Saint Sofian, bishop of Dryinoupolis and Gjirokaster

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Saint Sofianos was an important religious figure of his time in the Epirus region and is considered the forerunner of Cosmas of Aitoloaks (see August 24 ). He was probably born in the village of Politsiani (Pogoni region of Northern Epirus). He became known from the moment he became bishop of Dryinoupolis (Gjirokastra, Delvinos, Himara region).

In 1672 AD, he founded a school in the local monastery of Saint Athanasius. At the time he lived, conversions to Islam were a particularly common phenomenon. He himself, wanting to deal with this situation, traveled from village to village to convince people to preserve their traditions and religion. In 1711 AD, a few months before his death, he resigned from his priestly duties and became a monk to devote himself exclusively to his preaching and missionary work.

Due to his character, he was highly respected even by Muslims. There is even a case of a young Muslim woman who, in despair, turned to the Saint, unable to find her fez embroidered with gold coins. He prayed fervently and revealed to her that her fez was in a stork's nest, indicating the exact spot where she found it a little later, thanking the Saint.

Another miracle of the Saint is attested to by historical sources and oral testimonies. The Monastery of Saint Athanasius was visited by a passerby, to whom the monks told a miracle. Saint Sofianos was also present at the story, and he listened carefully. The passerby initially seemed skeptical of the monks' story and then expressed his disbelief strongly. Then the Saint got up and ordered a young monk to take three pieces of cherry wood that were burning from the fireplace. He asked the strange and unbelieving passerby and the monk to follow him into the yard and, taking the pickaxe, planted the three burned pieces of wood, telling the passerby that they would bloom and bear fruit until next spring, so that God would show him in practice that the monks' story about the reported miracle was completely true.

And with the Saint's prayers, the miracle happened. The burned pieces of wood took root, produced leaves and fruit, as he had predicted. They are still found today in the precincts of the Holy Monastery, which now also bears the name of the Saint and is called the Monastery of Saints Athanasius and Sofianos.

Saint Sofianos fell asleep on November 26, 1711 AD. His honorable casket as well as his holy relics are kept in elaborate cases, which were transferred from the Monastery of the Saint for safety reasons by the most pious priest of the village, Fr. Efthimios Kalamas, and its residents to the central holy Church of the Taxiarches of Polytsani, where they are kept to this day for sanctification and blessing.

Celebrated on November 26th of each year.