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| SIHASTRIA Monastery |
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Pipirig commune, Neamt county. Convent for monks.
Dedication day: “Birth of
the Virgin”, 8 September. |
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The holy establishment is situated at a
distance of twenty two kilometers from the town of Targu-Neamt, standing in a Sub Carpathian Valley, on a
location that was formerly called “Atanasie’s Meadow”. The
monastery derives its name from the name of an anchorite who
constructed a skete around which there were living several
other anchorites.
The founding of the monastery was Ghedeon,
Bishop of Husi, who completed the construction of church
(which was built of wood), a group of monastic cells and a
belfry in 1655. In 1734 Ghedeon had a bigger church erected
and placed it under the direction of the Secu Monastery. It
was also through his preserving efforts that the monastery
received a Royal Authorization from Grigore Ghica Viovode,
which conferred it certain special privileges and
tax-exemptions.
In 1799, at the time that the Neamt
Monastery was headed by Paisie Velicikovski, the Sihastria
Monastery became subordinated to it.
In 1821, the Turks set fire to the
monastery. Three years later (in 1824), the church was
reconstructed of bricks and river-stones. At the same time,
there were erected four tall walls on all four sides of the
church, as well as two towers – which made it look like a
fortress. |
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A wooden chapel and several monastic cells were
also constructed within the monastery.
Between 1870 and 1910, the monastic
establishment remained in a state of total dereliction;
afterwards, under the earnest care of some of the
residences, the church, the monastic cells and the chapel
underwent extensive repairs and restoration. In 1941, a
devastating fire caused great damage to the church.
Due to the fact that it was set on fire
twice and remained deserted for a period of forty years, the
holy establishment does not shelter any precious
ecclesiastical objects or sacerdotal attire, with the
exception of the icons that were painted by monk Irineu
Protcenco and that were remarkably executed.
In the Sihastria Monastery lived and
served Archimandrite Cleopa Ilie (deceased in December
1998), celebrated for his exemplary monastic life. Out of
the monastic residents, there is the name of Father
Ioanichie Balan, who authored several outstanding studies on
Orthodox monasticism, among which we can enumerate The
Romanian Paterikon, The Romanian Hermitic Sites, and
Spiritual Dialogues.
After 2000, repairs and restoration have been made and the
main church has been repainted by Archimandrite Vartolomeu
Florea.
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Also, a new church has been
erected; its patron saint is “Venerable Mother Teodora of
Sihla”; the church was consecrated by Bartholomew I, the
Ecumenical Patriarch, and by Patriarch Teoctist on October
12th, 1997.
The following sketes have been affiliated
to the Sihastria Monastery:
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