Abstract: Sfânta Cuvioasă Teofana Basarab este cea dintâi monahie de neam român cunoscută în istorie. Ea a viețuit în secolul al XIV-lea într-o mănăstire de lângă Târnovo, apoi și-a ales o nevoință mai aspră, viețuind pustnicește în sihăstria de la Ivanovo și în ultima parte a vieții la Mănăstirea Albotina, căutând în viața sa duhovnicească să deprindă ascultarea, milostenia, buna chivernisire, cultivarea liniștii și rugăciunea lui Iisus. Viețuirea monahală a Sfintei Cuvioase Teofana a coincis cu perioada dezvoltării mișcării isihaste, ea fiind contemporană cu Sfântul Ierarh Grigorie Palama; unele informații istorice indicând faptul că Sfânta Teofana l-a cunoscut și a cerut sfat și povățuire de la Sfântul Teodosie Isihastul, ucenicul Sfântului Grigorie Sinaitul. Această mare pustnică, fiica domnitorului Basarab I Întemeietorul, se înscrie în ceata marilor nevoitori isihaști, prin smerenia și nevoințele sale dobândind mari daruri de la Dumnezeu.
Cuvinte-cheie: Sfânta Cuvioasă Teofana Basarab, viață spirituală, viețuire monahală, mișcarea
isihastă, informații istorice
Summary: Saint Theophano Basarab is the first Romanian nun known in history. She lived in a monastery near Tarnovo, then chose a more austere life, living as a hermit in The Hermitage of Ivanovo and then, in the last part of her life, in the Albotina Monastery, seeking a spiritual life by means of which she could learn obedience, charity, good stewardship, the cultivation of silence and the prayer of Jesus. The monastic life of Saint Theophano coincided with the development of the Hesychast movement; thus, she was a contemporary of Saint Gregory Palamas. Some historical information indicates that Saint Theophano met him and sought advice and guidance from Saint Theodosius the Hesychast, a disciple of Saint Gregory of Sinai. Through the love and prayer of Saint Theophano Basarab, a closer communion is achieved between the Romanian, Bulgarian and Serbian faithful who ask for her help and intercession before the throne of the Most Holy Trinity, aware of the power of the prayer of this great nun, offspring of the Romanian nation.
The present study aims to reveal the life and activity of Saint Theophano, analyzing historical and documentary sources as well as the traditions that have been preserved until today. Thanks to these testimonies, it is easy to see that Saint Theophano Basarab is an important spiritual landmark in the history and spirituality of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church because through her life and activity she proved to be the protector and intercessor of these two nations blessed by God. Born at the beginning of the 14th century in the family of the first ruler of the Wallachia, Basarab I the Founder (1310-1352), she was baptised Theodora and she received a privileged education based on love for God and for neighbour. Theodora Basarab married Ivan Alexander (1331-1371), the future Tsar of Bulgaria, with whom she had three sons and a daughter: Michael Asen, Ivan Sratsimir, Ivan Asen and Vasilissa. Theodora was a devoted mother who raised her children by instilling in them the love of God and the care for those around them…
Răzvan Mihai Clipici – director al Componentei Cultură din cadrul Sectorului Cultură,
Pictură și Restaurare al Administrației Patriarhale; e-mail: razvan.clipici@yahoo.com