Petrica Bistran is a Romanian man who grew up in that country in the early years after the collapse of Communism there, and he moved to England at the age of 23.

He says: “I was quite confused growing up in an early ex‐Communist environment. I became a Christian when I was 15 and that was a very good thing for me, but it also complicated my life a bit. I wanted to become an artist, so I went to an Art College, but art became a consuming, little, strange “god,” and I wasn’t quite satisfied with everything it had to offer.

“Adding to this the fact that God was, and still is, the most important Person in the world for me resulted in my decision to do a degree in theology and become a pastor.

“After completing my first degree in theology and training to become a pastor, I took a sudden, and rather long break while deciding whether I should work for the Church or not; any church at that point. But moving to England in 2008 and joining a local Anglican church in Nottingham, where we lived for several years, turned out to be my long and sure path back into ministry".

He studied for ordination at Cranmer Hall, Durham, and was ordained by the Bishop of Durham, The Right Reverend Paul Butler, in Durham Cathedral on Sunday 3rd July 2016 on his appointment as Deacon at St. Matthew’s Church, Silksworth, in Sunderland.

In October 2019 he was appointed as Children’s Minister at St. Peter’s Church, Belsize Park in London, and whilst he set up a number of initiatives, many of his ideas were thwarted by the Covid lockdown.

Two years later, at the end of November in 2021, he was installed as Priest-in-Charge of the benefice of Ashow and Stoneleigh by the Bishop of Warwick, Rt. Rev. John Stroyan, and he moved into the Rectory at Bubbenhall with his wife Mirela.

This was a part-time post  while he continued with his art studies in London, but having successfully obtained his degree he continues to make a large impact in the villages and with those who worship at the churches and is a very familiar face as he joins in local activities. What the future holds we wait to see but for the present we are delighted to have him amongst us. 

Both Petrica and Mirela are passionate about art and are interested in exploring ways in which the arts can play a role in enabling worship and deepening the spiritual life of God's people.