Arsenie Boca

Arsenie Boca (Romanian pronunciation: [arˈseni.e ˈboka]; 29 September 1910 – 28 November 1989) was a theologian, mystic, and artist. He was persecuted by the Communists and named among the 100 greatest Romanians.

Father Arsenie Boca

He was born in Vața de Sus, Hunedoara County, Romania, died at Sinaia Monastery and was buried at Prislop Monastery in Silvașu de Sus village.

Studies and formation

Boca was born on 29 September 1910, in Vața de Sus, Romania, and his parents gave him the first name Zian. He studied at the ”Avram Iancu” National High School from Brad, Hunedoara, graduating in 1929. The same year he embarked upon study at the Theological Academy in Sibiu, from which he graduated in 1933. He received a scholarship from the Archbishop of Transylvania to study at the Fine Arts Academy in Bucharest. Meanwhile, he attended the medical classes of Professor Francisc Rainer and the Christian Mysticism class of ultra-right ideologist, Professor Nichifor Crainic.

Recognising his artistic talent, Professor Costin Petrescu entrusted him with the painting of a depiction of Mihai Viteazul for the Romanian Athenaeum. Sent by his bishop, he travelled to Mount Athos for documentation and spiritual experience.

Serving the Church

Boca was made a deacon on 29 September 1935 by Metropolitan Nicolae Bălan of Transylvania. In 1939 he spent three months in the Romanian Skete Prodromos on Mount Athos. On his return, he joined the Brâncoveanu Monastery at Sâmbăta de Sus, Braşov County, where he took his vows and was tonsured into monasticism in 1940. He was ordained priest and became the abbot of the Brâncoveanu Monastery in 1942. As abbot he embellished and renovated the buildings of the monastery, while also enriching its spiritual and cultural life. He helped theologian Dumitru Stăniloae from Sibiu with the translation into Romanian of the first volumes of the Philokalia, a collection of early Church Fathers and monastics in the hesychast tradition.

Boca was an adept of Anthroposophy, a spiritual movement initiated by the Austrian occultist Rudolf Steiner,[1] which influenced Boca's paintings from the church at Drăgănescu, wherein the spectre of Jesus Christ rises from the rock covering the grave.[1] Boca also had aptitudes as a mentalist.[2]

Under Communism

After the installation of the communist regime in Romania, Boca was persecuted by the authorities and the regime's secret police, the Securitate. He was arrested several times for allegedly helping the anti-communist resistance, removed from Brâncoveanu Monastery to Prislop Monastery and thence to Sinaia Monastery. He was banned from monasticism and Church activities and was constantly under the surveillance and harassment of the Securitate.

Works of art

Arsenie Boca had his own vision upon creating religious paintings which raised controversy among his sanctification. The paintings that are not according to the Orthodox Iconography are the representation of Papal Basilica of Saint Peter, or Francisco de Assisi and Ulfilas the Arian among Orthodox Saints.

Sanctification

Father Arsenie has not yet been canonized as a saint. Nonetheless pilgrims from all over Romania flock to pray at his grave which is located in Prislop Monastery, Romania. In October 2015 the Romanian Orthodox Church announced that it was considering the cause of his recognition and proclamation as a saint.[3]

References
  1. Niculescu, Tatiana (1 November 2018). Ei mă consideră făcător de minuni: Viața lui Arsenie Boca. Humanitas SA. p. 175. ISBN 978-973-50-6157-9.
  2. Niculescu, Tatiana (1 November 2018). Ei mă consideră făcător de minuni: Viața lui Arsenie Boca. Humanitas SA. p. 159. ISBN 978-973-50-6157-9.
  3. Alison Mutler. Romanian Orthodox Church considers popular monk, persecuted by communists for sainthood. Star Tribune (AP). 1 October 2015
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