The Friend
The article evokes archimandrite Grigore Băbuţ (1915-2007), who was the director of the Holy
Synod’s Library. He was connected, through a life-long friendship, to Metropolitan Bartolomeu
Anania and Patriarch Teoctist. He made his way up to the Cheia Monastery, starting from his
hometown Teişani, where he was the third in a family with 11 brothers. He studied at the Cernica
Seminary, where he met the future Patriarch Teoctist and the one who would become the spiritual
father of many people from Bucharest, Father Sofian Boghiu, At the young age of almost 20 years,
the future director of the Holy Synod Library, took the angelic robe at Cheia Monastery, where
his uncle, Archimandrite Grigorie Georgescu, has been the previous abbot. Father Gregory Băbuţ
was a discreet and authentic scholar. His genuine vocation for friendship was for his fourth
vote after the three known votes of the monk (obedience, poverty, chastity). And his friendship
also had a threefold source: discretion, loyalty, generosity.
RĂZVAN IONESCU
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