At 4:00 p.m., Friday, November 11, 2022, a book presentation took place for two books by Friars Eusebio BEJAN and Silvestru BEJAN. Each book commemorated a Conventual Franciscan friar from Romania. The first book was entitled “Francisc SIMON: Chronology, Documents and Writings.” The other was, “Martin BENEDICT: Chronology, Documents and Testimonies.” The dual book presentation was held at the Iulian Antonescu Regional Museum Complex in Bacău, Romania.
Both authors also conceived and created a dual biographical exhibition inside the museum complex in Bacău. One exhibit was entitled, “The Priest with Many Books – Francisc SIMON (1909-1962).” The other was called “The Doctor Who Prays a Lot – Martin BENEDICT (1931–1986).”
The book presentation event was entitled, “Faith, Philosophy and Medicine in the Franciscan Spirit: Priest and Professor Francisc SIMON and Doctor Martin BENEDICT.” Those attending the event included Friar Damian Gheorghe PATRAȘCU, the Minister provincial of the Province of St. Joseph, Spouse of the B.V.M. in Romania and Doctor Germina Ana NAGÂȚ, a member of the College of the National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives in Bucharest, Romania. The event was moderated by Professor Iulian Petru BUCUR, a museographer, critic and art historian.
The presentation was organized by the friars of Romania, in collaboration with the administrators of the Iulian Antonescu Museum Complex, in order to commemorate Friars Francisc and Martin, who were both leading figures of faith-based resistance and models of Christian devotion during the communist persecution in Romania.
From 1957-1961, Friar Francisc SIMON served as the clandestine formator of Doctor Martin BENEDICT, who evaded the scrutiny of the Securitate (secret police) to be secretly ordained to the priesthood in 1980. On April 14, 2007, Martin’s cause for canonization was opened. It is expected that Pope Francis will soon declare him Venerable.
Friar Silvestro BEJAN