The Pocrov Hermitage was founded at the beginning of the 18th century by Pahomie Penciu, originally from a village in Bistrita Năsăud. In 1702-1704, being abbot of the Neamţ monastery, Pahomie traveled to Kiev for spiritual research. On his return, he settled in the glade under Mount Chiriacu, a place that would become known as Pahomie Glade, where he lived in a hut.
In 1706, Pahomie was elected bishop of Romanu and anointed hierarch in 1707, but he retired in 1714 and returned to the Neamț Monastery. Later, he retired to Poiana Pahomie with his disciples, where they cut trees and built a church, consecrated on August 15, 1714, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
Over time, other household settlements were built, thus forming the Pocrov Hermitage with a community of monks. Due to some circumstances, Pahomie returned to Kiev, where he lived at the Pecherska Monastery until his death in 1724. From Kiev, he sent books, religious objects and spiritual exhortations to the monks. His disciples carried on the hermitage according to the wishes of the founder.
The Pocrov hermitage was the place of training for prominent personalities of the Romanian Orthodox Church, such as Metropolitan Iacob Stamate and Patriarch Nicodim (Nicolae Munteanu). Mihail Sadoveanu calls this place Poiana Raiului, emphasizing its beauty and its contribution to sheltering monks, especially from Transylvania, after the destruction of the Orthodox monasteries by General Bukow on the orders of Empress Maria Tereza starting in 1761. The Pocrov hermitage was always under the obedience of the Neamț monastery.
Sursa: pocrov.mmb.ro
