St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Chatedral

Father Remus Grama

(Ordained January 17, 1982) Father Grama was born in 1952 in Arpasul de Jos, Fagaras, Romania. He came to U.S. in 1980 and became a citizen in 1987. He was educated in Romania at Theological Institute in Sibiu, receiving his Master of Theology degree in 1976.

He attended McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and has a Master of Science degree in Counseling from Youngstown State University. He has completed courses toward a doctoral degree at Kent State University in History.

In 1982, he was ordained a priest at Holy Trinity Church, Youngstown, Ohio, by Archbishop Valerian (Trifa). He served this church as Parish Priest until 1989, when he was appointed to serve St. Mary Church (now Cathedral) in Cleveland, Ohio.

Father Grama served as an Orthodox Chaplain for Youngstown State University; was a member of Youngstown Clergy Association and co-chaplain of St. Basil’s Workers; sponsor of the International Institute in Youngstown, Ohio. He was a member of the Eastern Orthodox Men’s Association. He has been an instructor at Youngstown State University. He has been a member of the Episcopate’s Council, a member of the Episcopate’s Commission on Religios Art, is the Representative to the Dept. of External Affairsof the OCA, and was a member of the Cuyahoga Community College Advisory Board. He has served in executive position on the Greater Cleveland Orthodox Clergy Council; lecturer at Ohio State University, Cuyahoga Community College, Youngstown State University and Notre Dame College. He also serves as an instructor during the Vatra Summer Camp. In recent years, Fr. Grama has headed serval local campaigns for International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and organized the Ohio-Western Pennsylvania Deanery celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Consecration of Archbishop Nathaniel with a banquet to benefit the Archbishop’s Charity Endowment Fund. He speaks Romanian, French and Russian.

In 1977, Remus Grama married Elena Domnaru. She is a church school director, a member of the “George Enesco” Choir and a member of the ladies auxiliary. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a specialty in Accounting. They have a daughter, Oliviana Laura

Books published:

“Shine Out, O New Jerusalem!” (An Explicative album of iconography), Cleveland, 2003
“Policarp Morusca – Scrisori din Captivitate”, Cluj 2004
"100 Years of Romanian Orthodoxy" by Fr. Remus Grama and Fr. V. Hategan, Cleveland, 2004

Articles and Studies:

Fr. Remus Grama, 95 Years of Romanian Life in Cleveland,, America Almanac, 1999