Bishop Varlaam: St Sofian was a prophet, apostle and spiritual father of Bucharest

“During the dark years of communism, Antim Monastery was a lamp that remained continually burning, a light of resurrection here in the heart of Bucharest, while St Sofian was a prophet, an apostle and a father of this city, to whom both the most accomplished intellectuals and ordinary people would turn, seeking his kindness, forgiveness and wise counsel,” Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești said on Wednesday.

The Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St Anthimos Monastery on the feast of St Sofian.

His Grace emphasised that the saint’s pastoral and missionary activity was accompanied by his vocation as a church painter.

“This required great skill, so that at a time when the faith was being persecuted, an icon or the painting of a church could truly become the alphabet, the book, the Gospel that people could read without the aid of words.”

“This material painting was always accompanied by the painting of the image of Christ in the hearts and souls of those who entrusted themselves to St Sofian’s pastoral care,” the Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop added.

The legacy of St Sofian The bishop recalled that while St Sofian served as abbot…