On Monday evening, His Grace Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești officiated the all-night vigil for Saint Sofian the Confessor of Antim, ahead of the local proclamation of his canonisation.
In his homily, Bishop Varlaam emphasised the joy of honouring “a saint from our own days,” known personally to many faithful in Bucharest and beyond.
“Behold, God has given us the joy of having a saint from our own days, whom most of us knew and whose presence we cherished, filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit,” he said.
After reviewing biographical elements of Saint Sofian’s life, Bishop Varlaam highlighted that he belonged to the Confessors from communist prisons, those who “understood in the most complete sense what inner freedom means.”
“God ordained that the Saints of the Prisons, who came to know Christ directly in the dramatic conditions of imprisonment, who acquired the practice of unceasing prayer, or the prayer of the heart, who understood in the fullest sense what inner freedom means, were given to us by God in freedom and became true lights, bright stars, for the faithful people, in this dark time for spiritual life and for the life of the Church,” the bishop noted.
A Saint of the 21st Century
The life of Saint Sofian, who lived also in the 21st century, shows that holiness can be attained at any time, even in the modern era.
“Saint Sofian shows us that holiness was not an ideal only for Christians of the past. He gives us no excuse, even though we live in a century when daily concerns occupy the time we should dedicate to God. Holiness can be acquired in the age of nuclear energy, in the times when people explore the universe and, as some say, have walked on the Moon,” Bishop Varlaam continued.
He added that Saint Sofian was more than an iconographer, being himself a living icon of humility.
“Saint Sofian the Confessor of Antim is for us an apostle of Christ in our own times, a man who preached the Gospel not only through words but especially through personal example. His life was a living icon of humility and patience, a testimony that the true strength of the Christian lies in prayer and in the quiet service of one’s neighbour.”
An Icon of Life in Christ
The icons painted by Saint Sofian remain a testament to his faith.
“With unwavering love for the Church, Saint Sofian gave all that he had best: the gentle word of a spiritual father, the steadfast prayer of a monk, and his artistic gift, placed at the service of God.”
“Many of the icons and churches he adorned with his own hands remain to this day a silent testimony of his faith. More than that, he knew how to paint in the hearts of many the image of Christ the Saviour, helping them to become sons and daughters of God.”
Saint Sofian was, is, and will continue to be a guiding light for young people and for Antim Monastery.
“He was a friend of the young, a father close to the soul of each one, who knew how to respond with gentleness and to enlighten through counsel and prayer. For the entire brotherhood of Antim Monastery, his canonisation is a great joy and a guiding light in the spiritual ascent toward the Kingdom of God.”
“The life and prayers of Saint Sofian remain a living example, a call for every believer to live with faith, humility, and love in Christ,” Bishop Varlaam concluded.
Photo: Raluca Ene / Basilica.ro
