Hermitage Church
The Traditional date of Dragomirna’s founding is the year 1602, but it is assumed that the monachal life in these reagions goes back to older periods. Though it is certain that the beginnings of Dragomirna date from 1602 as it is mentioned on the inscription above the entrance of the small church, situated inside the monastery’s graveyard.
From this inscription written in Slavonian we find out that in the year 1602 by the humble servants of the Holy Trinity, Chir Anastasie Crimcovici former Bishop of Rădăuţi and Pan Lupu Stroici, great “logofat” ( position on the hierarchic political,social and medieval scale in Romania) and his brother Pan Simion, great treasurer.
The walls show its characteristics, some of the elements being used later in the building of the great church. Even from the construction of this church Crimca’s wish to build a new kind of church, out of the ordinary.
The polygonal shape of the threshold, only once before being constructed this same way-at the church of the “logofăt” Tăutu in Bălineşti-1949, situated in the area and known to Crimca and his craftsmen. The open arches of the same building reminding of those in Muntenia, the system of the round dome inside the Aisle, other than the customary Moldavian one stand proof of the founder’s taste for new artistic elements and we may consider that he had closely watched the building of the church.
The church, although small, having no Preaisle, only an Altar, Aisle and threshold is beautifully put into proportions. Its reduced dimensions led to the incertion of the iconostasis, which contains only the imperial doors and the door facing the West.
It is surprising that, even if the sanctuary is small and humble, there are three founders and three titular saints: the Right Enoh, Saint John writer of the Gospel and Elijah.
The celebration is not a usual one. Saint Elijah and Saint John the Teologist are, accordint to the Tradition fighting for the maintaing of purity and union of church, for the union of the people of Israel, as the Bible mentions about Prophet Elijah, the church had at first humble cells as to fit the monument. Later they were moved and the place became a cemetery.