Protopresbyter Vasile Barsan fell asleep in the Lord on January 1, 2024 (the day of the commemoration of his patron saint, Basil the Great), in Fagaras, Romania. He was born on January 4, 1941, in Grid, Brasov, Romania. He attended the Theological Seminary in Cluj (1954-59) and the Theological Institute in Sibiu (1959-1963). From 1963-66, he was a substitute professor at the General School in Breaza-Fagaras. In 1966, he married Oligia Leabu. Shortly thereafter, he was ordained a Deacon at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Sibiu and a priest on April 1, 1966, at Brancoveanu Monastery, Sambata de Sus, Brasov, Romania.

Following ordination, Fr. Barsan served the parish Cergaul Mic near Blaj in the country of Alba until 1971, when he was transferred to the parish Dejani in the county of Brasov where he served until 1975. On September 1, 1975, Fr. Barsan accepted the assignment of parish priest of St Nicholas Church, founded by the Holy Martyr Constantin Brancoveanu, where he served for 27 years until May 1, 2002. In 1998, when St. Nicholas Church celebrated its 300th anniversary and the restoration of the iconography was completed, the church was re-consecrated and Fr. Barsan received the distinction of Iconom Stavrofor for his 33 years of priestly service. 

In April 2002, Father and Preoteasa Barsan immigrated to the United States to be with their daughter Camelia, and he requested to be accepted into the ranks of the clergy of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America to continue his pastoral service. He served the Orthodox Romanians in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania metropolitan area with great sacrifice and love. He was assigned to the parish of St. Andrew in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, and had many spiritual joys, making a long three-hour commute by car each week from Canton, Ohio, through rain and snow, with special priestly conscientiousness, until August 15, 2019, when, due to illness, he was granted retirement. Canton, Ohio.

Fr. Vasile Barsan was a peaceful and active man who brought peace to those around him. He was especially known and loved by the priests of the Great Lakes Deanery. Following his retirement, he returned to Romania, where his son Lucian is a priest in Fagaras.

May God grant him rest among the saints, and may his memory be eternal.

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