Suruceni, Ialoveni District, Moldova, November 11, 2025
On Sunday, November 9, the Monastery of St. George the Great Martyr in Suruceni village marked a significant milestone, celebrating 240 years since its founding and 200 years since the laying of the foundation stone of its church bearing the same dedication.
The head of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, was received in the morning by Abbess Epistemia (Goncearenco), a number of hierarchs and priests, and a crowd of faithful who came to participate in the celebration, the monastery reports.
The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the historic Church of St. George the Great Martyr, beginning with the rite of consecration of the holy altar.
The Divine Service began with the rite of consecration of the Holy Altar—“the most sacred place in the sanctuary, where the Holy Mysteries are celebrated, where Christ’s saving economy is actualized, the Savior’s sacrifice is fulfilled, and bread and wine are transformed by the Holy Spirit into the Body and Blood of the Lord.”
At the Little Entrance, in recognition of her work in the extensive restoration process of the church and her care and efforts in beautifying and developing the entire monastic establishment, the Abbess Epistemia was decorated with the right to wear a second jeweled cross.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the traditional procession around the church took place with the reading of the Resurrection Gospels. The Moldovan primate then addressed those present, thanking Mother Epistemia and the monastic community for their dedication and devotion. Met. Vladimir emphasized that Suruceni Monastery has become a true jewel in the heart of Moldova—a place of prayer and peace where the souls of the faithful are beautified through drawing closer to God.
Then, all those present participated in a monastic agape meal.
In September, Moldova’s Țigănești Monastery celebrated its 300th anniversary and the 35th anniversary of its reopening.
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Suruceni Monastery, dedicated to St. George the Great Martyr, was founded in 1785 near Chișinău, Moldova. The land was donated by boyar Casian Suruceanu, a former captain and local official, and a hieromonk named Iosif from Montenegro led the initial construction of a wooden church with help from local villagers.
The monastery developed significantly under various abbots. Hieromonk Bonifatie (1812-1820; 1824-1832) replaced the wooden church with a stone Church of St. George, consecrated in 1828. In 1836, Casian Suruceanu's sons donated 439 desiatinas of land to the monastery. The winter Church of St. Nicholas was built between 1856-1860.
By 1909, the monastery had achieved sufficient prosperity to be elevated from a skete to full monastery status. Archimandrite Dionisie Erhan (1908-1934), the longest-serving abbot, oversaw a flourishing period. He later became Bishop of Ismail and died in 1943, buried in the monastery’s crypt.
In 1918, the monastery had 60 monastics and 602 desiatinas of land. It remained prosperous through the interwar period, operating workshops, farms, and even a school.
After 1944, heavy Soviet taxation led to decline. On July 3, 1959, the monastery was forcibly closed with 47 monastics. The complex was converted into a narcology hospital. The Church of St. George became a club, while St. Nicholas Church was used for medical purposes. The cemetery was destroyed, including the graves of founders Casian Suruceanu and his family, and Bishop Dionisie Erhan’s tomb was desecrated.
The monastery reopened in 1991 as a convent under Abbess Alexandra Bândiu with 40 nuns. Since 2000, Abbess Epistemia (Goncearenco) has led extensive restoration work, including renovation of both churches, reconstruction of monastic cells, and beautification of the grounds. In 1998, the Regina Maria Theological Seminary for women was established at the monastery.
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