Corlățeni Monastery (Pojorâta)

The Monastery of St John Jacob, known after the founder's family as Corlățeni Monastery, lies in Pojorâta commune, Suceava County, at the foot of the Rarău massif, in the forest south-east of Pojorâta village and close to the Transrarău road. The last part of the approach is a forest road of about 2.4 km, climbing steadily. Its origins go back to the villager Constantin Corlățeanu, who raised an iron cross on a cement base here, consecrated around 1927 according to its inscription. With his son Ștefan, later mayor of Pojorâta, and believers from the village, he then built a skete, consecrated in 1934 by Metropolitan Nectarie of Cernăuți. The founder died in 1957, aged 96. In 1962 the communist authorities closed the skete: the church was moved to Voroneț for the parish there, and the icons and liturgical objects were taken to Putna Monastery. An old icon of the Mother of God remained at Pojorâta. In 1966 villagers built a chapel around the surviving cross; the chapel was later enlarged and given an altar, as the inscription signed by Ilie Țîmpău in November 1969 records. The skete was re-established in 1990. Today it is a monastery for monks, dedicated to St John Jacob of Neamț (5 August) and the Holy Trinity. The old wooden church, known as the „blue church”, was demolished because its timber had decayed, and a brick church of the Holy Trinity is being built in its place. The monastery keeps relic fragments of St John Jacob of Neamț and other saints, as well as an icon of St Anne. Services are held daily.