Agapia Monastery - a Short History, Neamt, Romania
Agapia Monastery, it is one of the largest monasteries of nuns in Romania, mentioned sometimes as the Agapia Noua, Agapia din Vale or Agapia Mare, is located on the valley of Agapia, Neamt county, 9 km from the town of Targu Neamt and 3 km Agapia village.

Being set in the middle of a forest, Agapia Monastery is one of the best known and most popular establishments in this part of the country, an ancient hearth of faith and culture, but also a priceless treasure of art, mainly due frescoes painted by Nicolae Grigorescu during 1858 -1861.


The ansemble of Agapia Monastery was included on the list of historical monuments in the county of Neamt in 2004 and comprises churches as: "Sf. Voievozi", "Adormirea Maicii Domnului", "St. John Bogoslovul" and the chapel "St. Nicholas" buildings on site and the village of the monastery consists of 141 historic houses, including the memorial house of "Al. Vlahuţă". Agapia place covers an area of ​​over 50 hectares of which 35 hectares courtyards and buildings.

Besides Agapia Monastery is the only one girls seminar from Moldova, under the name of Monastic Theological Seminary "St. Parascheva" set up in the time of Patriarch Justinian Marina.


The history of this famous institution monastic is closely linked to the existence of a hermitage that has lasted until today - Old Agapia (Agapia the Hill) is named after Reverend Agapie of Neamt Monastery, the first monk who was forced into this meadow and founded a wooden church dedicated to " Schimbarea la Față ".


Agapia currently has the largest number of nuns of all of Orthodox monasteries in Romania. Here we find an impressive collection of medieval art and religious museum and a library that includes books and ancient manuscripts.

Among the objects owned by the monastery we can find the following: four Gospels printed at Neamt Monastery in 1821 and dressed in gorgeous ouches, a silver gilt gospel bestowed in 1813 by Patriarch Chrysanthos of Jerusalem, Panaghiarul gilded silver from 1514 which Alexander Lăpuşneanu gave it to Pângăraţi Monastery and a cross dressed in gilded silver with a piece of saint wood of the Jessus cross, given by Patriarch Cyril of Jerusalem.
Extensive work to strengthen protection and restoration of the church were made between 1968-1969.