Note of the informer “Florică” (5 February 1965)
Recipient: Lt. Maj. Băjenaru Șt.
Source: “Florică”
Location: House “Mogoșoaia”
Date: 5.02.1965
304/1/9.11.1965
TOP SECRET
Ex. No. 1
Informative note
I have known Arsenios Boca since 1936, when he attended the School of Fine Arts and lived in the boarding school for theology students in Radu Vodă Street. He studied theology in Sibiu and first became a celibate deacon.
He then entered monasticism and spent some time on Mount Athos. When he came to the country, he was appointed abbot of the Sâmbăta de Sus monastery. Here he was particularly active in religious life, preaching to the faithful who visited the monastery in large numbers. Because of this, a great current was created around Arsenios Boca, saying that he worked miracles, that he had foresight. His fame spread throughout the country, and he was even honoured at the former Royal Palace by the mother of the former King Michael. He visited the former palace several times together with the former abbess Veronica Gurău from T. Vladimirescu. Because of the exaggerated atmosphere around Arsenios Boca, he was transferred from Sâmbăta to Prislop Monastery, as a priest and confessor in the nunnery. Here he no longer had the religious activity of Sâmbăta de Sus. In 1959 he came to Bucharest together with the former abbess of Prislop, Julieta Constantinescu. Some even say that Arsenios Boca is married to her. At present, Boca works in the painting workshop of the Patriarchate. He does not yet have a Bucharest identity card. He has now been put on the list to be issued with an ID. He no longer wears clerical garb or a beard. He remains devoted to the Church and is regarded by the Patriarch and his other superiors as a man of ability and skill in the art of painting. He regularly attends services at the Patriarchate on feast days. However, he shies away from contact with various believers who admire him and would like to speak to him. He is very cautious and calculated. Since his student days he has been known as a man of character, strong-willed and quite modest. Whenever I spoke to him, he told me that people had spread false rumors about him, that they had exaggerated certain things and that he had suffered as a result.
On 29 January this year, I met Arsenios Boca in the workshop where he works. I couldn’t talk about anything in particular because he was busy and because he also works with other people in the workshop. I left the workshop with Sofian Boghiu, who works with A. Boca. Boca, and he told me that he was a very capable man, a good draughtsman and knew a lot about painting. Everyone in the studio is satisfied with A. Boca. Felix Dubneac, who also works in the church painting workshop, told me the same thing. Sofian Boghiu told me that Arsenios Boca is not married. He lives at 24 Tighina Street.
I did not find out any other details about A. Boca.
“Florică”
Comments:
A. Boca is being worked on the information file and the agent was recently referred to him. He was asked for a detailed note, as we are also following Boca’s contracts.
Tasks given: To continue observing Boca’s behaviour and to approach him as much as possible. To approach him. Establish his current relationships.
Actions taken: In addition to Boca, A. “Constantinescu Ileana” was directed.
Lt. Maj. Băjenaru Șt./ss.
ACNSAS, informative fond, file 2637, vol. 1, pp. 143-144
(Excerpt from “Father Arsenios Boca in the Attention of the Political Police in Romania” by George Enache and Adrian Nicolae Petcu, pp. 107-108)