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« He was born on April 10, 1912, in Sulița commune, Botosani county.
It was the fifth of the children and received the name Constantin. Shortly after birth, he became seriously ill, and his mother, at the advice of an old parent, at the wickedness of the Virgin, worshiping him at the miracle icon in the Cozancea hermitage, not far from their village.
The baby was cured in a wonderful way, keeping until the end of his life a special godliness for the Blessed Virgin, who had saved his life …
In 1929, at the age of 17, the young Constantine entered the Obștea of Sihăstria Sketch (…)
Passing on the steps of monastic perfection, Brother Constantine went through many obediences, but mostly he was as a shepherd at the sheep. There was his true school, where he learned how to pray from the hermits he met in the surrounding forests and acquired a deep knowledge of the writings of the Holy Fathers.
Given with a special memory, it has easily detained both the Holy Scripture and many other spiritual books, that Father Dumitru Stăniloae had translated Filocaliahe said that Father Cleopa knew her better than him.
In 1937, Brother Constantin received through the hands of the Egumen Ioanichie Moroi the angel face of the monk, learning in a few years, from the old parents, the craft of the spiritual struggle and of the humility in obedience, restraining his nature through the fast,
In 1942, following the illness, the old Egumen Ioanichie named his follower at the leadership of the hermitage. Thus, it went from the pastorate of the ungodly to that of the speaking sheep, becoming a true spiritual parent for his public and for the countless pilgrims who were looking for him. In a period of a few years, under the new egumen, who continued the work of his worthy ancestor, the name of the Sihăstria Sketch becoming known throughout the country.
Attracted by the words and the pious life of the Cleopa, many young people joined the public who had come to count over 50 living beings. That is why, in 1947, the hermitage was raised to the rank of monastery, the young abbot being ordained Archimandrite.
Patriarch Justinian Marina, seeing the gifts with which God endowed Cleopa, appointed in 1949 the abbot of the Slatina Voivodal Monastery, at the same time listening to seven other monasteries and hermitages: Sihăstria, Rarau, Moldovița, Sihla, Cămârzani,
At the Slatina Monastery, Father Cleopa showed a man harassed by God, transforming a place almost abandoned into a monastery for the whole country. In those years, his gifts as a spiritual and preacher of the word have attracted lots of people to the Church, heading on the path of salvation, which is why he began to be persecuted by fighters against faith. Repeatedly, he was researched and threatened, his life being in danger.
There followed a difficult time in which, several times, he withdrew to the surrounding forests so as not to be closed. There he had to have the great hermits of ancient times, praying incessantly, facing many temptations and mourning from the devil, but acquiring more gifts from God. In 1954, Patriarch Justinian Marina was called from the wilderness and sent him to strengthen the spiritual life from several monasteries in the country.
He returned to the Sihastria Monastery in 1956, where he stayed until 1959, the year when a harsh persecution began against the monks. The Cleopa Cleopa again took the path of the mountains and forests, living for five years away from the atheist persecutors. At this time, he led a life of clean prayer and wrote some of his most important books.
In 1964, after almost ten years of wild life, with the weakening of the communist persecution, advised by the parents' requests in Sihăstria, returned to the monastery.
After returning to the monastery and until the end of his life, he had a fruitful period of preaching by word, with the deed and by writing.
Love, mercy, patience, prayer and gift of answering the questions were constantly attracted to the pilgrims to his cell.
The name of the pious Father Cleopa became known quickly, through his disciples, and abroad, being sought by more and more believers everywhere.
Passing on the steps of monastic perfection, Brother Constantine went through many obediences, but mostly he was as a shepherd at the sheep. There was his true school, where he learned how to pray from the hermits he met in the surrounding forests and acquired a deep knowledge of the writings of the Holy Fathers.
Given with a special memory, it has easily detained both the Holy Scripture and many other spiritual books, that Father Dumitru Stăniloae had translated Filocaliahe said that Father Cleopa knew her better than him.
In 1937, Brother Constantin received through the hands of the Egumen Ioanichie Moroi the angel face of the monk, learning in a few years, from the old parents, the craft of the spiritual struggle and of the humility in obedience, restraining his nature through the fast,
In 1942, following the illness, the old Egumen Ioanichie named his follower at the leadership of the hermitage. Thus, it went from the pastorate of the ungodly to that of the speaking sheep, becoming a true spiritual parent for his public and for the countless pilgrims who were looking for him. In a period of a few years, under the new egumen, who continued the work of his worthy ancestor, the name of the Sihăstria Sketch becoming known throughout the country.
Attracted by the words and the pious life of the Cleopa, many young people joined the public who had come to count over 50 living beings.
In 1947, the hermitage was elevated to the rank of monastery, the young abbot being ordained Archimandrite. Patriarch Justinian Marina, seeing the gifts with which God endowed Cleopa, appointed in 1949 the abbot of the Slatina Voivodal Monastery, at the same time listening to seven other monasteries and hermitages: Sihăstria, Rarau, Moldovița, Sihla, Cămârzani,
At the Slatina Monastery, Father Cleopa showed a man harassed by God, transforming a place almost abandoned into a monastery for the whole country. In those years, his gifts as a spiritual and preacher of the word have attracted lots of people to the Church, heading on the path of salvation, which is why he began to be persecuted by fighters against faith. Repeatedly, he was researched and threatened, his life being in danger.
There followed a difficult time in which, several times, he withdrew to the surrounding forests so as not to be closed. There he had to have the great hermits of ancient times, praying incessantly, facing many temptations and mourning from the devil, but acquiring more gifts from God.
In 1954, Patriarch Justinian Marina was called from the wilderness and sent him to strengthen the spiritual life from several monasteries in the country.
He returned to the Sihastria Monastery in 1956, where he stayed until 1959, the year when a harsh persecution began against the monks. The Cleopa Cleopa again took the path of the mountains and forests, living for five years away from the atheist persecutors. At this time, he led a life of clean prayer and wrote some of his most important books.
In 1964, after almost ten years of wild life, with the weakening of the communist persecution, advised by the parents' requests in Sihăstria, returned to the monastery. After returning to the monastery and until the end of his life, he had a fruitful period of preaching by word, with the deed and by writing. Love, mercy, patience, prayer and gift of answering the questions were constantly attracted to the pilgrims to his cell. The name of the pious Father Cleopa became known quickly, through his disciples, and abroad, being sought by more and more believers everywhere. «
Source: doxologia.ro
One hundred years after the establishment of the Romanian Patriarchate, the « festive proclamation » of the canonization of the 16 Holy Martyrs and Curious Contemporary Romanians.
Among them and Father Ilie Cleopa, honest from now on St. Cuvios Cleopa from Sihăstria.
