203 years since the death of Gheorghe Lazăr, the founder of education in the Romanian languagetranslated

Wednesday marks the 203rd anniversary of the passing away of the pedagogue, theologian, translator and engineer Gheorghe Lazăr, considered the founder of education in the Romanian language in Wallachia. In 1818, he established, in Bucharest, the first school with teaching in the Romanian language.

Gheorghe Lazăr was born in Avrig, on June 5, 1779 (according to other sources, January 9, 1782). His birthday was chosen as Teacher's Day.

He studied at the Piarist High School in Cluj (1799-1801) and at the Catholic High School in Sibiu (1801/1802). The various studies followed in Cluj (foreign languages, theology, law, philosophy, sciences) laid the foundations for his encyclopedic training.

With a scholarship offered by the Consistory of the Orthodox Episcopate in Sibiu, from 1806 the young Gheorghe studied Theology and Philosophy at the University of Vienna.

Back in the country, in 1812, he became a professor at the Seminary of the Orthodox Episcopate in Sibiu. He left for Braşov in December 1811, following the hostilities encountered by the authorities and Bishop Vasile Moga, who, being a follower of education in the Slavonic language, prevented Lazar's cultural activity, forbidding him to print textbooks in Romanian.