Miron Barnovschi
Besides the Great Bishop Crimca and the Stroici family, another founder of Dragomirna is the ruler of Moldavia, Miron Movilă Barnovschi, better said “Bărnoveanu”, named so because he was the owner of Bărnova land.
About this ruler Miron Costin writes: “and this great ruler Barnovschi did many beautiful things and with great skill he ruled, Dragomirna Monastery he helped to build together with the Great Bishop Crimca, close to the town of Suceava.” He built in 1627, as show the inscriptions on the belfry tower, the massive wall surrounding the Monastery with the four strong towers, from which one is called after him- the Barnovschi tower; he is also the one to have brought the tombs inside the church.
It was also him that built the “Barnovschi” church Iaşi, Bărnova Monastery on his land and the hermitage at Hangu and a church on his land Toporonţi, some of which had been finished by the rulers Vasile Lupu and Istrate Dabija.
During his short command (1626-1629) he did a lot of good deeds and ended his life in Constantinopole as a martyr.
Costin describes his death: “the ruler Barnovschi, having faith in God, Toma the “Vornic” (position held inside the hierarchy of medieval Moldavia) confessed that he had seen him praying in the middle of the night, kneeling in front of an icon. He was conceited in his behaviour and dressed in great luxury, but in his heart he was just and kind, not greedy. So many Monasteries and churches in such a short period of time none of the other rulers built. He died in June 7141 (1633)…so his servants took his body to the Patriarchate and, he had shortly been buried”.
In his will, Barnovschi shows the wish to be buried at Dragomirna, but when his remains were brought into the country, they were buried at Barnovschi church in Iaşi, found by him.