Dobru Monastery

Dobru Monastery lies in the north-west of Vânători-Neamț commune, below Hălăuca mountain, at a place called Dealul Mare on the Stânișoara ridge, between the Secu and Agapia monasteries, about 14 km from Târgu Neamț. It is reached from the DN15B road along a gravel road through the village of Drehuța, the monastery lying about 3 km beyond the village. It belongs to the Old Calendar Orthodox Church, which kept the Julian calendar, and is regarded, together with Slătioara in Suceava County, as one of that Church's oldest foundations. After the calendar reform of 1924, several monks who rejected the change withdrew into the Neamț mountains. Hieroschemamonk Pamvu Hoisa and schemanun Isidora Stănoaie chose the site at Dobru in the early 1930s, on land donated by Mihai Bârliba of Vânători-Neamț, and built a small chapel, two blocks with about 30 cells and a guest house. In 1936 the chapel and houses were burned, Pamvu Hoisa was arrested and died in the prison at Iezeru Monastery, and nine nuns were held at Vărzărești Skete until 1939. Between 1936 and 1946 nothing could be built at Dobru. From 1946 the cells and a small chapel were rebuilt, but under Decree 410/1959 the nuns were expelled. After 1973 a small wooden church was built, consecrated on 15 September 1980 and dedicated to St Nicholas, together with a refectory and new blocks of cells; in 1987 the altar was enlarged and a second dedication, to the Great Martyr Panteleimon, was added. After 1989 a large church was built and consecrated on 5 August 2001 (23 July in the Old Calendar) by Metropolitan Vlasie, dedicated to St Panteleimon. The complex comprises the old wooden church, the large church, the bell tower, the cells, the refectory and the cemetery. In 2012 the community numbered nearly 50 nuns. The monastery is not a listed historic monument.