Secu Monastery

Located in the neighboring of the Secu Creek and at the feet of Vasan Mountain, the monastery appears under the form of a medieval citadel, built with thick walls, defensive towers and helms that arise similar to some giant spears. Having over 500 years old, the Secu Monastery is one of the oldest monastic settlements in Neamț County.

The constructions that are nowadays situated within the monastical complex from Secu were built up, starting with 1602, by the Moldavian steward Nestor Ureche. In the interior of the monastic complex from Secu there are also two chapels: the “Dormition of the Mother of God” chapel (1640) and “St. Nicolas” chapel (1758-1763).

To the church built by the steward Nestor Ureche in 1602 it was added in the XVIII century the threshold, then, in the first half of the past century, a diaconicon, a proscomidiar, and also the small threshold from the west side.

In 1850, its interior painting was entirely remade and the iconostasis was refurbished. In 1821, the battle of the Eterists with the Turks brought great damages to the Secu Monastery. After 1821, the sanctum buildings from the precinct were rebuilt, and the “Saint Nicolas” Chapel, destroyed by a fire, was rebuilt from the ground.

Also, in 1832 it was built a church on a stone infrastructure, with the titular saint the “Birth of Saint John the Baptist” from the monastery’s graveyard. Until 1850 the big church was also refurbished, and in the same period, the iconostasis and the mural painting in oil were also made.
In the period 1977-1984 ample restoration works were made to the entire monastical complex.

Most of the pieces of the heritage from Secu, “the great wonder of Secu” (N. Iorga), over 70, are kept within the collection of monastic objects of the monastery from which there are exposed religious objects, manuscripts and printed papers, including the Homily from 1643 of the Moldavian Metropolitan Varlaam. Among these, the “Air” is distinguished, which was given to the monastery by the builders in 1608; on the red background of the velvet it is represented in gold threads the Weeping of Jesus.

Due to the church figures who grew and developed here, the Secu Monastery represented an active factor in the development of both the old Romanian culture and the spiritual life.