Sofronie

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

• He was born on 3 November 1967, son of Maria and Petru Drincec, in Arad, Arad County. He received the baptism name of Radu-Ștefan.

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 1974-1978 – attends primary school at Primary School No. 1 in Arad;
• 1978-1982 – attends secondary school at School No. 4 in Arad (now the “Vasile Goldiș” National College);
• 1986 – graduates the “Ioan Slavici” High School in Arad (the current “Moise Nicoară” National College), with a major in Mathematics and Physics;
• July 1986 – starts studying at the Institute of Medicine in Timișoara, specializing in General Medicine;
• He fulfils the reduced military training period of nine months at the “Păuliş Detachment” Reserve Officers Military School in Lipova, Arad County (U.M. 01191);
• 1987-1993 – attends the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeș” in Timișoara, graduated with an overall average of 9.82;
• 1990 – participates in the founding of the branch of the Romanian Orthodox Christian Students’ Association in Timișoara, and in 1991 becomes its president;
• October 1993 – is admitted to the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Ilarion V. Felea” within the “Aurel Vlaicu” State University of Arad, specialising in Pastoral Theology;
• 1993-1997 – attends the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Arad, graduating with an overall average of 9.93. The bachelor’s degree exam is taken in June 1997, with the thesis Cuvinte despre rugăciune ale Părintelui Sofronie Saharov (Words on Prayer by Father Sophrony Sakharov), obtaining the Bachelor’s degree in Theology, with the average of the bachelor’s exam 10;
• 1993-1994 – works as internist at the County Hospital and at the Municipal Hospital, both in Arad, and organizes the branch of the Romanian Orthodox Christian Students Association in Arad;
• 1994-1996 – internship in spiritual formation at the Orthodox Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Essex (United Kingdom);
• 1995 – is received into the monastery of Hodoș-Bodrog Monastery in the Archdiocese of Arad, where he is tonsured a monk by His Eminence Timotei of Arad, his godfather in monasticism being His Eminence Serafim, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Germany, Central and Northern Europe;
• 12 August 1995 – is ordained a hierodeacon, and on 13 August 1995 a hieromonk for the Hodoș-Bodrog Monastery by His Eminence Serafim, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Germany, Central and Northern Europe, being consecrated a spiritual father by His Eminence Timotei of Arad;
• October 1995 – June 1997 – serves as a priest – spiritual father at the Saint Simeon the Stylite Monastery in Arad-Gai;
• June 1997-January 1998 – organizes the Social Assistance Department of the Diocese of Arad, participating in numerous thematic conferences;
• January 1998 – February 1999 – works as Secretary I in the Cabinet of His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist;
• 28 August 1998 – at the nomination of His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist, he is elevated to the rank of protosyncellus on 27 October 1998;
• 15 December 1998 – is nominated candidate for the elections to fill the vacant position of Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Hungary in the working session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, being elected on 30 January 1999 by the Electoral College of the Diocese gathered in Giula (Hungary), under the chairmanship of His Eminence Timotei, Archbishop of Arad, decision validated by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church in the working session of 4 February 1999;
• 7 February 1999 – is elevated to the rank of archimandrite by His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist;
• 21 February 1999 – is ordained and enthroned as the first Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Hungary in the Episcopal Cathedral in Giula, by His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist, along with His Eminence Nicolae Corneanu, Metropolitan of Banat, His Eminence Petru, Metropolitan of Bessarabia and Exarch of the Lands, His Eminence Serafim, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Germany, Central and Northern Europe, His Eminence Iosif, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe and 12 other hierarchs of the Romanian Orthodox Church);
• 13 February 2007 – is elected by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the throne of Bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Oradea, being enthroned on 25 February 2007 in the old Cathedral of The Dormition – „Biserica cu Lună” in Oradea;
• 18 January 2011 – defends his doctoral thesis in Theology at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Andrei Șaguna” of the “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, entitled: Hristologia Bisericilor Vechi Orientale (Christology of the Ancient Oriental Churches), under the guidance of Archd. Prof. dr. Constantin Voicu, receiving the magna cum laude honour. The thesis is in the process of being published.