The Monastery of Holy Myrrh-bearers Martha and Maria, Hagimus

Monastery of nuns

Patron Feast: Holy Myrrh-bearers Martha and Maria

Nun superior: nun Martha (Cuşnir)

Location: approx. 75 km south-east off Chisinau

Address: MD-4319, Village Hagimus, Causeni raion

Phone: +373 243 42 327

Mobile: + 373 698 01 245

The Monastery of Hagimus, dedicated to Holy Myrrh-bearing women Martha and Maria, sisters of righteous Lazarus, is a settlement of nuns, located in the Republic of Moldova. The monastery is situated in Hagimus village, district Tighina, at half-way between Causeni and Tighina towns, about 75 km south-east off Chisinau.

Hagimus Monastery was founded at the beginning of the 21^st c., by His Grace Bishop Dormedont. In 1997, priest Andrei Cotruta, then inspector at the Theological Seminary in the Noul Neamt Holy Ascension Monastery, impressed by the beauty and the landscape of the area, decided to found there a monastic settlement. The church of Martha and Maria was initially built there, along with several monastic cells and a school, where in 1998 a theology school for girls was inaugurated.

Supported by Archimandrite Dormedont, who then was the monk superior of the Holy Ascension Noul-Neamt Monastery, and then was ordained Bishop of Edinet and Briceni, 0n 26^th May 1998, the settlement became a skete of the Noul Neamt Monastery. In autumn the same year the skete was attributed the status of monastery, with the Patron Feast of Holy Myrrh-bearing women Martha and Maria. Father Andrei Cotruta was appointed father confessor of the monastery, and the monastery’s nun superior became mother Eufrosinia.

In 1999 mother Martha (Cusnir) was elected the monastery’s nun superior. The old church was already too small for numerous worshipers, and the nuns decided to build a two-storeyed cathedral. Several years ago, with the support of worshipers, the foundation of the new shrine was layed: the upper, summer church of Holy Myrrh-bearing women Martha and Maria, and the lower, winter church of Holy Apostle Andrew.

The monastery is at the beginning of its missionary activity in this land that has for so many years been deprived of its ancestral faith. At the monastery’s church priests daily celebrate Divine Services: Vespers, Midnight Office, Matins, and Divine Liturgy. The nuns daily read the Psalter Book and pray for all worshipers.

Every evening the nuns walk a Cross Procession around the monastery, bearing the icon of the Protection of the Mother of God – the Patron Feast of the monastery’s existing church. Following old Orthodox tradition, the nuns daily participate in the Midnight service and sing night Acathists “Glory to God for everything” and “The Hegumeness of all monasteries”.