In the second half of the 17th century and at the beginning of the 18th century, at Sihla there lived, for about forty years, the Righteous Saint Theodora of Sihla (Romania). Born in the first half of the 17th century, in the Vanatori–Neamt village, as the daughter of Stefan Joldea, governor of the Neamt Fortress, Saint Theodora was from childhood a model of holiness. She visited the monasteries in the Neamt region and especially the “Saint Nicholas” Church in the Neamt Fortress.
Her parents, against her will, forced her to marry a young Orthodox Christian man from Ismail. Nevertheless, her wish to follow a monastic life was very strong, and with the agreement of her kind husband, she went to the Nifon Hermitage (Varzaresti) in the Vrancea region. About two years thereafter, she entered the venerable monastic life. A Turkish invasion subsequently destroyed the hermitage, forcing the nuns to scatter.
Together with Schemanun Paisia and two other nuns, Saint Theodora lived in the Vrancea Mountains for about ten years. After the death of Holy Paisia, she returned to her homeland. The abbot of Neamt Monastery guided her to the newly built Sihastria Hermitage (1655). There, she confessed to the abbot her wish to continue to live as a recluse without anybody knowing about her. The abbot of the Sihastria Hermitage entrusted her to Saint Paul the Hermit (Cuviosul Pavel Sihastrul), the confessor of the hermits hidden in the Sihla forests, who took her to the secret place where Sihla Hermitage lies today. She lived there for about forty years, at first in the sanctum beneath the rock and then in the cave that today bears her name.
Saint Righteous Theodora of Sihla had reached the greatness of Saint Mary of Egypt, having the gift of clairvoyance and working miracles, being the greatest saint of Romanian monasticism.
Her end was miraculously announced to Abbot Varsanufie from Sihastria Hermitage, who sent confessor Hieroschemamonk Antonie and Hierodeacon Lavrentie to offer her the Eucharist. In the presence of all the monks from Sihastria Monastery who had come to see her, Saint Theodora confessed and then, after receiving the Sacraments, passed away peacefully, being buried in the cave. In the second half of the 19th century, Righteous Theodora of Sihla’s relics were taken to Pecherska Lavra in Kiev, where they remain to this day.
After Saint Theodora’s departure to Nifon Hermitage, her husband went to Poiana Marului Monastery (Buzau county) himself, becoming Righteous Elefterie. On learning of the death of Theodora, about whom he had heard nothing for decades, he also came to Sihla, where he lived for ten more years in the sanctum beneath the rock where Saint Theodora had first settled. At his death, he was buried in the clearing of the hermitage.
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