Chapel of Saint Sophronios of Jerusalem in Leros

 

In Alinda on the Greek island of Leros is a neoclassical mansion known as the "Patriatchate", which today is the seaside residence of the Metropolitan of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalea. It was reconstructed about fifteen years ago after lying as an abandoned ruin for many years. Now, apart from the Archbishop's residence and office, it's also a conference center, with lovely views all around.

Its nickname is due to the notorious Patriarch of Alexandria Sophronios IV who used the original building as a summer home. Patriarch Sophronios served the Patriarchate of Alexandria from 1870 to his death in 1899, after having been Patriarch of Constantinople from 1863 to 1866. His tenure as Patriarch of Alexandria was tainted by the unfair expulsion of the Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo, Metropolitan Nektarios Kephalas of Pentapolis, whom the Church elevated to Sainthood following his death. Under the patronage of Patriarch Sophronios IV of Alexandria, Nektarios went to Athens to study in 1882; completing his theological studies in 1885, he went to Alexandria, where Patriarch Sophronios ordained him priest on March 23, 1886.

Encomium on the Conception of Saint John the Baptist (St. Sophronios of Jerusalem)

By St. Sophronios of Jerusalem

Let us speak of the wonderful conception of the Honorable Forerunner - since it could stand as the beginning of the whole narrative - and put in order what we are triumphantly about to mention, insofar it pleases him whom we are praising today to give us the power of speech. But it might be better to begin our talk with events that preceded the conception. In this way we can demonstrate that, even before his conception, it was clear that he would become a great and important person and that he would meet the expectations of people in matters of salvation, since he would not be exempt from the consequences which the fall of the Adam and Eve had for the whole of humankind. As a result of this fall, we had reached the point where we were living on earth in misery and degeneracy, as the general legatees of God’s decision: “You are dust and shall return to dust” (Gen. 3, 19).

Saint Sophronios of Jerusalem Resource Page

St. Sophronios of Jerusalem (Feast Day - March 11)

Verses

Hastening to keep the law to the letter,

Sophronios has been raised up as a horn to the heavens.

On the eleventh wise Sophronios was placed in the grave.

 

LIFE 

 

Synaxarion of Saint Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem 

 

Saint Sophronios of Jerusalem as a Model for our Lives 

 

March: Day 11: Teaching 1: Saint Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem

 

Saint Sophronios of Jerusalem in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church 

 

The Marvelous Life of Patriarch Sophronius I: His Company of Saints, and the Fall of Byzantine Jerusalem 

 

Saint Sophronios of Jerusalem: The Guardian of the All-Holy Sepulchre

 

The Discovery of the Relics of the Holy Unmercenaries Cyrus and John 

 

Saint David the Dendrite of Thessaloniki

 

Chapel of Saint Sophronios of Jerusalem in Leros

 

 

WRITINGS 

 

Homily on the Exaltation of the Honorable Cross and the Resurrection (St. Sophronios of Jerusalem) 

 

Encomium on the Conception of Saint John the Baptist (St. Sophronios of Jerusalem)  

 

The Theophany Prayer of St. Sophronios of Jerusalem 

 

St. Sophronius of Jerusalem's Candlemas Sermon 

 

The Lives of the Four Evangelists (St. Sophronios of Jerusalem) 

 

Life of our Holy Mother Mary of Egypt (St. Sophronios of Jerusalem) 

 

Miracles 1 - 4 of Saints Cyrus and John as Recorded by Saint Sophronios of Jerusalem 

 

Miracles of Saints Cyrus and John for Theodora Who Had an Eye Disease and for her Husband Christodoros Who Was Shipwrecked 

 

A Miracle of Saints Cyrus and John for Theopompos Who Was Demon Possessed 

 

A Miracle of Saints Cyrus and John for the Physician Gesios

 

A Miracle of Saints Cyrus and John for Kosmiana Who Had a Back Injury

 

The Marvelous Life of Patriarch Sophronius I: His Company of Saints, and the Fall of Byzantine Jerusalem

By Mother Nectaria McLees

Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem (c. 560-638, feast-day March 11) stands among the most intriguing and attractive of Byzantine hierarchs, his eight decades encompassing a wealth of life experience as a highly-trained sophist, traveling ascetic pilgrim, esteemed church writer, and eventually patriarch. The monastic spiritual son and friend of two of the 6th-century’s great Christian luminaries, John Moschus (author of The Spiritual Meadow) and St. John the Almsgiver, Patriarch of Alexandria, St. Sophronius’ own spiritual son, St. Maximus the Confessor, would continue his life-long combat with heresy. An author of church services and hagiography, St. Sophronius is best-known as the author of the Life of St. Mary of Egypt, the only saint’s life read aloud as part of an official service in the yearly liturgical cycle of the Orthodox Church. This great hierarch ended his days as Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem, which, in the absence of higher political or military authority, he surrendered to Muslim conquerors in 638 to avert the destruction of the city and its population after a six-month siege.

St. Sophronios of Jerusalem's Candlemas Sermon

A feast and litany procession in honor of the Lord's Presentation in the Temple was celebrated by Jerusalem Christians at least as early as the late fourth century. It took place 40 days after the feast of the Lord's birth, since the Jewish law required a mother to undergo a rite of purification 40 days following childbirth. In Luke's account of the Presentation, Symeon is recorded as proclaiming Jesus "a light of revelation to the Gentiles." And so at the beginning of the eighth century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession on this day; several years later the blessing and distribution of candles was added to the celebration. Hence this day came to be known as Candlemas in the West. From the sermon below, delivered in the seventh century, it seems the tradition of holding candles on this feast may be earlier than thought and may have originated in the East.

By St. Sophronios of Jerusalem

Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.

The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.

The light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness. This, then, is our feast, and we join in procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God.

The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Let all of us share in its splendor, and be so filled with it that no one remains in the darkness. Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the light whose brilliance is eternal.

Rejoicing with Symeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of the light, who sent the true light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendor.

Through Symeon’s eyes we too have seen the salvation of God which he prepared for all the nations and revealed as the glory of the new Israel, which is ourselves. As Simeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness.

By faith we, too embraced, Christ, the salvation of God the Father, as he came to us from Bethlehem. Gentiles before, we have now become the people of God. Our eyes have seen God incarnate, and because we have seen him present among us and have mentally received him into our arms, we are called the new Israel.

Never shall we forget this presence; every year we keep a feast in his honor.

("Orat. 3 de Hypapante" 6.7: PG 87, 3, 3291-3293)