In the heart of Bessarabia, 16 km far from Chişinău, opening up in the middle of a green field as an eye in the sky is the monastery of the Great Martyr St. James the Persian, a contemporary monastic foundation that desires not to bring shame to the Tradition, but to continue it creatively.
Sireţi village, where the monastery is located, in Străşeni district, is a village with old traditions that deepens the monastery's roots into the depths of time back to St. Stephen the Great, whose soldiers came from the Vrancea Mountains and the valley of the Siret River to be closer to the border that was being threatened and overrun by heathen hordes.
On September 10, 1998, three monks and servants of the Church of St. Nicholas, Protosingel Porphiry, Hieromonk Theodore, and Hierodeacon Nathaniel consecrated the place for the church, and on May 24, 1999 the groundwork was laid for the church of the Great Martyr St. Jamesthe Persian, which was consecrated one year later, on October 29, 2000.
Protopriest Mihail Cazacu later joined the community, having a fervor and godliness similar to that of the neptic fathers of the eastern Church, and of the great benefactors and founders of monastic centers. He consecrated the space of the large church with the dedication of the Annunciation and St. John Jacob the Hozevite on September 15, 2004.
The monastery in the night of winter The Holy Apostle Zacchaeus 20 April/3 May
The Holy Hierarch Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia 1/14 January
The Holy Hierarch Nicholas Archbishop of Myra in Lycia 6/19 December
The Holy Hierarch Ambrose of Milan 7/20 December
St. Porphyrius, Archbishop of Gaza 26/11 March
The Holy Hierarch Gelasius of Rimet 30 June/13 July
St. James the Persian 27 November/10 December
St. George the Trophy-Bearer 23 April/6 May
The Holy Great Martyr Mercurius 24 November/7 December
The Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tyro 17 February/2 March
The Holy Martyrs Zoticos, Atalos, Filipos, and Camasis 4/7 June
The 14,000 Holy Infants slain by Herod 29 December/11 January
The Holy Righteous Fathers slain at Sinai and Raith 14/17 January
The Holy Righteous Fathers massacred by Arabs in St. Sava’s Monastery 20 March/2 April
The Holy Righteous Fathers slain by Persians at Hozeva
The Holy Righteous Martyrs Efthimios, Ignatius, and Acacius 1/14 May
The 40 Holy Martyrs from Sevastia 9/22 March
Holy Father Antipas the Athonite 10/23 January
Holy Righteous John Jacob from Hozeva 5/18 August
Holy Righteous Symeon the New Theologian 12/25 March
Holy Righteous Stylianos of Paphlagonia 26/9 December
Holy Righteous Seraphim of Sarov 2/15 January
Holy Righteous Moses the Hungarian 26 July/8 August
Holy Righteous Silouan the Athonite 24 September/7 October
Holy Righteous Onuphrius from Vorona Hermitage 9/22 September
Holy Righteous Theoctistus 3/16 September
Holy Martyr Kiriaki 7/20 July
Holy Righteous Kuksha of Odessa
A small piece of the The Holy Cross wood.
All of these holy relics are available for veneration in the church of St. James the Persian.
The Patronal Feasts of the Churches of Sireţi Monastery.
Among the many great celebrations of the monastery, a special one is on 27 November/10 December when the Orthodox Church celebrates St. Jacob the Persian the Great Martyr who is the protector of the monastery and whose relics are preserved here, shedding gifts of spiritual and bodily healing.
St. Jacob the Persian the Great Martyr is known as being a deliverer from spiritual and bodily passions.
The second patronal feast day is the Annunciation which is celebrated on 25 March/7 April, the Most-Holy Theotokos being the protector of monks.
The third patronal feast is the celebration of our Venerable Father John Jacob the Hozevite on 5/18 August.
The Brotherhood
Abbot Archimandrite Porphiry
