How Mihai Șora saw the day of his death: “I know it will come. But I don’t think about her. I have total confidence that everything will be fine”

The well-known philosopher and essayist Mihai Șora passed away at the age of 106. Despite his age, which is hard to match, Mihai Șora kept his mind clear until the last moment.

Hundreds of thousands of people followed his activity on social networks, where he wrote almost daily about the things he appreciated or blamed in society. He was born when Romania was a monarchy, during the time of King Ferdinand, and he witnessed the rise and fall of communism. In recent years, he joined the young people gathered in Piața Victoriei, where he shouted, together with them, for justice.

How Mihai Șora saw the day of his death

„I don’t think about her. I have complete confidence that everything will be fine. I know it will come”, said Mihai Șora calmly, about the day he will leave for immortality. After 106 years of life, he died quietly, and the sad news was announced by his wife, through an emotional message.

„You were pure happiness: not just a beautiful man, but Beauty itself, faith, hope and love, as the apostolic word says“, his wife wrote on the Facebook page of the philosopher Mihai Șora.

Nicolae Manolescu, president of the Romanian Writers’ Union: „I think he is the Romanian intellectual with the longest life, certainly among Romanian writers and philosophers. A heavy loss for all who knew him and read his books”.

Mihai Șora was born in 1916, in the village of Ianova, in Timiş, when Romania, as we know it now, did not exist.

„I am contemporary with my country, I was almost born with it and I have walked with it, step by step, throughout my whole life”, said Mihai Șora, in January 2018.

He caught, in turn, the monarchy, during the time of King Ferdinand, the birth and fall of communism in Romania, and finally, democracy, for which he fought with all his determination. He became an emblematic figure in the Victoriei Square where, in recent years, civil society’s struggles for the truth took place, and he gave courage to the thousands of souls with whom he cried out in unison for justice.

„I can’t help but protest. And I feel solidarity with their protest, which is also my protest. And I want this country to be led in such a way that the interests of the majority, not to say the unanimity of citizens, are respected and realized“, said Mihai Șora.

Mihai Șora dedicated his life to books

Although he had short episodes in which he got involved in politics, Mihai Șora dedicated his life to books. A scholar whose curiosity did not give him peace until the last days. At 101 years old, he started studying Japanese, read, drew, was connected to current events and very active on social networks. His Facebook page had over 280,000 followers and he quickly became well-loved by all generations, especially the young. The news of his death caused a wave of emotion on the Internet, and thousands of people, from young to old, wanted to send him a good, parting thought.

Robert Şerban, writer: „He was like a light that attracted all kinds of people around him and, first of all, young people, because instinct says that as a young man you must surround yourself with people from whom you have something to learn, and Professor Şora without being didactic without being a philosopher, he said some things with a formidable simplicity that went straight to your brain and then to your heart”.

Theodor Paleologu, essayist, teacher and diplomat: „It’s a figure we’ve all gotten used to, it’s been dear to us for so long. I myself have known him for over 40 years. I used to see him, when I was a child, at the Writers’ House. He was very nice to me, he played chess, we ate cookies together. A very good, understanding man. He was a downright great-grandfather figure”.

Mihai Șora also got involved in humanitarian campaigns, and jumped to the aid of those struck by fate.

Oana Gheorghiu, founding member of the Donate Life Association: „He got involved and helped us at Give Life, he drew a helmet for us, which we auctioned at an event. He attended that event, said a few words, and stayed with us most of the evening. It certainly meant a lot for Romania and for many young people from this country”.

He was married twice. In 2014, at the age of 98, after the death of his first wife, the writer Mariana Șora, he remarried the writer Luiza Palanciuc-Șora, who stayed by his side until his last moments.

God rest him in peace!

Authors: Geanina Panait, Florentina Bălășoiu, Larisa Antal, Daniel Preda, Teodora Suciu