18 August 1907 – Priest and theology professor VASILE GĂINĂ passed away in Cernăuţi. Secondary school in Suceava (1879 – 1887) and the Faculty of Theology of Cernăuţi (1887 – 1891), which promoted him doctor in 1893, under “sumis auspiciis imperatoris” (title granted to those who graduated the secondary schools and university courses only with the greatest marks); specialised studies at the Faculties of Theology of Vienna, Berlin, Bonn and Athens (1893 – 1896). “Private doctor” at the chair of Christian Dogmatics and Philosophy of the Faculty of Theology of Cernăuţi (1896), then extraordinary professor (1899), titular (1905), dean of the Faculty (1905/6); in 1907 he was elected rector of the University, but he died unexpectedly; priest in 1898, archpriest in 1905. He published several works on Apologetics, having been considered “the father or founder of Fundamental Theology with the Orthodox Romanians”.

Works: Theorie der Offenbarung (1898) and the Romanian edition Theory of Revelation (1899), Universality, Being and Origin of Religion (1899), Cosmological and Physical-Theological or Teleological Argument for the Existence of God, with an Introduction on the Arguments for the Existence of God, in General (1901); Buddhism and Christianity. Apologetic Study (1906); in manuscript and a copied course of ”Fundamental or Apologetic Theology”; Archbishop and Metropolitan Dr. Silvestru Morariu Andrievici (Candela, 1907, p. 389 – 421). Archbishop and Metropolitan Dr. Vladimir de Repta (Candela, 1907, p. 423 – 437); articles in “Viitorul” newspaper in Cernăuţi etc.