However, despite his interest in learning, he was unable to finish public school due to his family's needs, thus becoming a shepherd to tend to the flocks.
In 1922 at the difficult time of the Asia Minor Catastrophe, Stamatios started his mandatory military service, being released from the army in 1925.
He did not spend his free time in frivolous pursuits, but rather preferred to read about the lives of the Saints and the ways which he could become closer to God.
He particularly enjoyed reading the Evergetinos, the Philokalia, and the life of Venerable John Kalibytes, the "hut-dweller" of Constantinople (January 15), a saint who influenced him greatly.
While living abroad in this distant land, he prayed to the Theotokos "Myrtidiotissa" of Kythira (September 24) for support as his intercessor.
Stamatios later recorded in his journal that his trip from Jerusalem to Saint Savvas Lavra was momentous for him, and that he was overcome by the sanctity of his surroundings and of this monastery.
On April 27, 1932, he was tonsured a rassophore monk by his Elder, Igumen Panteleimon (Tsampiras) at Saint Savvas Monastery.
On March 18, 1934, he was tonsured to the Small Schema at the Monastery of Kastellion in the Judaean Desert,[note 4] which was the metochion of the Saint Savvas Lavra, and he was given the name Sophronios.
On February 10, 1949, following a resolution of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, he was appointed the warden and oeconomus of the Lavra of Saint Savvas the Sanctfied, having been distinguished by his asceticism and hesychasm.
On September 19, 1949, he was ordained a hieromonk at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, by his beatitude Archbishop Athenagoras of Sebasteia, warden of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
He performed his duties as abbot virtually until his death, being aided in his final years by Archimandrite Eudokimos, who eventually succeeded him as the Igumen.