Bulgarian Hesychasts in the XIVTH Century and Romanian Monasticism
Bulgarian Hesychasts in the XIVTH Century and Romanian Monasticism

Summary/Abstract: The appearance of monachal life in the South-Eastern part of Romania (in Scitia Minor-present - day Dobrogea), since the fourtheenth century was due to the contacts this part of our country had with the monastery centres from Asia Minor (Egipt and Israel). Such names of monks from Scitia Minor having a vast theological and secular knowledge for example Saint John Cassian and Dionisie Exiguul) are already known in the Cristian World. From Scithia Minor the monachal life has spread during centuries in the other Romanian Countries, too. Once, the monachal life from Mount Athos developed (during the eighth and ninth centuries), it has poured its effects not only upon the Balkan Peninsula (upon the greeks, bulgarians, serbs, etc.), but also upon the Romanian territories from the northern part of the Danube. If there was an influence of the Asia Minor and Mount Athos monasticism upon the Romanian Countries, we could also speak about an impulse of our monachal life through the great Bulgarian hesychasts of the fourteenth century: Saint Grigorie Sinaitul, Saint Teodosie and Saint Eftimie, the patriarch of Târnovo. Their writings have been copied and spread all over the Romanian territory. As a result of these monastic works come from Mount Athos and from Bulgaria, monastic life has flourished in the Romanian countries called in Romanian "hermit life". The hermits (hesychasts) became very popular in the life of the romanian people. The hermits monks were not only clerical (pastoral) men, but also cultural personalities: they copied lay and religious manuscripts, translated the works of Eastern Holy Faters, they were writers, painters, sculptors, architects, etc. They have all made a precious contribution to the developing if the spreading of the Balkan spirituality over the Romanian land and at the same time, they were the creators of the Roumanian language and the defenders of the Romanian people's unity.

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