Hieromonk Luke of Xenophontos Monastery, Mount Athos

Tomos for Orthodox Church of Ukraine Prepared on Parchment by Athonite Iconographer

The Tomos of Autocephaly for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has been prepared on parchment [a scroll] and delivered to the residence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople (Istanbul).  

This was reported [on January 4] by the press service of the Bigorski Monastery in Macedonia.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received at his residence the iconographer and calligrapher, Hieromonk Luke of Xenophontos Monastery on Mount Athos, who brought the document which he had prepared. Read More

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With all due solemnity His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, signed the Tomos of Autocephaly for the Orthodox Church of Ukraine at the Phanar this morning, January 5, 2019, in the presence of the newly elected Primate, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Epiphanius (Epifaniy) of Kyiv and All Ukraine.

His All-Holiness will formally hand over the Tomos to His Beatitude at tomorrow morning’s Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Theophany.

Father Sophrony (Sakharov) is perhaps best known as the disciple and biographer of St. Silouan the Athonite (1866-1938) and founder of the mixed Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Tolleshunt Knights UK. Iconographer Christabel Anderson introduces us to the little known aspect of Father Sophrony’s life as a young artist and later iconographer.

A young Father Sophrony (né Sergei Sakharov)

It is with a sense of deep gratitude, joy and honour that I embark upon the task of summarising a series of three exceptional monographs on the subject of the artistic path and iconographic legacy of Elder Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov) of blessed memory (1896-1993). The works in question are: Seeking Perfection in the World of Art: The Artistic Path of Father Sophrony (2014), ‘Being’: The Art and Life of Father Sophrony (2016), and Painting as Prayer: The Art of A. Sophrony Sakharov (2017) by Sister Gabriela, a member of Father Sophrony’s monastic community of Saint John the Baptist in rural Essex, England.

Sister Gabriela who, most significantly, is an iconographer and artist herself, was eminently suited to this task having lived and worked closely for many years with Father Sophrony, who was also her spiritual father and artistic director. She had the benefit of being able to draw on his extensive writings, her own detailed personal notes and recollections, as well as those of the community as a whole. In addition to this, much painstaking research was undertaken in the creation of the books, resulting in the unearthing of a treasury of new discoveries which will fascinate and edify all those who have an interest in iconography, theology, art history, artistic theory and practice, and of course the life and work of Father Sophrony.

Written with great intensity over a period of three years, these unique publications are ground-breaking in their content, breadth of field, method of approach, and their deep reflections on the artistic practice and spiritual development of a holy Elder of our times whose contribution is only beginning to be fully appreciated. This mirrors the uniqueness of Father Sophrony’s own exceptional path; his was truly a life hors concours, and one that offers to us many a precious ‘word’ and example for our times. Until now, the writings and life of Father Sophrony have become well known, whereas his artistic contribution and journey have remained largely unexplored. The books of the trilogy aim to rectify this. Read More