Moldavian Metropolitan Jacob of Putna (1719-1778), the Venerable Fathers Silas, Paisios and Nathan from Sihastria Putnei (Hermitage of Putna) Monastery will be officially proclaimed Saints during a ceremony that will take place on May 14 at Putna Monastery, Suceava County.
The four spiritual personalities who lived in the 18th century have been enlisted among the Saints by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, during its working session held on 6 and 7 June 2016.
Their canonization was proposed by the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți and approved on 20 May 2016 by the Metropolitan Synod of the Metropolis of Moldova and Bukovina.
Metropolitan Jacob (1719-1778) was the most distinguished bishop and pastor of the Moldovan Church of the eighteenth century. In 1731, he was tonsured a monk at Putna Monastery, being elected abbot in 1744. He served as Bishop of Radauti from 1745 to 1750, and as Metropolitan of Moldova from 1750 to 1760. During his pastorship he laboured tirelessly to increase the spiritual level of his flock, printing spiritual literature for all ages and establishing spiritual schools. In 1760, he retired again into monastic simplicity for the remaining eighteen years of his life.
The Holy Fathers Silas, Paisios and Nathan lived in the eighteenth century and laboured at Sihăstria Putnei Monastery during a time of great spiritual flowering. Burning with love for God and silent prayerful contemplation, St Silas served as abbot from 1753 to 1781 and oversaw the founding of the Church of the Annunciation; St Nathan served from 1781 to 1784 during a time when many monasteries of the region were being abolished; and St Paisios, a spiritual child of St Nathan, laboured as a fervent defender of Orthodoxy and clairvoyant guide for countless souls, falling asleep on 16 December 1784.
Their fragrant relics were discovered in 1990 during restoration work at Sihăstria Putnei, two hundred years after the monastery had been abolished. Until today they prayerfully protect the inhabitants and pilgrims of their monastery through the grace of their relics, and have long been considered saints of God.
