Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church has new priest

YOUNGSTOWN

The Rev. Florin Bica is the new parish priest at Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church, 626 Wick Ave.

He was born in Fagaras, Romania, where he completed his elementary and high school education. He then attended the Faculty of Theology of Sibiu, Romania, where he studied for four years and graduated in 1997.

Father Bica was a high school teacher for two and a half years. In 1999, he and the former Mariana Monica Cotocea were married and now have two children.

In 2000, Father Bica came to the United States. For the last 10 years, he was a medical assistant at St. Vincent Medical Center in Cleveland.

Since October 2000, Father Bica served as a sub-deacon at St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Cathedral in Cleveland under the spiritual guidance of the Very Reverend Remus Grama.

On Dec. 26, 2012, he was ordained into the Holy Diaconate by Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit and the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America and Canada at Dormition Monastery, Rives Junction, Mich. On Jan. 6, 2013, he was ordained into the priesthood by Archbishop Nathaniel at St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Cathedral in Cleveland.

He was assigned as an interim priest at Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church, where he served for 13 months.

Then he went to St. Mary Cathedral in Cleveland and also served at Holy Cross Romanian Orthodox Church, Hermitage, Pa.