SOFIA

SOFIA. — Bulgaria (v.), so named after the ancient Basilica dedicated to St. Sophia (Sveta Sofija), is the most populous center of the country, situated at 550 m above sea level, in a plain enclosed between the Bragoman pass and the Vitosha massif, between the Balkan and Rila mountain ranges.

Capital of the new State of Bulgaria (1879), it continued to progress due to the importance of its industries (textile mills, cotton mills, essential oils, oils; rubber) and the increase in population. Sofia is in an eccentric position relative to the territory of the State, yet favorable for communications and international trade, as it lies on the route from Belgrade to the Black Sea, also served by the Orient Express railway line (Belgrade - Niš - Sofia - Plovdiv - Adrianople - Istanbul). At the end of the 19th century, Sofia had about 50,000 inhabitants; it had about 290,000 in 1934 and 400,000 (including suburbs) in 1942.

I. Archaeology

To the south of ancient Ulpia Serdica lay its pagan burial grounds and open-air Christian cemeteries, consisting of brick-vaulted inhumation graves and chapels, uncovered in excavations beneath the present church of St. Sophia. The coins found there date from the time of Galerius to Justinian II. Some graves were found about 3 m deep; one of them contained 15 corpses. Among the inscriptions are those of a « vir beatissimus Theu preprius episcop(us) » (CIL, III, 14207), a « Maxentius presby(ter) » (ibid., 14207), a « vir religiosus Liconianus presbyter » (E. Diehl, Inscr. latin. christ. veteres, Berlin 1925-31, no. 1666 A), a « Demetrius diaconus » (ibid., 1225 A), a « Decius famulus sci Andreae » (ibid., 1301), a « Iulius Dafnidius neofitus » (Revue archéol., 5th series, 9-10 [1919], p. 350, no. 172), a « Ioannes filius Georgi inlustris » (E. Diehl, op. cit., no. 215). Besides these and other Latin inscriptions, there are few in Greek, namely a « Μαξία παράσυνοις » and an « Αμμοῦνις ἀπό Σελήνουντες » i.e. from Selinunte in Cilicia (Revue archéol., 9-10 [1919], p. 317, no. 169 and p. 348, no. 3). In 1893, a silver casket measuring 7 x 8 cm containing organic remains was found in a grave; on one of its outer faces was the « signum Christi » ARO between the two apocalyptic letters; on the other, the monogrammatic cross « ☧ »; the other two sides and the lid bore geometric decoration (E. Le Blant, Inscriptions chrétiennes et Coffret de S., in Comptes rendus de l'Acad. des Inscr. et belles lettres, 1896, pp. 291 ff.). In one grave, a fresco depicting the adoration of Uriel was discovered (J. Mijatvev, Dekorativnata živopis na sofijskija nekropol, Sofia 1925, fig. 36). Above this cemetery area, the church of St. Sophia was built in the 6th century, with three naves divided by pillars, a broad transept, and a dome over the crossing; rebuilt by the Byzantines (1018-1186), it underwent further restorations; its walls feature frescoes from the 12th and 14th centuries (J. Ebersolt, Monum. d'archit. byz., Paris 1934, p. 45 and fig. 38; V. Ivanova, Les anciennes basiliques de Bulgarie, in Bull. de l'Inst. arch. Bulgarie, 9 [1935], pp. 211-15). The church of St. George was originally a Roman bath later converted into a church; the Roman dome partially collapsed and a new, taller dome was built. Beneath the floor was the hypocaust; the four apses were originally pools (v. Ivanova, Godinik du Musée nat. de S., 1921, p. 183; J. Ebersolt, op. cit., p. 20). The National Library of Sofia preserves two notable manuscripts: the first (cod. 307), known as the « Tetraevangelion of Dobrejšo », on parchment, written in Bulgarian and dated around 1221, originating from Macedonia (48 folios are in the National Library of Belgrade), decorated with three miniatures depicting the Evangelists; the one of Matthew is missing (A. Grabar, Rech. sur les influences orient. dans l'art byz., Paris 1928, pp. 92-107); the second, from the 15th century (cod. 771), contains the Romance of Alexander and is illustrated with 13 miniatures (A. Grabar, op. cit., pp. 108-33). The great mosque built by the Turks in 1474 now serves as the National Museum, which also houses the most significant collection of paintings and sculptures of ancient, medieval, and modern art.

II. Institutions

Sofia has a State University and a Free University; an Academy of Sciences founded in 1869 in Brăila, Romania, and transferred to Sofia in 1881 with its three sections of history and philology, philosophy and sociology, and physics-mathematics; the Academy of Fine Arts, founded in 1896 and transformed in 1921; the Academy of Music, founded in 1921; and the Macedonian Scientific Institute, founded in 1925. Enrico Josi

III. Apostolic Vicariate of Sofia and Philippopolis

Established in 1758 for Paulicians and Bogomils (v.) of the Latin rite converted to Catholicism through the work of the Franciscans. The vicariate comprises the southern part of Bulgaria and depends on the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches. The main centers, besides Sofia, are Plovdiv (= Philippopolis), Serres, Nikolaevo, Jitnitsa, and Kaloyanovo. In 1948, Sofia had 28,320 faithful, 13 parishes, 19 churches, and 15 secular priests. Additionally, there were 51 religious priests, mostly foreign. The communist regime has stifled Catholic life even in the Vicariate of Sofia. As early as August 1948, the closure of Catholic schools was decreed; subsequently, three schools in Sofia and two in Plovdiv were suppressed. The Law on Religious Denominations of February 17, 1949, sought to subjugate the Church and banished foreign priests and religious. In the summer of 1952, a true persecution led to the arrest of most priests, including the Apostolic Vicar, Monsignor Giovanni Romanoff. Only a few priests retain a certain degree of freedom. Sofia is also the seat of the Apostolic Administrator for the approximately 6,000 Bulgarian Catholics of the Eastern rite.

29. — Enciclopedia Cattolica. — XI.
SOFIOLOGY

SOFIOLOGY — A type of representation of the Sophia of Novgorod (the prototype may date from the early 15th century). Above it, in Slavic characters, reads: «Sofia — Wisdom of the Divine Word». A copy is preserved at the Pontifical Oriental Institute — Rome.