Parintele Cleopa

Father Cleopa Ilie (10 April 1912 - 2 December 1998) was an abbot of the Sihastria Monastery. He was a well-known spiritual representative of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Cleopa Ilie (lay name: Constantin) was born in Suliţa, Botoşani to a family of peasants. He was the fifth of ten children born to Alexandru Ilie. He attended the primary school in his village. Afterwards he was an apprentice for three years to the monk Paisie Olaru, who lived in seclusion at the Cozancea hermitage.

Published work

-Despre credinţa ortodoxă ("About Orthodox Faith", Bucuresti, 1981, 280 pages, republished in 1985, then in Galaţi under the title: Călăuza în credinţa ortodoxă, "Guide to the Orthodox Faith", 1991, 276 pages);

-Predici la praznice împărăteşti şi sfinti de peste an ("Sermons on Religious Feasts Over the Year", Ed. Episcopiei Romanului, 1986, 440 pages);

-Predici la Duminicile de peste an (Sermons on Sundays Over the Year, Ed. Episcopiei Romanului, 1990, 560 pages);

Valoarea sufletului (Value of the Soul, Galaţi, 1991, 176 pages, republished in Bacău, 1994, 238 pages);

-Urcuş spre înviere (predici duhovniceşti) ("Ascent Towards Resurrection (Spiritual Sermons)", Mănăstirea Neamţ, 1992, 416 pages);

-Despre vise şi vedenii ("About Dreams and Visions", Bucureşti, 1993, 270 pages);

-Numerous articles in different magazines and newspapers, sermons in manuscript