Religious Romania: Churches and monasteries that attract the largest crowds of pilgrims every year

Romanians are known to be very religious people. A recent survey reveals that 96% of Romanians believed in God. The same study shows that, when it comes to the Church, 86% of respondents agree that this institution provides answers to people’s spiritual needs, 76% think that it provides answers to moral questions, and 72% think that it gives answers for family problems. This may be the reason why most Romanians go to church, attend religious services, and even travel hundreds of kilometers just to touch Saints relics. Here’s a short list of some of the “holiest” places in Romania, where people usually go on pilgrimages, to pray and touch relics and miracle-working icons. The pilgrims usually travel to certain churches and monasteries around the days when Saints are celebrated. For example, Romanians celebrate St. Mary (the Assumption) on August 15, this being one of the most important religious celebrations in the country. On this day, thousands of people go on pilgrimage at several churches and monasteries across Romania. Nicula Monastery, one of the oldest monastic establishments in the country, attracts large crowds of pilgrims every year. The monastery is well-known because of its miracle-working icon of the Virgin Mary. The icon, painted by the Romanian Priest Luca from Iclod in 1681, is said to have cried for 26 days in 1699. Thousands of pilgrims are attracted by this icon every year, as it is said that many people were healed of various diseases after praying to this icon. Some 30,000 pilgrims went to this monastery on St. Mary’s day this year. The monastery is located in Nicula, Cluj county. Putna Monastery is a Romanian Orthodox monastery located in Suceava county that also attracts thousands of pilgrims every year on August 15. The monastery is dedicated to the Assumption so this day is the most important day of the year. This year, 10,000 people went to pray at this monastery on St. Mary’s Day. The Putna Monastery also houses the tomb of Stephen the Great, Prince of Principality of Moldavia between 1457 and 1504.The monastery is located in Putna, Suceva county. Tismana Monastrey also organizes a large religious service on August 15, attracting thousands of pilgrims, as the monastery is also dedicated to the Assumption. The founder of the monastery is Saint Nicodim (1320-1406), who chose the place, the architecture, and the ornamentation. He is also celebrated every year around Christmas. The monastery is located in Tismana, Gorj county, some 30 km away from Targu Jiu. Romanians also go to Sambata de Sus Monastery (Brancoveanu Monastery) on August 15, to pray together. This is another monastery in Romania that is dedicated to the Assumption. Religious Romanians who want to walk in the footsteps of Father Arsenie Boca also go at this monastery, as Arsenie Boca was an abbot there. He is believed to have done many miracles in his life, but also after his death. Father