Metropolitan Bishop
Saint Gregory IV Dascal, baptized as George, was born in 1765 in Bucharest. He studied Greek and Latin languages, as well as theology at the Bucharest Academy of Saint Savva. Around 1790, he was tonsured at the Neamț Monastery, where he began translating instructional books from Greek into Romanian.
In 1802, he returned to the Neamț Monastery, where he continued translating new books. The Russo-Turkish War of 1806-1812 interrupted his work. In 1812, he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain of Athos, where his companion Gerontius was killed by robbers. Gregory continued to work on the translation and publication of spiritual literature.
In 1823, he was elected Metropolitan of Ungro-Wallachia. One of his first concerns was the appointment of bishops for vacant sees and addressing the financial issues of the metropolis. He showed attention to the needs of parish priests, organized taxation, and provided material support to the widows and children of priests.
In 1828, during the new Russo-Turkish War, he opposed additional taxes on priests and the people, for which he was removed from his see and sent to Chișinău. In 1831, he was allowed to return, and he established a printing house in Buzău, where he published several translations.
After returning to Bucharest, the saint continued to care for church life, planning the establishment of new monasteries and seminaries. He died on June 22, 1834, in Bucharest. In 2005, he was canonized by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and his relics were placed in the Căldărușani Monastery.
