The land on which the hermitage was build is the property of Neamt Monastery and in the past this was the place from where they used to defend and organize the life in Neamt Stronghold. Also, here was a place where people once processed wood coal with the purpose of making the iron used at Neamt Monastery.

During the two World Wars here was a place where many battles were fought and this is the reason for which many Christians come here to honor the fallen heroes of our country. In the cemetery where they buried the soldiers that fought here, in 1995 a crucifix was build and the religious service was held by Prea Fericitul Parinte Patriarh Daniel (“Prea Fericitul Parinte” means Holy Father and “Patriarh” is the highest religious function – the head of the Romanian Orthodoxy).

In 2001 Prea Fericitul Parinte Patriarh Daniel established Carbuna Hermitage here where so many soldiers died to defend our country, with St Stefan cel Mare as its Holy patron. The hermitage is build in the middle of an oak plantation near the cemetery where heroes from the Second World War are buried. The hermitage is administrated by Neamt Monastery. Between 2001 and 2003 a set of cellars were build for the monks that live and pray here.

From Carbuna Hermitage you can walk to Neamt Monastery or to other hermitages of the monastery: Vovidenia Hermitage, Pocrov Hermitage, Icona Veche Hermitage.

The plane, where Agapia Veche Hermitage is located, is on the trail that goes through the mountain from Agapia Monastery to Secu Monastery and Sihastria Monastery. Year after year this trail is full of pilgrims that come to visit the monasteries from Moldavia and that want to see the places where so many monks have prayed and lived. The names of these monks remain connected to these places: “Muntele lui Chiriac” (Chiriac Mountain), “Paraul Pustnicului” (Pustnicului Creek), “Livada Parintilor” (The Orchard of the Fathers), “Poiana lui Eufrosin” (Eufrosin Plane), “Poiana lui Serghie” (Serghie Plane), “Valea lui Agapia” (Agapia’s Valley) and “Poiana lui Pahomie” (Pahomie Plane).

Google Map of Touristic Tour from Agapia Monastery to Agapia Veche Hermitage

Agapia Veche Hermitage has its origins in the XIV century when a monk called Agapie, together with his apprentices, built a wooden hermitage. From the monk Agapie, the monastery from the valley took its name, which means “Christian love”. In time the entire village and the nearby creek were known by the name Agapia.

A special place from Agapia Veche Hermitage is “Livada Parintilor” (The Orchard of the Fathers), located at about 500 m from the church of the hermitage. This is the place where the first wooden church was built. This church was destroyed in an Easter day by an avalanche. The relics of St Rafail, St Partenie and Ioan from Rasca originate at Agapia Veche Hermitage.

Starting with the year 1830, Agapia Veche Hermitage becomes a hermitage of nuns by an initiative of Mitropolit Veniamin Costache (Mitropolit means the head of the church on a certain geographic region from Romania). In 1938 Patriarh Nicodim Munteanu (Patriarh means the head of the Christian Church from Romania) makes a covenant that is valid even today: no stranger can enter the monastery of Agapia Veche after the sunset and before dawn.

If you want to accommodate here you can do it only for one night at a guest house located outside the hermitage. The guest house has a capacity of about 40 beds. The short hike from Agapia Monastery to Agapia Veche Hermitage it’s not just a simple walk. We saw pilgrims going up the trail singing Christian songs and we felt the peace of this special place and if you want to feel it too, then you’ll have to come and visit Agapia Veche Hermitage.

Images of Agapia Vehce Hermitage

Address: commune Cracaoani, Neamt County

Tel: +(40) 233 246 210 from the Monastery Horaita

E-mail: horaita@mmb.ro

Web: http://horaita.mmb.ro/

The Patron of Horaicioara Hermitage: “Buna Vestire” and “Izvorul Tamaduirii” (celebrated in the first Friday after Easter)

Year of construction: the hermitage was built in 1466 by Arhimandrit Chiriac (Arhimandrit is a religious title)

Short description

Horaicioara Hermitage or Horaita Veche (The Old Horaita) was built in the second half of the XV century. The hermitage dates from 1466 and in 1480 by order from ruler Stefan cel Mare, a wooden church is built here by Arhimandrit Chiriac. On the place of the holly table from the altar there is a big stone.

The present day church was built in 1868 by Arhimandrit Ermoghen Buhus. Architecturally the church is made out of stone and it has one tower. The wall that separates the altar from the rest of the church is built in gothic style of small sizes. The church and the surrounded cells were restored over time from different donations.

Horaicioara hermitage – Neamt County: photos

In the church of the hermitage there is an icon of Mother Mary that people belief it has healing powers. The miracle that is the source of this belief is the wellspring from a rock at 50 m from the hermitage that appear after people get together and prayed for a water source. Here, at this spring every year thousands of pilgrims arrive to drink from its water.

Horaicioara Hermitage , together with Horaita Monastery continues the tradition of our Orthodox Church. Pilgrims that are searching for a place to meditate, a place where they can find peace or pray can come here in this beautiful natural place.

Address: commune Vanatori, Neamt County
Tel: +(40) 233 251 580 and +(40) 745 823 179 from Neamt Monastery
The Patrons: “St Petru and Pavel” celebrated at 29 of June

Web: http://neamt.mmb.ro/

The Hermitage Braniste is under the administration of the Neamt Monastery and represents a side complex of buildings. The hermitage was built in 1582 from the order of ruler Petru Schipul.

When the abbot of the Neamt Monastery was Arhimandrit Benedict Sauciuc the hermitages that were under the administration of the Neamt Monastery have been restored and many new buildings were built. Between 1999 and 2003 at Braniste a new set of cells were built and also a new chapel. The chapel has as its patrons St Petru and Pavel, celebrated at 29 of June.

Today at the hermitage Braniste there are 4 monks that take care of the place and perform the religious service.

The patron of the hermitage: “St Spiridon” celebrated on 12 of December and “The Entrance in church of St Mary” celebrated on 21^st of November

Year of construction: the XVII century by the Gosan family

Short history

The place where the hermitage is located was used by monks since the XV and XVI centuries. Only in the XVII century this hermitage started to be known to the people as the Slatioru Hermitage. In the year 1790 the Gosan family built a wooden church with the patron St Spiridon. The Archbishop Ioanichie of Roman built in 1749 another wooden church. The new church will receive as a gift books, religious objects, houses and some land.

Between 1849 and 1857 the today’s church was built. From an architectural stand of point the church was built in a clover shape plan with five towers from which 4 on the sides and one on the center.

The Vovidenia hermitage was also known as “The Altar from the Peaceful Plane”. The inner painting was made between 1868 and 1869 by the painter Constantin Calinescu. A new building for the cells was built here between 1998 and 1999. Today, here we can find 11 monks and the abbot.

Right near the hermitage we can visit the Memorial House Visarion Puiu and the Mihail Sadoveanu Museum.
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Address: village Vanatori, Neamt County

The patron of the hermitage: “The Cover of St Mary Mother of Christ”

Year of construction: 1714, built by Pahomie

Short history

Located in a forest with old trees, at approximately 4 km south-west from the Neamt Monastery, the Pocrov hermitage was built in 1714 by Pahomie and his apprentices: Sofronie, Mardarie, Lazar, Dosoftei and Ioanichie. The Pocrov hermitage also called “The Haven’s Plane” represents a true place of peace where many monks lived a calm yet harsh life.

From an architectural stand of point the church has three towers from which only one connect with the interior with an inner arch. The church was built from wood on a stone foundation. The wall that separates the altar from the rest of the church it’s ornate with wooden sculpted flowers. Among the heritage objects of great importance that we find here, we can talk about some old icons and crosses (from 1802), a belt from Jerusalem from 1785, books from the XVII – XIX centuries, a grail covered in gold from 1804 and the icon of St Mary from 1856.

Today, here at the Pocrov hermitage we can find the abbot together with 9 monks that are living in prayer and in peace with God.