Nicolae Cristea (priest)

Nicolae Cristea (October 26 [O.S. October 14] 1834 – February 7, 1902) was an Austro-Hungarian ethnic Romanian Orthodox priest, professor, journalist and political activist. A protégé of Andrei Șaguna, he studied in Germany before returning to edit the church's newspaper for nearly two decades, a period during which he also taught at the theological seminary in Sibiu. He was politically active, a stance that culminated in the early 1890s with his signing of the Transylvanian Memorandum and subsequent imprisonment.

Born to peasant parents in Ocna Sibiului, in the Transylvania region, he began primary school in his native village before continuing at a Roman Catholic school in nearby Sibiu. He attended the state high school there, also Catholic in orientation: from 1848 to 1850, his courses were in Latin, and then in German until graduation. In 1857, he became a student at the city's theological academy, remaining there until 1859. While enrolled at the school, he met his eventual patron, Archbishop Andrei Șaguna. The latter appreciated Cristea's qualities and in 1859 advised him to enter the law faculty. He consented, and at the same time became a clerk at the archbishop's chancery.

Sent by Șaguna to the University of Leipzig in order to deepen his studies of philosophy and political economy, his 1861–1863 stay of two years was too brief for a doctorate, and Cristea remained with two undergraduate degrees in theology and law. While in Leipzig, he was a church singer at the local Romanian chapel. He also corrected some erroneous information presented by Heinrich von Treitschke, for which the professor publicly apologized.

In 1870, he married Eleftera Manole, the sister of a Brașov businessman, and was ordained a priest later that year. Teaching church history and canon law, he was a substitute professor at the theological academy from 1863 to 1865 and a full professor of homiletics and moral theology from 1870 to 1873. At that point, he was named an archdiocesan advisor, remaining as such until his death. In 1865, he was named director of Telegraful Român newspaper, remaining until 1883, when he was dismissed by Metropolitan Miron Romanul after writing a scathing critique of Prime Minister Kálmán Tisza.

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