October 2007

Spiritual itineraries in Transilvania. The Martyrism of Aiud

Aiud is a city with a sad reverberation in Romanians’ soul. Many years in row, all avenues were headed towards the frightful jail of Aiud, which broke up the destinies of the bravest people of the Romanian nation.

Situated in the middle of the city, the jail has a huge "T" shape, programmed to torture both the spirits and the bodies of those Romanians who loved the faith and their nation, and never gave up in front of the communist regimen. These extraordinary people, among whom there were many young ones, understood that the time to be asked for the impossible and courage had arrived; otherwise, there was no escape, neither for them nor for the nation. They engaged themselves freely and consciously to bear the Cross and expiate nation’s sins. Reaching the peak of the solitude and suffering, they met and followed Christ, becoming Saints. These are the martyr Saints of Aiud, who we have forgotten nowadays to speak about.

The jail of Aiud was a real school of torture: the convicts were starved to death, tortured, humiliated, though most of them were distinguished intellectuals of the Romanian society. If they had lived, they would have changed the face of the Romanian society. The bodies of the killed ones were thrown away in common pits, dug up by the jail administration at the periphery of Aiud, a place known today as the "Precipice of Slaves". Aiud was a spiritual school.

Today, the traces of the crimes of the past have been wiped away; jail restoration is done in European style; it has new windows and has been painted in yellow. With all these efforts of so-called "humanists", which strive to do cosmetics on everything, God speaks through chosen people that resemble the first Christians of the 1^st to 3^rd Centuries. During the persecutions, those ones used to gather near the graves of the martyrs and lay holy altars above the graves. Those holy churches were called Martyria. The contemporary citizens, resembling the first Christians, built a Holy Monastery at Aiud, above the bodies of the martyrs sacrificed in jail for faith and their nation.

This spiritual and monastic space is situated in the proximity of some apartment buildings, the border between the totally different two worlds being marked by a fence; Mircea Eliade would have said: "a harmonious insertion of the sacred in profane".

In the same precipice is also situated the cemetery of Aiud. During the time, people dug up and, miracle, they found yellowish-golden, smooth, shiny, light, and good smelling bones that have blessed the land of the country. Today, they lie in the Monastery ossuary as a testimony of the suffering and tortures of the authentic Romanians in the communist era. They are not only a proof of their faith, but also a proof of the miracles done in jail by God, because Jesus himself was tortured. Insupportable pain was tolerated, the wounds did not get infected; the bones regenerated under conditions of extreme starving; in ovens, at temperatures above 8000C, the flesh, the pyloric tissue, the bones did not become ashes, the matter lows being abolished. Indeed, intolerable pain was suffered: nails with blunt tips were punched in martyr’s skulls; they were bitten in a manner that facilitated bonny fragments penetration, like hooks, into muscles; the teeth infections macerated the mandibles leading to so-called teeth fury and madness; skulls were cut surgically, perfectly circular, as well as arms, legs, broken ribs, and many more atrocities took place there. Before taking the tortured people, supposed to be dead, out of the jail for burial, the bodies were punched with a javelin to verify the demise, fact that remembers us about the barbaric procedure applied to Jesus Christ on the Cross.

All of these atrocities were accompanied by spiritual tortures that we cannot understand. The Saints went through hell; they experienced the "slough of desolation", but they had never lost their hope. They tolerated everything, keeping their faith and dignity, and dieing for these.

The atmosphere within the ossuary invites you to pray; a peaceful immaterial atmosphere surrounds the visitors even from the entrance, giving them thoughts of deep gratefulness, happiness, peacefulness and penance, so that they could hardly leave the place. In the ossuary there is also an icon of Virgin Mary; the representation of a procession of shackled convicts, contortioned by pain, and surrounded by halos, makes the icon unique.

At the ossuary exit, on a wall, there is a map of Romania, representing the locations of the communist jails; the overall image is terrible: during those times, the entire country got to become an enormous jail.

Symbolic is also the architecture of the monument that accommodates the sacred Church and the ossuary. On the roof there are 14 crosses positioned in two columns of 7 crosses each, which symbolize the sworn brothers that carry with love and obedience the giant and heavy Cross of the Romanian nation. Number "7" is a well known symbol in the Old and the New Testament: Jesus Christ gave us seven narrative examples about God Kingdom (Matei 13); seven times seven is the number of God disciples (Luca 10,1); seven requests are in the prayer of Jesus; seven are the gifts of the Holy Spirit; seven are the Holy Secrets; during the seventh day did God rest; the seventh day is the day of Resurrection.

The walls of both the Church and of the ossuary are covered by commemorative marble plates with over 2,500 names of people who died in the communist jails of Aiud, Jilava, Gherla, Pitesti, Târgu Ocna, and Danube – Black Sea Channel. The following words are graved in stone, above the Church entrance: "Privileged those persecuted for justice" – for those who chose and understood to fulfill this privilege in their lives. In front of the Church there is a monument built by the association of the political ex-convicts. We could no longer say "I do not know that was here and what is here" after we read its dedication: "Passer-by, stop one moment from your journey and light a candle in front of this symbol of suffering for those who get to resurrection, through death". There is no square foot without bones on this land. The crime of the past, committed by those without God and worship for their nation, bled the holy body of the nation. Nowhere else, the confession of this worship was more considerable than in the jail of Aiud. The nuns that serve with a lot of devotion and love in this Monastery told us that here, at Aiud, we walk on Saints, and that the Romanian Athos is right here.

In the proximity of the "Precipice of Slaves" there is a railroad. The noise of the train wheels brings us back in History, in those terrible times, with an aggressive chain jingle, bolts of death; the gentle jingle of the Monastery bell anchors us in a liturgical and spiritual reality, which gives suffering a sense.

Their sacrifice was not in vain, leading our spirit towards God, Virgin Mary and all Saints, and towards their eternal honor and remembrance.

Prof. Ana-Maria Cutulab

About Africa – with Father Damaschin

Through God’s mercy, I met Father Damaschin two years ago at his Monastery, "the Pious Grigorie", in Mount Athos. During a conference with the International Organization of the Orthodox Youth, I was impressed by the group of well-educated and faithful young Africans; youth for a continent of the future…Let’s listen to Father Damaschin speaking about the rebirth of a continent…

- Please tell us about the Greek orthodox mission in Africa.

- I wrote a book in Greek language about the Greek orthodox mission in Congo and Burundi.

- In Northern Africa there is the Patriarchy of Alexandria.

- We have a very good collaboration with it. Non-Christian areas are still present in Africa. There are Catholics, Protestants, many Moslems, and a few people who believe in idols. Each year, almost 20,000 people are christened in our Orthodox Church.

- What are your long-term goals?

- For the beginning, we work on the books necessary for catechization. We translate the books from Greek to Swahili and France languages. Thereafter, we perform catechization and christenings; we build the church, the elementary school, the priest’s house, and the hospital. We help the poor and sick people, and bring food to people in jail.

- The Russian Orthodox mission did the same things in the Far East.

- This is the way…

- What about South Africa?

- The Orthodox mission is done there too, but is more difficult because of a worldly spirit.

- Do you train people to become priests?

- A theological school was built within the Metropolitan Church of Central Africa. The Patriarch Teodor of Alexandria will go there, at Kinsasha, on September the 23rd to inaugurate the school. During the first year, twenty young men will be educated there.

- What are the most difficult things encountered by the Greek Orthodox mission in Africa?

- First, we do not have missionaries, people who could help us. Second, we do not have enough money to built churches, schools, baptisteries, and to support poor and sick people. All money that we have come from the Christians from Greece, and are obtained with many difficulties. We could do many important things if we had money. Third, we have many temptations because of the people. We listen to our abbot, live, leave our lives in God’s hands, and keep going with our mission.

- Do you have a permanent location?

- I have been working for 15 years in Africa. I worked 12 years in Congo, at Kolwezi, in the Southern part of the country. I have been working for two and a half years in the states of Burundi and Rwanda. We build a big church in Burundi, under the benefaction of Saint Vasile the Great. The capital, the place where I live, is in Bujumbura. There is a church. We started from almost nothing. This year we have made a lot of constructions.

- There is a journal, which shows up every 6 months, and reflects the actions of the Orthodox mission.

- Yes, it is called "The Exterior Mission" and is edited in Tesalonic.

- You multiply books for the mission using the copier machine…

- Yes, I have already copied the book Isihastic Studies written in French. I brought and multiplied many Orthodox books written in French from the Simonopetra Monastery. I brought catechization books, books written by the Holy Fathers and the Fathers from the Mount Athos, and many books against the heretics that help us to fight against them. In Bujumbura we will give people a chance to enter into the church and read Orthodox books. We will make audiotapes with sermons and discussions, will multiply them, and hand them out to people. They will read, listen, and come to church. People know where the Light is, and where the dark, wondering, and hypocrisy are. The Orthodoxy has the treasure. It is not only for us, it is for everybody.

- Is the Holy Liturgy translated?

- Yes, in Swahili, French, and Hirundi, the local language in Burundi. We do the service in Swahili language and sing Byzantine music. I wrote in Swahili language all songs with Byzantine symbols. The Bible is translated in Swahili language. It is a beautiful language, different from European languages.

- Some characteristics of the educational system…

- The young generation loves to study, but it doesn’t receive enough help; they do not have a good university, good teachers, books, and money to pay for studies. They have to pay taxes in order to get trained in a university.

- Did any miracles happen following the Holy Liturgy and exorcism service?

- God does miracles there, too. In Africa, the preacher is not me, but Jesus Christ. Two months ago a man came to me with a book written in French about the differences between the Orthodox and the Catholic Church. I asked him where did he get it from; he told me that a man, which had taken it from our library, gave it to him. After he had read the book, he told me that he wants to become Orthodox; he was Moslem. It was God, not me, the one Who showed him the Light. He read books, catechized, and christened with his entire family. He had five children!

- What do you plan to do after returning to Burundi?

- We should complete the construction of the "Saint Vasile the Great" Church, because we are almost there. If we find money in Greece, we will build a missionary center in Burundi, containing a church, an elementary school, the priest’s house, and a hospital. Thereafter, we will build another center in Rwanda.

- Would you please tell us something about the Coptic Christian Church from Egypt?

- In Egypt is the Patriarchy. There are 20 million Copts and 50 million Moslems. There are only a few Orthodox people. In Africa, there are 3 million Orthodox Africans. We started 30 years ago.

- Do other Orthodox missions exist in Africa?

- No, the Russians do missionary work in Alaska and Japan. We would like to have monks and nuns from Romania, as well as other Orthodox Christians next to us. They would have to speak French. We need priests, teachers, and nurses for a certain period of time. The mission is not Greek; it is Orthodox. There are only Greeks now, but other Orthodox people should join us. I ask the Romanian Christians to donate money for a church in Africa and to help us with the construction of the missionary center in Burundi. A church would cost 60,000 Euros; an elementary school with six classes would cost 70,000 Euros; a small hospital would cost 40,000 Euros. We need money, without which we cannot do anything. The state of Burundi has 8 million people and only one Orthodox Church, the one of Greeks, with one priest! Recently, we christened 60 Burundians, but we have to build the center for the rest of the Africans.

- What is the situation in Rwanda?

- The state of Rwanda has 7 million people and not even one Orthodox priest! There are one hundred Orthodox Russians, a few Romanians, Serbians, and Greeks. They want an Orthodox Church and a priest for the primary purpose to christen their children. They asked me to come there! I found a domain for the missionary center, but it costs 20,000 Euros, money that I do not have!

- What is the situation in Congo and Brazzaville?

- The state of Congo has 35 million people, among which 60,000 are Orthodox; there are almost 100 married priests and 250 parishes. In Eastern Congo, near the border with Burundi, there is the city of Uvira with 300,000 people. Until recently, there was no Orthodox Church there. One hundred and twenty people were christened, and there are 50 catechumens. In Brazzaville there are 3.5 million people, among which 2,000 are Orthodox. There are 4 Orthodox parishes with 5 priests and one deacon. There is an architect monk priest from Mount Athos, Father Theologos, who is responsible for that area.

What is the situation in other areas?

- In Uganda there are 90 perishes where serve 35 Ugandan priests. Father Ionas is Ugandan; he graduated Theology and Philosophy in Athens.

- These numbers represent a source of happiness for us, in the context of a World that is looking for idols instead of embracing the Light of God. There are thousands of websites about witchcraft and numberless books on this topic that target especially the young generation. If Europe declines, we will have the model of a continent that revives to Jesus Christ. Do you see a spiritual future for Europe, which declines also demographically?

- God knows.

- Are any monasteries in Africa?

- In Congo, near Kolwezi, there is "Saint Nectarie" Monastery, where serve 6 African nuns. There is a nun there that lived 13 years at a monastery in Greece; she knows Byzantine music, embroidery, and leads the young nuns.

- Looking at the albums with pictures from Africa, I have been impressed by the young brides dressed in white, by the christening and exorcism ceremonies, by the pictures showing the hard work of the people who build the missionary center, and by those pictures showing the preparation of food for people that live in jail. I also see a procession.

- We organized a procession in Burundi, on the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

- Do the Greeks from United States help you?

- We do not have any connections with them. There are 5 million Greeks there. We need collaborators to contact them.

- Maybe the Romanians from Canada and United States will help you, who will become sensitive after finding out about this apostolic mission. Or they will pray for you… There is a powerful Orthodox Church in United States of America. What about the Fraternity of the Holy Grave in Jerusalem? Do you collaborate with it?

- I do not have any collaboration with them. I come here, at my monastery, only 2-3 months a year to do translations, to work on books, to find funding sources, and return quickly to Africa where we have a lot of work to do. I do not have time to go to other countries to find money sources. I must go there, but I do not have the blessing of the Father Abbot; it is not easy.

- Let’s hope that Romanians will help you from now, as they helped the Mount Athos in the past.

- You must help Africa now. There is a need there for the Light of God. We have opened a lecture hall near "Saint Vasile the Great" Monastery, in which we placed over 500 Orthodox books in Swahili and France languages. Peoples’ access is free. The books that I am currently working on will be placed there too.

- Can’t you multiply them in Burundi?

- We do not have a center, we do not have a place to live; we have only the domain. We have to build the center. It is an urgent situation. We have to find money to build this center where to host, thereafter, the priests, the teachers, and the nuns… We have an account in Greece (ΕΘΝΙΚΗ ΤΡΑΠΕΖΑ – the National Bank of Greece, 214/644859-33), and a fax in Burundi (00257/221147). In Greece I have a telephone number (0030 6981684125) and a fax number (0030 23770 23671 – Grigoriu Monastery). In September I will be looking for funding sources in Greece and I will return to Africa at the beginning of October.

George Cabas

The sixth patriarch and the unity of the Church

PF Daniel is the sixth patriarch. For the moment, he is the patriarch of the majority of the episcopes from the Romanian Orthodox Church. It remains to be seen whether he will be the patriarch of the Romanian faithful nation. The Patriarch Daniel is the only one who could prove it. We pray to God for him to do it.

The new patriarch participated at three important events, from which the actual status of the Church could be observed: the electoral campaign, the vote, and the enthronement.

In summary, during the electoral campaign, it could be noted that there is a significant movement towards defense of the Tradition within the Church, movement that fights against some impressive political forces, among which some are occult; the result of the vote indicates a discrepancy between the will of the common believers and that of the hierarchs (1); in addition, the patriarch’s discourse at his enthronement, highlights the major divergences within the Synod.

The analysis of these events brings us to the conclusion that there are major tensions within the Romanian Orthodox Church that threaten the unity of the Church. These tensions are generated, on the one hand, by the weak faith of all of us, and, on the other hand, by the status of princes of the Church, embraced by the most majority of the hierarchs. Instead of the gentle and modest pastors, who are spiritual doctors and characters modeled by respecting the monastic votes, there are too many rich and vain people within the Synod, who follow tenaciously and unscrupulously their own interests. It is not the place here to detail, but the businesses, political connections, and the backstage schemes for the growth of their influence within the Church are well known.

Between, let’s say, high-ecclesia and low-ecclesia there is a gap that gets deeper and deeper. The demand for obedience is still respected by the large body of believers, despite their dissatisfactions. The worries from the top are well administrated for the moment by a small group of hierarchs in whom the Icon of Christ is significant.

The danger for a brake within the Church is real. The patriarch Teoctist was aware of it. We believe that his great merit was that he succeeded in maintaining a balance and keeping the unity of the Romanian Orthodox Church. First of all, the sixth patriarch, PF Daniel, is invited to do so, too. From his discourse at the enthronement, it seems that he has understood this; but, beyond words, facts are expected. If PF Daniel does what he promised (1), it will be peace and harmony, and he will prove himself the patriarch of all Romanians.

The election of the new bishop of Moldova will be a test from this perspective. If PF Daniel will impose, using the same approach as for both the Metropolitan Church of Ardeal and for the election for Patriarchy, an "ecumenist" and/or a controversial close person – with dubious businesses or with "spots" on his Security file -, it will be proven that on September the 30th he tried only to soothe the vigilance of his contestants. The consequences are easily envisioned.

Claudiu Târziu

Father Sofian Boghiu, the apostle of Bucharest

Born on October 7th 1912, in "Coconestii Vechi" village in Basarabia, Serghei Boghiu entered as a disciple at the Rugi–Soroca Monastery in the autumn of 1926. Having a beautiful voice, he studied Music at the school of church singers from Dobrua–Soroca Monastery, between 1928 and 1932; thereafter, in 1940, he graduated the Monastic Seminar from Cernica Monastery. He became a monk on December 25th 1937, receiving the monastic name of Sofian. On August 6th 1939 he became deacon at the cathedral of the city of Balti.

God was very generous with Sofian, giving him also the gift of painting, in which he excelled following the graduation of the Academy of Belle Arts from Bucharest (1940-1945). Between 1942 and 1946, Sofian followed the classes of the School of Theology in Bucharest. In 1945, he became a distinguished priest of the Antim Monastery in Bucharest. Between 1945 and 1950, he was one of the most known participants at the spiritual and cultural reunions of the movement "The Burning Pyre" within the Antim Monastery (group that included the most representative figures of the Orthodox clergy and the most renowned laic Christian intellectuals).

On June 15th 1950, he was nominated abbot of the Antim Monastery, and between 1954 and 1958 he was the abbot of the Plumbuita Monastery in Bucharest. He painted many churches and, for several years, he had been a professor at the Monastic Seminar of the Neamt Monastery.

In 1958 he was convicted to 16 years of forced labor because of "plotting against the social order through mystical activity within the "The Burning Pyre" organization"; he suffered 6 years only, in 1964 being liberated owing to the general decree of reprieve. After 1989, speaking about his suffering in jail, Father Sofian said: "I liked the prison, if I can say it this way. It was good to be there. It was better than here, in our so-called "liberty". You could think there. Nothing could distract you from God. While here…there are so many problems!"

Three years after his liberation, he returned to Antim Monastery where he stayed until the end of his life. Until 1998, when he felled sick, being immobilized to bed, he modeled hundreds of disciples from the confession chair with patience, and the ability and tact of a jeweler of souls. This brought him the name of "the Apostle of Bucharest".

Father Sofian Boghiu died on Saturday, September 14th 2002 being buried at the Caldarusani Monastery, where he had chosen his grave, long time in advance.

Let’s see what other renowned priest of Romanians, Archimandrite Ioanichie Balan, said about Father Sofian: "A remarkable spiritual personality, unanimously renowned, who is the pride of the Romanian Monastic space of the Christ’s Church, in which he serves. He distinguished himself, becoming known and appreciated, especially by three qualities or gifts that God endowed him with: renowned church painter, talented confessor and shepherd of souls, and singer by vocation.

He was born for Church, to confess the Truth through words and colors, through spiritual disciples and icons; to decorate the church with beautifully conceived and painted icons, and to make, from the souls of the believers of the Church, spiritual icons of the good actions, of love and obedience, in which to become visible the icon of Christ; to restore priceless old icons and to restore human souls for which God sacrificed Himself on the Cross. Here is the vocation and the fate of Archimandrite Sofian on the Earth…

We could add to his spiritual portrait, his rare gentleness, modesty, calmness, patience, and his Theological culture".

Below, we reproduce some pieces from the answers given by Father Sofian during a discussion with a group of Orthodox students, at the beginning of 1990s.

The prayer in jail

"In jail we were so carefully guarded and constrained, so that we could think only vertically, towards God. Usually, people pray with fervor especially when they get into troubles. In jail there were definitely big troubles!

God accepted the prayers of the people in jail, in order to make them stronger. This way, despite all misery, all wickedness dictated against the poor convicts, they showed serenity and a joyfulness that could only come from God. The prayers of those in jail could be compared with the prayers of Holy Fathers from the dessert, or the prayers of Holy martyrs burnt on pyre; with the fire burning under them, they were joyful and thankful because of their sacrifice for God.

Resistance through prayer at Antim Monastery

"The movement «The Burning Pyre» started during the communist period. On the street and in day-by-day life, there was a lot of agitation and an effort from some inimical forces designed to change everything that was conservative, beautiful, stable, and perpetual, with the new "trend" that we experienced.

In this agitation, at the Antim Monastery and in the library of the Monastery one spoke about the prayer of Jesus, about different aspects of the prayer, about confession, and about the inner experience based on the Church’s Tradition, the practice of the Holy Fathers that abounded of prayers, especially of the short and comprehensive prayer of Jesus.

The conferences used to take place every Sunday. This civic work, in a restricted circle, lasted about six years, starting from 1945. It was very agreeable, but it could not extend too much because of the agitation from outside our monastic lives. Higher education professors used to lecture there, such as Father Staniloae, Father Benedict Ghius, Professor Alexandru Mironescu, Dr. Vasile Voiculescu, and Ion Marin Sadoveanu. There were a lot of people there, among which there were many young people and students. Subsequently, these people suffered a lot in jail, but they had been aware of this from the beginning. In Bible there is written: «Who is not with us is against us!» Those who had the power wanted all of us to be with them. Without arguing with them, «we agreed with them». They were intelligent, because the evil is very intelligent, and were leaded by this spirit. They realized that we are not like them, but against them. Therefore, they found us and kept us in the communist prisons for years.

The young people that used to come to the conferences from Antim Monastery were eager to find out something about this inner existence, leaving very healthy, and spiritually fed. After the speaker had finished his discourse, there were questions from the audience, a dialogue and a network of ideas, of thoughts, and spiritual expectations that fed very much those who used to participate at these spiritual gatherings."

"The Burning Pyre"

"It is well known that the Burning Pyre represents a fortunate event happened while Moise, leaving the Egypt, arrived in Mount Sinai, grazing the sheep of Ietro, his father-in-law. Arriving in front of a pyre, of a bush that was burning in fire without consuming, and approaching it to touch it with his hand, he was told these words: «Take out your shoes because the land that you step on is holy». From this pyre, God Himself spoke with him.

In the Theology of our Orthodox Church, this pyre is the symbol of Virgin Mary. Although Jesus Christ was divine fire, Virgin Mary remained untouched, but spiritually metamorphosed by Jesus Christ. Therefore, for us, who have chosen Virgin Mary as the protector of the Antim Monastery, the Burning Pyre is the symbol of the permanent prayer. In fact, who prays permanently is like this pyre that burns and never consumes. We are always under the fire of God, a blaze of light and power. As more we burn, as brighter and closer to God we get."

The prayer of the heart

Life is very agitated and restless nowadays; the prayer of our times is very short. By contrast, the prayers of the ascetics were done all day and night.

It seems that God arranged especially for this modern life, the following prayer: "Lord God Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!"

Regardless what activity we are involved in, in our day-by-day life, we can say from time to time: "Jesus, have mercy on me!" These are the words that summarize this prayer. On the one hand, "Jesus" summarizes the ceiling of our Christian life, God and His Kingdom, and, on the other hand, "have mercy on me" summarizes the situation from the down side, the misery, and the needs that we often experience. We should say at least these words all along our life. However, the best thing to do is to say the entire prayer. For that reason, it is very short.

This prayer can be said as many times as possible, regardless how busy we are, so that, in this modern life, with all its speed and our agitation, we could spiritually feed ourselves from this prayer in a truly rewording way. "

Nicolae Tescanu

Cumpăraţi revista "Rost" de la chioşcurile Rodipet!