Bishop Sophianos Of Dryinoupolis

Bishop Sophianos of Dryinoupolis (died 1711) was a Greek religious figure and Orthodox missionary in Ottoman Epirus around the turn of the 18th century.

Biography

He was probably born in the village of Polytsani, in the Pogon region.
Άγιος Σοφιανός επίσκοπος Δρυϊνουπόλεως καί Αργυροκάστρου
'' Ορθόδοξος Συναξαριστής. 26 November 2013.

At the time he became Bishop of Dryinoupolis (modern southwest Albania) the religious composition of the region was changing due to massive conversions to Islam.

In 1672 he founded a Greek school in the local monastery of Saint Athanasios. In recognition of the danger that Christian religion was shrinking, Sophianos resigned his bishopric and became a wandering missionary, preaching from village to village.

Sophianos' last days were spent in the monastery of Saint Athanasios in his hometown Polican (Pogon) where he taught religion and letters to the village children. Because of his pious character he was respected and honored by both Christians and Muslims. As a missionary, Sophianos is considered the forerunner of Cosmas of Aetolia in the region.

Bishop Sophianos died on 26 November 1711 AD. Although uncanonized, he is considered a saint in his village.Albania's Captives. Pyrrus Ruches. Argonaut, Chicago 1965. p. 33

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sophianos, Bishop of Dryinoupolis
1711 deaths
18th-century people from the Ottoman Empire
Christian missionaries in Albania
Eastern Orthodox missionaries
Greek bishops
Year of birth unknown
18th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops
People from Dropull