Metropolitan Bishop
Dositheus (Barile), Metropolitan of Azov and Moldavia, was born on October 26, 1624, in the Suczava region. He received his education from the best teachers, studying at the school of the Three Hierarchs Monastery and the Orthodox Brotherhood of Lviv, where he studied theology and languages.
In 1649, he took monastic vows and soon became the spiritual father and abbot of the monastery. In 1658, he was elected Bishop of Huși, and from 1659 to 1671, he served as Bishop of Roman. In 1671, he became the Metropolitan of Suczava and all of Moldavia.
He actively contributed to the restoration of churches and monasteries, engaged in literary works and translations into Romanian. In 1673, after the Battle of Hotin, he fled to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where he continued his activities.
Dositheus sought the liberation of Moldavia from Turkish rule, collaborated with the ruler Vasile Lupu, and founded a printing house in Iași. He translated several church books into Romanian and composed the 'Psalter in Verses,' which helped establish the Romanian language in church life.
In 1686, during the war, the metropolitan left with the Polish troops, preserving the relics of Saint John the New. In 1696, while in Moscow, he gained the respect of Peter I and was appointed Metropolitan of Azov, but he did not manage to arrive in Azov, passing away in 1701.
His works in spiritual education and the development of the Romanian language left a significant legacy, and he was glorified among the saints on October 14, 2005. His memory is celebrated on December 13.
