Bishop Sophianos of Dryinoupolis (died 1711) was a

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

religious figure and Orthodox missionary in Ottoman

Epirus sq, Epiri rup, Epiru , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Historical region , image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg , map_alt = , map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinri ...

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 Kosmas the Aetolian, sometimes Cosmas the Aetolian or Patrokosmas "Father Kosmas" ( el, Κοσμᾶς ὁ Αἰτωλός, ''Kosmas Etolos''; born between 1700 and 1714 – died 1779), was a monk in the Greek Orthodox Church. He is recognized as ...

in the region. Bishop Sophianos died on

26 November Events Pre-1600 * 783 – The Asturian queen Adosinda is held at a monastery to prevent her king from retaking the throne from Mauregatus. * 1161 – Battle of Caishi: A Song dynasty fleet fights a naval engagement with Jin dynasty ...

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