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His Grace Bishop '''Sophianos of Dryinoupolis''' (16xx - 1711) was a signigicant religious figure and Orthodox [[missionary]] in Ottoman Epirus, around the turn of the 18th century.

==Life==
[[File:Sophianos of Dryinoupolis.jpg|right|thumb|Icon of Sophianos of Dryinoupolis.]]
He was probably born in the village of Polytsiani, in the [[w:Pogon, Albania|Pogon]] region of [[w:Northern Epirus|Northern Epirus]].

At the time he became bishop of [[w:Dropull|Dryinoupolis]] (modern southwest Albania)<ref group="note">From the Roman period there was a fortified settlement named ''Hadrianoupolis'' in the region, named after the Roman emperor Hadrian. During the 6th century the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, as part of his fortification plans against barbarian invasions, moved the settlement 4 kilometers southeast in the modern village of Peshkëpi, in order to gain a more secure position. The city is also referred in Byzantine sources as ''Ioustinianoupolis.'' During the 11th century the city was named ''[[w:Dropull|Dryinoupolis]]'', a name possibly deriving from its former name or from the nearby river. It was also, from the 5th century, the see of a bishopric (initially part of the Diocese of Nicopolis, Naupactus and then Ioannina).</ref> the religious composition of the region was changing due to massive conversions to [[Islam]].<ref>Tom Winnifrith. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=dkRoAAAAMAAJ&q=inauthor:%22Tom+Winnifrith%22&dq=inauthor:%22Tom+Winnifrith%22&hl=el&sa=X&ei=i_l2UZ2AE6vL0gH6tYDIAQ&ved=0CEsQ6AEwBQ Badlands, Borderlands: A History of Northern Epirus/Southern Albania].'' Gerald Duckworth, Limited, 2002. ISBN 9780715632017</ref>

In 1672 he founded a Greek school in the local monastery of Saint Athanasios.<ref>M. V. Sakellariou. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?hl=el&id=UV1oAAAAMAAJ&q=sophianos&pgis=1&redir_esc=y#search_anchor Epirus, 4000 years of Greek history and civilization].'' Ekdotikē Athēnōn, 1997. ISBN 9789602133712</ref> In recognition of the danger that the Christian religion was shrinking, Sophianos resigned his bishopric and became a wandering [[missionary]], preaching from village to village. 

Sophianos' last days were spent in the monastery of Saint Athanasios in his hometown Polytsiani (Polican, [[w:Pogon, Albania|Pogon]]) where he taught religion and letters to the village children. Although uncanonized, he is considered a [[saint]] in his village.<ref>Pyrrus Ruches. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=2k9pAAAAMAAJ&q=Pyrrhus+Ruches&dq=Pyrrhus+Ruches&hl=en&sa=X&ei=m_p2UdSKJpC00AG68oGwCg&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAA Albania's Captives].'' Argonaut, Chicago 1965. p.33.</ref> 

Because of his pious character he was respected and honored by both Christians and Muslims. Sophianos is considered the predecessor of [[Cosmas of Aetolia]] in the region.

Bishop Sophianos died on [[November 26]], 1711 AD.

==See also==
* [[Metropolis of Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani and Konitsa]]

==Notes==
<references group="note" />

==References== 
<div><references/></div>

==External Links==
* {{el icon}} [http://www.saint.gr/3723/saint.aspx Άγιος Σοφιανός επίσκοπος Δρυϊνουπόλεως καί Αργυροκάστρου]. Ορθόδοξος Συναξαριστής. 26/11/2013.
* {{el icon}} [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0IQMBbPCY8 ΟΣΙΟΣ ΣΟΦΙΑΝΟΣ Ο ΣΗΜΕΙΟΦΟΡΟΣ (+26-11-1711)]. YouTube. Uploaded on Dec 8, 2010.

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Dryinoupolis]]
[[Category:17th-18th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Missionaries]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy and Islam]]