The present volume attempts to sketch the portrait of a personality of great humanistic stature, vibrant erudition, and pedagogical vocation, and to convey something of her inner essence – the Christian who confessed Christ through word and deed and then embraced monastic life: Acad. Zoe Dumitrescu-Bușulenga – Nun Benedicta.

The testimonies, memories, evocations, commentaries, and interpretations of her work – as an eminent comparative literature specialist, as an expert in Eminescu’s writing, as a historian and philosopher of culture (especially of Renaissance) – generally come from her contemporaries: distinguished intellectuals, artists, and literati from different generations. Some of them consider their encounter with Mother Benedicta momentous and foundational for their own cultural and spiritual formation.

Most of the portraits were delivered during the Putna Colloquia, organized and hosted periodically by the Putna Monastery starting from 2007, and published in the “Putna Papers” journal. We republish them, being aware that it would be a shame for such beautiful and true thoughts expressed about Mother Benedicta to remain hidden under the cloak of time. They endeavor to bear witness to an exceptional soul. Also, through the portrait they create, they speak of Romanian culture and spirituality and, in general, of man and of God, Who has created us and endowed us with His image – hence our beauty.