Martha and Mary Convent

The Martha and Mary Convent is located in a picturesque area, just 75 km from Chisinau , near the village of Hajimus . The monastery occupies a special place among Moldova's Orthodox shrines, combining spiritual service, monastic life, and an educational mission.

The founding of the monastery

The monastery was founded in 1997 by priest Andrei Cotruță , inspector of the Novo Neamț Theological Seminary , with the active support of the Novo Neamț Monastery .

The idea for the monastery arose from the need for a spiritual center for female nuns, where they could combine monastic life with educational activities. In the first years, the following buildings were built on the monastery grounds:

the Church of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women Martha and Mary ,
several cells for nuns,
school, where in 1998 the Theological Seminary for Women opened , becoming the first educational structure at the monastery.

Temples and architecture

The original church dedicated to the holy myrrh-bearing women Martha and Mary proved too small for the large number of believers who came to pray there on holidays and weekdays. This led to the decision to build a new church complex.

Subsequently, the foundation of a cathedral with two altars was laid :

Summer Church in the name of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women Martha and Mary,
Winter Church in the name of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called.

The new cathedral's architecture combines traditional elements of Orthodox architecture with modern construction solutions to create a spacious, bright, and comfortable space for religious services and festive celebrations.

Spiritual life and educational mission

The Martha and Mary Convent serves not only a religious but also an educational function:

The Theological Seminary for Women trains future nuns who undergo a course of theological disciplines, church singing and spiritual practice;
The nuns of the monastery are engaged in missionary work among parishioners of nearby villages, organize pilgrimages and help in the spiritual education of children and youth;
Divine services are held daily , attended not only by the nuns, but also by numerous parishioners from different areas.

Current status and prospects

Today the monastery is actively developing:

The construction of a two-altar cathedral , which will become the main church of the monastery, is nearing completion;
Work is being carried out to improve the territory: cells, a refectory, outbuildings and pilgrimage buildings are being equipped;
There are plans to create a small monastery farm, including a garden, vegetable patch, and apiary, to maintain the monastery's self-sufficiency.

The Martha and Mary Convent became the spiritual center of the region , attracting believers with its atmosphere of prayer, peace, and inner harmony. Monastic life here is built on strict adherence to the monastic charter, daily prayer, and labors for the benefit of the monastery.