Anuarul Inst. de Cercet. Socio-Umane „C.S. Nicolăescu-Plopşor”, vol. XVI, 2015, pp. 301–308 THE HIGH REPUTATION OF PRIEST NICULAE M. POPESCU, MEMBER OF THE ROMANIAN ACADEMY, IN THE ROMANIAN CULTURAL LIFE Dorin-Demostene IANCU ∗ Abstract: Niculae M. Popescu was an important Romania theologian and Church historian. He studied history in Vienna and he was remarked by professor Nicolae Iorga, the most important Romanian historian. The young deacon Popescu taught at Iorga’s Summer University in Valenii de Munte. In 1925, he became member of the Romanian Academy, with the support on Nicolae Iorga. Later, Father Popescu taught Prince Michael religion and he was appreciated by the King Carol II. After the communists came into power, Father Popescu was expelled from The Romanian Academy. In 1990, after the fall of the communist regime, he was rehabilitated by the Romanian Academy. Keywords: Niculae M. Popescu, priest, The Romanian Academy, Church history, Nicolae Iorga. Priest Niculae M. Popescu’s personality – a remarkable historian and full member of the Academy of Romania – was a first rank personality of the Orthodox Church of Romania within the period of World War I and World War II. After the end of the “Great War” and the unification of Transylvania, Bessarabia and Bukovina with the mother-country, the future of the cultural evolution was going to play a very particular place in the education of the society. During this period, more than never before, scholars and men of science were granted the right and deserved consideration they were worth of in strengthening the elite of the younger state. Priest Niculae M. Popescu was one of those who – through his scientific activity and the competency of his studies – brought his contribution to the improvement of the theological education. He would soon be known in both clerical and, especially, in the lay circles, as well. Soon after having obtained his doctor’s degree in Vienna, Nae Popescu, the deacon, drew Nicolae Iorga’s attention. A summer university was inaugurated in Vălenii-de-Munte under the latter’s aegis where many famous personalities, ∗ Deacon PhD, The Holy Synod Archives; Email: dorin.iancu84@gmail.com