to find “Legionary propaganda material.” The Gendarmerie’s approach was caused by the father’s gesture to commemorate Ion Moţta and Vasile Marin, who had fallen in Spain, at the outpouring of the Gifts of the Gifts during the Divine Liturgy celebrated by the Annunciation. In sept. 1938, the father will be sent to the Vaslui camp, then, in mid-November, to the priests of Sadaclia (Tighina, Basarabia). Here, Father Mark will also be confiscated the prayer book, considered “Legionary material.” On 22 Dec. 1938 is released, returns home. The authorities will be obliged, on January 12, 1939, to join the National Renaissance Front, the party established by King Carol. However, the gangs, searches, and gendarmerie holdings will continue.

Thus, on January 26, 1939, at his return from Bucharest, where he held exams in Theology, he was searched at home and detained. On September 21, 1939, a search will be made and will be detained for “legionary or weaponry,” but nothing has been found. On September 4, 1940, through a telephone order from Putna County Police, the parent was searched at home and detained.

From September 1940, at the request of the priest Vasile Boldeanu, he would take over the leadership of the Legionary organization on Putna County until January 1941. After the events of January 1941, he retired to his native village at the church he was serving.

He would still be prosecuted, suspected of being able to take care of state security. He could not leave the village without the Gendarmerie’s consent because he was in a state of home arrest. At the same time, his correspondence is intercepted. On December 14, 1941, the father’s home was searched again. The result of the action can be considered one of the most ridiculous: “One Green Pajama by Pr. Stefan Marcu; a green blouse by Elena Mark … Weapons and ammunition were not found “. On 14 June 1942, she was searched again for the same pajamas, confiscated. The introductory narrative sounded like this: “From nothing, however, it was not found that they would have been activated in the Legionary movement after January 1941, nor could they determine whether they wore the pajamas in public.” By Order 447 of 25 Dec. In 1942 the father was detained and sent to the Tismana Monastery, which became a priesthood camp. Issued in April 1943.

After August 23, 1944, he would continue to be prosecuted. Thus, on October 13, 1944, the father’s home was searched. In January 1945, it was checked by a commission.

Until 1948, he was left alone by the authorities. Neither has he been involved in political affairs. In April 1948, in Focsani, he contacted two students from Bucharest, Panciu, who were involved in the resistance group in Vrancea. The latter have informed our father that in their capacity as legionaries, they are in touch with the Bucharest Command with the disposition that he will not be active, but only through Costin Atanasiu, to keep in touch with the young ones who had the mission of to act. At the same time, when the arrests will be imminent, those concerned may be hosted by the legionnaires by the care of the parent. He instructed Costin to raise money from several people to help the sick and imprisoned.

But in the summer of 1948 the security went to massive arrests in the Vrancea area, and Father Stefan Marcu, on July 17, fled to the nearby hills, along with Octav Pavelescu and Costin Atanasiu, even a few minutes before his home security came to him. Instead, his wife and daughter Gabriela were detained. During his retreat, he met with several members of the resistance movement in Vrancea. In September and November 1948, student Cristea Paragina of Panciu (fugitive) informed the parent of his initiative to reorganize the Legionary Movement in the area, for which he needed support, but he refused to get involved. In March 1949, through his daughter Gabriela, he was informed that the legionary chief of Râmnic County wanted to talk to him. The meeting did not take place because the head of Râmnic was arrested.

On April 25, 1949, Father Stefan was arrested for security. He was included in the Single Committee of Focşani, consisting of 15 people and led by the priest Enache Graur. Investigated from the arrest until November 1949, only two statements were filed in the file, given on 10 May and 9 June. Elena and her big daughter Gabriela were arrested.

On August 14, 1950, through the 663 Galaţi Military Tribunal, sentenced to 15 years of forced labor and 5 years of civilian degradation, to condemn social order and to favor the offender. He suffered in the penitentiaries in Galaţi (1950, 9 April 1959), Jilava (1959), Aiud (1951, 1956, 1959) and the work colonies from Valea Neagră (1950-1951), Peninsula (1951) 1951).

For various investigations he moved to the security in Cluj (October 8-19, 1952), Aiud penitentiary (April 1952, September 26, 1952, January 12, 1956) and Galaţi (April 12, 1959). He had health problems and so poor, suffering from lung TB, for which on Feb. 6. and Nov 14. 1956, was interned in Aiud. Between July 27, 1961-17, 1962, he was hospitalized again with the diagnosis of pulmonary TB. From priest Dimitrie Bejan, who met Father Mark in Aiud, we have a memorable episode:

“Beyond, the priest Stephen Marcu, from the Vrancea Mountains, prayed on the shelter. Andrew John approaches the top of my feet, walking away from me and striking his cheek: What about these mystical signs? Do not you know they’re forbidden? Do you want to be punished all for you? Mark, standing up, responds plainly: “Hit me on the other cheek. And Judah strikes. The blows fall over the head and on the coast. On the face of Mark there appears the red blood. Hanging on the pillar of the bed, he gets the savages. Judas yells and strikes: I teach you Christian living! Martir make you! When Judas stops panting, with welders on his forehead, Mark silently signs his cross. Judas moves away, stirring southerly, with all the orthodox calendar “(” The Great Viforniţa “, Bucharest, 1996).

On April 21, 1964, with the expiration of the punishment, Father Stephen was released from Aiud.

Following the conviction, he suffered much and his family. On Feb. 16 1951, the Security Office replied that for about three months the wife and two children in freedom moved to Focsani and an informant was led. After his release, he was supervised with deliberate indiscretion: often called to security, sometimes only to be compromised in front of people. But he has mastered his enemies with love and sacrifice, gaining respect. Some of the Securists chose him as a confessor.

From Oct. 1 1964 to retirement, Jan. 1 1975, he served at the Maluri parish, the Focsani Protoresia, Vrancea, being appreciated, respected and loved by the faithful. He is still alive today and often mentioned by the shepherds. He was an exceptional confessor, turning many to faith. Doctors, professors, engineers, lawyers, prosecutors, ordinary Christians were looking for advice and the power of prayer, saving many. It was a perfect ascetic, a sincere survivor of the gospel. During the Divine Liturgy, he had tears, the transfigured face, the hoarse voice, but a sense of the great Byzantine melos. He was a saint from the icon and a deep voice, the face of meekness and the humor of humility. He even suffered from colleagues who, forbidden by a hidden envy, forbade him to serve, making him feel a stranger. She was cruel to sin and understanding with sinners.

On the evening of September 28, 1989, as he returned from the market, on the crossing of the pedestrians in front of the stairway of the block where he lived, a car hit him and only after a few hours of torment he ended up in the hands of God. It was an attempted attack. The driver was tied to security, and the party frequently checked in the block where he lived. (v. Rost, June 2005, Silviu Ivan, Ionel Ene, “Miracles in the Mioritic Space”, Focşani, 2001)

Father Stefan Marcu: