Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie)
About Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie)
Onufrie's Cave is a sandstone shelter dug into a bank in the forest near Sihăstria Voronei Monastery, in the commune of Vorona. This is where Onufrie, a monk of Russian origin who had fled to Moldavia in 1749 and become a monk at Dragomirna Monastery, lived as a hermit between 1764 and 1789. According to tradition, he was also abbot of Vorona Monastery, in 1777–1779, and in the Vorona forests he was spiritual father to other hermits.
After his death in 1789 he was buried under an apple tree, near where Sihăstria Voronei stands today; his bones were exhumed in 1846 and placed in the church of Vorona Monastery, and in the middle of the 19th century the reliquary reached the skete. The Romanian Orthodox Church canonised him in 2005, with a feast day on 9 September, and the cave has remained a place of pilgrimage. Pilgrims come first to the relics in the church of Sihăstria, then walk through the forest to the cave.
What you can see
The entrance is a low niche in the sandstone wall, closed with iron gates and arranged as a place of prayer, with icons and a candle stand. A dry-stone wall holds up the bank, and the oak and beech forest is dense all around. Nearby are the remains of the chapel of the Holy Trinity, built in 1944–1951, of which the altar carved in the rock survives.
Good to know
The cave is not a developed show cave: it is visited on foot, along a forest track, and the entrance is small.
Information verified on 30 October 2026.
- The niche in the sandstone rock, with iron gates, where St Onufrie lived.
- The dry-stone wall at the foot of the bank, next to the cave entrance.
- The altar carved in the rock, left from the chapel of the Holy Trinity.
- The walk through the oak and beech forest from Sihăstria Voronei Monastery.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the cave is in the forests of the commune of Vorona, ~27 km (~35 minutes) from Botoșani and ~106 km (~2 hours 10 minutes) from Iași. From Vorona Monastery it is ~5 km (~12 minutes) on the forest roads. Sihăstria Voronei is on the DJ 208H, and the cave is ~1.5 km from it, in the forest; the last stretch is on foot.
- Rules
A place of prayer: modest dress, quiet. Wear footwear suited to the forest track.
Frequently asked questions about Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie)
How long does a visit to Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie) take?
A visit to Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie) takes about 1 – 1½ hours (including the walk).
Can you visit Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie) with kids?
Yes, Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie) is suitable for children (forest track, ~1.5 km).
How do I get to Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie)?
Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie) is located at in the forest, ~1.5 km from Sihăstria Voronei Monastery, near the DJ 208H, Vorona, Botoșani County. More under “Getting there”
When is the best time to visit Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie)?
The best season for Onufrie's Cave (Peștera lui Onufrie): April – October (in dry weather).
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