Father Benedict, the enlightened face of a monk with a philokalic vocation

Very little has been written about the theological and spiritual treasure contained in the Orthodox Church’s liturgical books, compared to their value. It is difficult, however, to find any justification for this neglect, for the hymnography of the Church remains the most comprehensive representation, through the power and colour of the inspired Word, of the sacred history of our salvation from sin and death through Christ, as well as of the divine-human nature of the Church. […]

However, since God does not allow the precious pearls of His Church to remain dull for long because of people’s lack of attention, He will, in due course, call one of His servants to restore to their rightful glory all those values on which the spiritual growth of the faithful depends. One of these chosen servants of God’s will is Archimandrite Benedict Ghiuș, of pious memory.

Benedict’s refined erudition, as well as his bitter experiences, especially the years he spent in communist prisons, were the basis for an ever deeper humility and a greater and warmer understanding of his fellow human beings.

(Theoctist, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church – The Mystery of Redemption in Orthodox Hymnography, Publishing House of the Biblical and Missionary Institute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bucharest, 1998, p. 5-6)