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Sofian Brașoveanul

Assistant-Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxembourg
PS Sofian Brașoveanul

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

  • He was born on 22 July 1970, son of parents Maria and Gheorghe Pătrunjel, in the village of Băcel, Covasna County. He was baptized Gheorghe.

 

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • 1976-1984 – Attends secondary school in his native village, Băcel, Covasna County;
  • 1984-1988 – student at the Industrial High School No. 2 in Sfântu Gheorghe, Covasna County;
  • 1989-1990 – completed his military training in Vânju Mare, Mehedinți County, and Bucharest;
  • 27 February 1990 – he joins the Brâncoveanu Monastery of Sâmbăta de Sus, Brașov County;
  • 1992-1997 – studies at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Andrei Șaguna” in Sibiu;
  • 20 April 1993 – was tonsured into monasticism by the His Grace, Serafim Făgărășeanul, Assistant-Bishop of the Archdiocese of Sibiu, and on 23 April was ordained hierodeacon by His Eminence Antonie Plămădeală, Metropolitan of Transylvania (Ardeal);
  • 30 May 1993 – ordained a hieromonk by His Eminence Antonie Plămădeală, Metropolitan of Transylvania;
  • 1995-1998 – he was awarded a scholarship at the Roman-Catholic Faculty of Theology in Chur (Switzerland), where he studied German and French;
  • 1999-2003 – MA studies at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the “Aristotelis” University and at the Institute of Patristic Studies of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Vlatadon Monastery in Thessaloniki (Greece);
  • 18 May 2002 – elected Assistant-Bishop of the Metropolis of Germany, Central and Northern Europe by its Diocesan Assembly, confirmed on 3 July 2002 by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, and on 11 May 2003 ordained in the Cathedral of Nuremberg by His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist on 11 May 2003;
  • 2003-2010 – pursues doctoral studies at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the “Aristotelis” University of Thessaloniki (Greece);
  • 10 December 2010 – defends his doctoral dissertation at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the “Aristotelis” University of Thessaloniki (Greece), entitled: Η Πνευματική πατρότα κατά τον Μέγα Βασίλειο (The Spiritual Fatherhood of St. Basil the Great), obtaining the arista – very good honour.