Vladimir Ghika - Life

Life

He was born on Christmas Day of 1873 in Constantinople (now Istanbul - Turkey), his father John Ghika being at that time minister plenipotentiary in Turkey. His mother was Alexandrina Ghika, née Alexandrina Moret de Blaremberg, and the grandson of the last ruler of Moldavia, Prince Gregory V Ghika (who ruled from 1849 - 1856). He had four brothers and a sister: Gregory, Alexander, George - who died at an early age, Ella - dead and her young, and Demetrius Ghika (1875 - 1967).

He was raised in the Orthodox faith. In the year 1878, in order to give a good education to the children, they moved to France at Toulouse, and frequented the Protestant community in terms of religious practice because the area there is no Orthodox church. He get his degree in law in 1895, after which he attended the Paris Faculty of Political Science. At the same time he frequented courses of medicine, botany, art, literature, philosophy, history.

Ghika returned to Romania due to angina pectoris, where he continued his studies.

In 1898 he went to Rome to enroll in the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology af the Dominican College of St. Thomas, the future Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum. He he converted to the Catholic faith in 1902. At the college Ghika completed a licentiate in philosophy and a doctorate in theology in 1905.

He wanted to become a priest or monk, but Pius X advised him to give up the idea, at least for a while, and dedicate himself to secular apostolate. He became one of the pioneers of the lay apostolate.

Returned to the country, is dedicated to works of charity and opened the first free clinic in Bucharest called Mariae Bethlehem, he sets great hospital and sanatorium Saint Vincent de Paul, founded the first hospital so free in Romania and the first ambulance, becoming founder of the first Catholic charity work in Romania. Participate in health services in the Balkan war in 1913 and is dedicated to patient care without fear of cholera in Zimnicea .

During World War was in charge of diplomatic missions of the Avezzano earthquake victims of tuberculoşii of Hospice of Rome, war wounded, moving from the most popular diplomatic environments with a surprising naturalness.

On October 7, 1923 Ghika was ordained a priest in Paris by Cardinal Dubois, Archbishop of the city. He served as a priest in France until 1939. Shortly after Ghika was ordained, the Holy See authorized him to celebrate the Byzantine Rite. Prince Ghika thereby became the first bi-ritual Romanian priest.

On 13 May 1931 the Pope appointed Ghika to be an Apostolic Protonotary. Reluctant to accept this appointment as the entry among clergy had never vote not to accept ecclesiastical dignities. He worked worldwide, in Bucharest, Rome, Paris, Congo, Tokyo, Sydney, Buenos Aires ... Later, in jest, Pope Pius XI will be called him "apostolic vagabond".

On 3 August 1939 he returned to Romania, where it captures the Second World War. Refuses to leave Romania to be with the poor and sick, to be able to help and encourage, leaving for the same reason in Bucharest when they start Allied bombing.

After the Communists came to power also refuses to leave the royal train for the same reasons. He was arrested on November 18, 1952 because supported the Catholic Church in communion with Rome and not the schismatic church that the regime was creating. Charged for "high treason" and threatened, beaten until blood tortured and processed. Imprisoned at Jilava on May 16, 1954 dies due to bestial treatment he was subjected.