Metropolitan Antim was born around year 1650 in Georgia, a country named Iviria by the Romanians. Hence the name of Iberian. Antim's secular name was Andrew. Enslaved by the Turks, Andrew reached Constantinople, being redeemed - probably - by patriarch Dositheus of Jerusalem. He was tonsured as monk under the name of Antim. The future metropolitan came into Wallachia at the beginning of the rule of Constantin Brâncoveanu. Antim was advancing fast in the Orthodox hierarchy: abbot at Snagov Monastery (around 1696), bishop of Râmnic (1705) and finally metropolitan of Walachia (1708). In 1966 the punishment received by Antim was raised by the Patriarch of Constantinople. In 1992 the Romanian Orthodox Church canonized Antim. Saint Hierarch and Martyr Anthim the Iberian is feasted of 27th of September. From the name of the Metropolitan came also the name of Antim Cup, a trophy offered to the winner of the rugby matches between the national teams of Romania and Georgia. |
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