This religious settlement was extremely important for the religious life in these parts especially between XVIII and XIX centuries. For a long time here existed the bell from Ceahlau Mountain and even though for a time there was no church here the locals celebrated the place each August on the date of 6.

Starting with 1995 the brothers Munteanu managed to reinstall the religious life in this place by starting the building of a new wood church and few cells.

The church is now located in Cerebuc plane in a place of unique beauty and with a great view over Ceahlau Mountain. The interior of the church is beautifully painted in a realistic manner. You can reach the hermitage by driving about 7 km on the road that goes from Izvorul Muntelui to Durau Resort. At the touristic indicator you’ll have to walk for 10 minutes through the forest.

Cerebuc Hermitage, Neamt County

The patrons of the hermitage: “Sf Prooroc Ilie Tezviteanul” (July 20 – The Prophet Ilie Tezviteanul), “Acoperamantul Maicii Domnului” (October 1) and St Daniil Sihastrul (December 18)

Access ways:
Piatra Neamt – Agapia Monastery – Sihla Hermitage – Daniil Sihastul Hermitage (44 + 10 km)
Targu Neamt – Secu Monastery – Sihastria Monastery – Daniil Sihastrul Hermitage (23 + 7km)

Phone: 0040.733.801.054 Father Melite

Daniil Sihastrul Hermitage on Google Maps

Daniil Sihastrul Hermitage is located 2 km from Sihla Hermitage, in a place with many rock formations and small caves, near “Rapa lui Coroi” (Coroi’s Gap). You can reach the hermitage by walking through the forest from Sihastria Monastery or by car, on the dirt road from Sihastria to Sihla and then on foot from the sign that points to Daniil Sihastrul Hermitage.

Following an old tradition they say that close to the place known as “Rapa lui Coroi” lived for a while the monk Daniil Sihastrul, the trusted adviser of ruler Stefan cel Mare, before he went near Putna Monastery. The entire area is full with markings made by monks over time: small caves carved in rock, dirt huts and inscriptions on rocks.

Photos from Daniil Sihastrul Hermitage – Neamt County

In the first half of the XX century in these parts lived the nun Isodora, known among monks because of her 30 years of religious life. They say that every night, at midnight, she used to ring the bell, calling all the monks to prayer.

The first hut from this place was built by monks from Sihastria Monastery (between 1936 and 1937) that came here to be isolated from life for a few months. In 1944, here, on the place that today is the hermitage lived two nuns, mother and daughter: Valentina Neacsu and Emiliana.

The monk Sofronie Sarampoi, between 1980 and 1981 establishes a monastic life here, together with few nuns. They manage to build a small house and a chapel. He wanted to build here a hermitage in memory of the nuns that lived and prayed in these parts. Unfortunately he becomes very ill and he’s forced to retire to Neamt Monastery.

After 1990 the monks build here a wooden church. Little by little, Daniil Sihastru Hermitage is taking shape under the guidance of father Daniil Caia. Through his effort the new religious settlement was ready to receive its first religious service on August 4, 1996. The service was held by Mitropolit Daniel with priests from Sihastria Monastery.

The hermitage is located in a remote place that can be reached only by foot. So, the construction was possible because of the dedication of people that carried the construction materials on their backs. This is the way in which they managed to raise the church, two buildings for cellars, the bell tower and the holly water chamber.

Every traveler that goes to Daniil Sihastrul Hermitage will be welcomed here by monks that will invite him to eat and rest for a while. The accommodation possibilities are limited, so, if you want to spend the night, it’s best to call first.

The first sanctification service was performed on May 6 1951 for a chapel that also has in it few cells. The chapel’s patrons are “Schimbarea la Fata” (The Changing of the Face) and “Nasterea Maicii Domnului” (The Birth of St Mary).

Google Maps location of the hermitage

The iconostasis of the chapel is a wooden sculpture and painted by painter Procenco. The interior of the chapel was painted in 1990 by Dumitru Gabor. The abbot of the hermitage tried over time to build a church but the communist regime stopped him. With all this opposition, in 1972 he managed to build a bell-tower. At the first floor of this building was created a small chapel with the patron of St Dimitrie. The interior of this chapel was painted in 1984 by Bartolomeu Florea.

Images from Icoana Noua Hermitage, Neamt County

What’s special about this chapel is the candelabrum made out of some antlers the monks found in the surrounding forests. At the entrance of the bell tower you’ll see the tomb of Vasian Iosub, the founder of Icoana Noua Hermitage.

In 1991 the monks from Icoana Noua Hermitage managed to build some new cells and the main church of the hermitage. The church was build between 1994 and 2001 in a traditional architectural style. The exterior walls are white and covered with rocks from the nearby creek. The interior of the church was painted between 2000 and 2005 by Ciuhureanu Tudorel. The pews and the iconostasis were sculpted by Mihai Croitoru.

The hermitage is growing with the help of pilgrims and Neamt Monastery. Right now, the monks from Icoana Noua are building a guesthouse with its own chapel that will accommodate pilgrims that come here to pray or just to experience the life in a monastery.

At Icoana Noua Hermitage live 4 monks that are responsible for the religious life and administrating the place. Many pilgrims come to this hermitage for the peace they find here, deep in the forest. Visit this special place and see for yourself!

Neamt Monastery has a incredible collection of religious objects, paintings, manuscripts and old typography pieces that have a great historic, religious, cultural and artistic value. Also, here there is the oldest religious library with over 18,000 books.

Neamt Monastery location and its Hermitages

Inside the main church from Neamt Monastery pilgrims come to pray at the Icon of St Mary which dates from the year 665 and its considered to be a miracle-making religious icon.

Attraction points inside Neamt Monastery

The History of Neamt Monastery (images and HD video) – Petru Musat was the one that built a stone church at Neamt Monastery to replace the old wooden one. In the year 1471 an earthquake damaged the church and for this reason Stefan cel Mare built a new church near the old one. The first religious service was held after the great victory from “Codrii Cosminului” Forest. In the year 1485 Neamt Monastery receives a gift from ruler Stefan cel Mare under the form of a bell. From all the old buildings that once were there, today we can only see the church of Stefan cel Mare and the lower part of the bell-tower built by ruler Alexandru cel Bun.

The Lidian Icon – the priceless religious-icon from Neamt Monastery – One of the most important objects from Neamt Monastery that also has a special religious value can be seen in “Inaltarea Domnului” Church from the inner court of the monastery: this object is the religious-icon of St Mary Mother of Jesus, also known as The Lidian Icon. This religious-icon dates from 665 and was painted in Lidia, the home land of St Gheorghe. In 1429 the religious-icon was given as a gift to ruler Alexandru cel Bun by the Byzantine Emperor Ioan Paleologul the VIII.

Agheazmatar Building from Neamt Monastery – Agheazmatar represents the place where priests make Holy Water. This building is located at Neamt Monastery outside the walls, in front of the bell tower. It’s worth talking about this building because of the interesting architectural shape and impressive proportions. This building was created between 1836 and 1847 and it’s called Agheazmatar.

Neamt Monastery museum – the oldest monastery from Neamt County, hosts a very important religious collection both for the religious culture and art as well for the national culture. The museum displays cult objects made out of precious metal, embroideries, fabrics, wood sculptures all made by the monks from the monastery or that were received as gifts over time from different rules. All these objects contain important historical information about our past and our traditions.

Hermitages of Neamt Monastery

Carbuna Hermitage – Neamt County – 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.

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

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Vovidenia Hermitage – Neamt County – The church we can see today was built between 1849 and 1857. 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. Vovidenia Hermitage was also known as “The Altar from the Peaceful Plane”.

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Pocrov Hermitage – Neamt County – located in a forest with old trees, at approximately 4 km south-west from the Neamt Monastery, 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.

“Icoana Veche” Hermitage – Neamt County – “Icoana Veche” Hermitage is located in a dense forest in the north of Neamt Monastery. Between 1821 and 1822, because of the Eteria, the monks hide the icon of St Mary there – this icon was a gift received 600 years ago. After 1822 the icon, together with some other objects, were moved back into the monastery and on the place where they stayed they built a wooden cross painted by Agapie, as a reminder of what happen there.

“Icoana Noua” Hermitage it’s under the administration of Neamt Monastery, which is the oldest monastery from Neamt County and it’s located in the place called “Valea Icoanei” (The Icon’s Valley). The origins of this hermitage are from 1941 at the initiative of father Vasian Iosub (the abbot of the hermitage from 1946).

The hermitage is located on the upper part of Secu Creek’s valley in a large plane where over time many monks came to live a secluded life. The hermitage represents an old wish of a great priest and monk: father Paisie Olaru (a close friend of Elder Cleopa from Sihastria Monastery).

Photos of “Poiana lui Ioan” Hermitage, Neamt County

In 1993 on the place also known as “Valea Sihastrilor” (The Valley of Monks) took place the religious service that marked the beginning of a true hermitage in this area. The wish of father Paisie was coming true. Between 1995 and 2000 they managed to build the church of “Inaltarea Sfintei Cruci” Hermitage, a church made out of wood.

The interior paintings of the church were made by a group of monks from Sihastria Monastery under the close supervision of Abbot Bartolomeu Florea. Beside the church of the hermitage the monks also build cellars and a guest house for pilgrims that want to spend the night at the hermitage.

The construction of the hermitage lasted until 2009 and on September 8, with the celebration of the Birth of St Mary, took place the sanctification religious service of the hermitage. At the religious service participated Father Daniel, the Patriarh of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Father Teofan, Mitropolit of Moldova and Bucovina and other priests.

“Poiana lui Ioan” Hermitage received the patron of “Inaltarea Sfintei Cruci” (the name “Poiana lui Ioan” comes from a monk called Ioan that lived here). Today, at this hermitage live and pray 5 monks.

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.

Read more information about Neamt Monastery (history, attraction points, images, video and its hermitages).