Valerian Trifa

Valerian Trifa, born Viorel Donise Trifa on June 28, 1914, in Câmpeni, Transylvania, was a Romanian Orthodox cleric and fascist political activist. He was the son of a schoolteacher, Dionisie Trifa, and the nephew of Iosif Trifa, an Orthodox priest who founded Oastea Domnului (The Lord's Army).

His early education took place in his native village, followed by studies at the Horia Gymnasium of Câmpeni and the Gheorghe Lazăr High School of Sibiu, from which he graduated in 1931.

Between 1931 and 1935, Valerian Trifa studied theology at the University of Chișinău, graduating magna cum laude. He then pursued philosophy at the University of Bucharest and history and journalism at the University of Berlin in 1939.

Full Name	Valerian Trifa
Other Name	Viorel Trifa
Gender	Male
Occupation	Romanian Cleric
Date of Birth	28-June-1914 (72 years)
Birth Year	1914
Birth Location	Câmpeni, Austria-Hungary (now in Romania)
Death Time	28-January-1987
Death Location	Cascais, Portugal

His first employment was with Oastea Domnului, where he managed its publishing house and issued its magazine and other publications.

He became involved with the Iron Guard, a Romanian fascist organization, and played a part in provoking the Legionnaires' Rebellion of 1941. His antisemitic discourse was suspected of helping instigate the pogrom against the Jewish community in Bucharest.

After the war, he made his way to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen and led the Romanian-American Orthodox community. His wartime activities came to the attention of the United States Department of Justice in 1975, leading to an inquiry that resulted in him relinquishing his American citizenship in 1980.

He moved to Portugal in 1982, was ordered to be expelled in 1984, and was still fighting his expulsion in the courts when he died in 1987.

He was married and had children, but details of his personal life are less well-documented.