The Dobrusa Monastery is a friary. Surrounded by hills, forests and beautiful orchards, it is situated at the distance of 20 km from Soldanesti town.

According to some sources the monastery was funded in 1772, by a monk whose name was Ioasaf, the monk came from the Probota Monastery (Suceava). Initially, Ioasaf along with other man devoted to religion – Eufemie who came from Curchi Monastery built a wooden temple. Hardly, the build was finished in 1785 by Eufemie and other friars from Curchi Monastery.

In 1847, the temple for winter orations “Schimbarea la fata” was built. In 1890, 89 Moldovan monks and Superior Porfirie of Russian origin were enlisted at the Dobrusa Monastery. The orations occurred in Romanian until 1863, later it was ordered to spend orations in Slavonic language. Various Romanian books printed during the period of Romanian principalities dating from XVII century, could be encountered in the monastery library.

After 1918, a part of the monastery bequest was secularized, though Dobrusa Monastery is one of the wealthiest monasteries in the Republic of Moldova.

From 1918 till 1921 the monastery was under the guidance of archbishop Paisie, and after him the monastery was guided by Archepsim Moraru until 1925.

In 1923 Dobrusa Monastery passed from Chisinau city diocese to Hotinului. Along with this event St. Nicholas Wonderworker temple and that for winter orations were completely restored.

In 1944, friars and Superior Roibu were evacuated to hermitage situated on the upper side of the monastic complex, because the territory of the monastery was temporally occupied by the Russian Army major body.

In 1960, the monastery was transformed into a boarding school for handicapped children. Temple for winter orations became a place for dancing parties while temple for summer orations was transformed into a canteen and later into groceries deposit.

The auxiliary school functioned until 1994 and at the request of loyal citizens the monastery was reopened.

The monastic complex was reactivated by a metropolitan decree on October 28, 1994.

Translated from Romanian by Felicia Lupasco, Moldova.ORG

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