Abstract. Andrei Ghidiu was born on 15 January 1849, at Deda, Mureş county. After graduating from the Seminary of Caransebeş, Andrei Ghidiu continued his studies at Vienna and Leipzig. Between 1880 – 1881 he worked as a teacher of Theology at Caransebeş, and in 1883 he was appointed as rector of Oraviţa. There he lived until 1888, when he was transferred on a similar post at Caransebeş. Elected as the president of Despărţământul Astrei of Caransebeş, Andrei Ghidiu manifested as a staunch supporter of the cultural and artistic activities as well as of the cultural institutions of the town. He gave a particular support to the Romanian Society of Singing and Music of Caransebeş and to the women’s and teachers’ reunions. In order to preserve the cultural Romanian patrimony in the area, he collected the majority of the old books of value (particularly the ones from the churches belonging to his district), which he later sent to the library of the Romanian Academy in Bucharest.A good and very active patriot, Andrei Ghidiu took part in the preparations for the Great Union. On 7 November 1918, he presided at the Assembly of Caransebeş, where the founding of the local National Romanian Council and the founding of the National Romanian Guard was decided. On 1 December 1918, he took part in the Great National Assembly at Alba Iulia, as the delegate of the Orthodox bishopric of Caransebeş, being elected as a member of the Great National Romanian Council. Andrei Ghidiu had a successful collaboration with the church magazine ’Foaia diecesană’ of Caransebeş. In 1909, together with professor Iosif Bălan, he made a well-informed monograph of the town of Caransebeş. He died in 1937. Works: Monografia oraşului Caransebeş, dimpreună cu monografiile caselor dumnezeieşti, a episcopiei, a institutului teologic şi pedagogic şi cu biografiile bărbaţilor care au lucrat la una sau alta instituţiune (in collaboration with Iosif Bălan), Caransebeş, 1909. References: Ioan I. Şerban, Dorin Giurgiu, Ionela Mircea, Nicolae Josan – Dicţionarul personalităţilor Unirii: trimişii românilor transilvăneni la Marea Adunare Naţională de la Alba Iulia, published by Altis, Alba Iulia, 2003, p. 152.
