Poet Grigore Vieru was a symbol of the national renaissance and his death is an irrecoverable loss, the president of the Writers Union of Moldova Mihai Cimpoi has told Info-Prim Neo. “During his whole life, Grigore Vieru talked with the children and adults about our destiny, national identity, scientific and historical truth, creating a bridge between the Romanian culture in Bessarabia and that in the Country. Grigore Vieru was and will be an exceptional and incomparable personality, a being in a poem, a truth, the Romanian language, the justice,” the academician said. Poet Iulian Filip said that Grigore Vieru, who worked with practically all the children, in all the homes, informed also the adults so that they discover the works that were of their age. “We did not have such a precedent of dedication and full involvement and I think that this is an irrecoverable loss,” the poet said. Composer Eugen Doga, who was Grigore Vieru’s friend, said that he was a ‘star’ about which “not many nice things were said.” A star died out. Unfortunately, this star was not seen by many, but its absence is now observed because it emitted light, warmth and spirit (...). He was an extraordinary man. No man of such a size, value and importance for our people existed in this country. Indisputably, it is a loss for the entire nation (...) Few nice things have been said about him and this is our sin,” the composer said. “He was the most renowned Romanian poet,” writer Nicolae Dabija said about Grigore Vieru. “I convinced myself of this while I accompanied him to communities inhabited by Romanians in Hungary, Serbia, Northern Bucovina, Southern Bessarabia. He was a model for us, a standard bearer that died like a standard bearer. But the standard was immediately taken over by those generations that studied by the textbooks written by Vieru and grew up by his poems and songs,” Dabija said. The writer describes Grigore Vieru as “a modest nature that tried to pass by in the tips of the toes so as not to disturb and so that we could not observe that we are his contemporaries. “His presence at those Great National Assemblies at the start of the 80s encouraged the masses. His contributions to the Romanian language, the return to the Latin scrip and the fight for the national identity are enormous,” Dabija said. “We lost a poet, but gained a great Emissary in heaven,” said writer Aurelian Silvestru. “The divinity is with us because the poet remained with us. He remained built inside the verses and words, in the sorrow of the Romanians from everywhere, which he bore on his feeble shoulders,” Aurelian Silvestru said. Grigore Vieru passed away on January 18 after injured in a car accident two days earlier. According to the Ministry of Health, the poet died as a result of a cardiac arrest on Sunday night, at 01.20. He suffered from cardiovascular, renal-hepatic and respiratory insufficiency. The bard will be buried at the Central Cemetery located on Armeneasca Street. January 20 was announced a Day of National Mourning.