A contemporary of
Stephen the Great (1457-1504), Daniil Sihastrul was born near the beginning of the 15th century in a village near
Rădăuți, with the baptismal name Dumitru. At 16 he was tonsured as a monk with the name of David at
Bogdana Monastery in Rădăuți. Some time later, he retreated to the "Sfântul Laurențiu" Monastery near the village of
Vicovu de Sus. Feeling the need for greater solitude, he took upon himself the
Great Schema, taking the schematic name of Daniil, and retreating into a densely forested area of the
Vițău valley near modern-day
Putna. There he found a rock into which he carved a chapel. To this day one can see the
narthex, naos, and altar, as well as an underground room, also carved out of the rock, in which the saint dwelled. Stephen the Great came here in 1451, after the assassination of his father
Bogdan II, at
Reuseni. Daniil prophesied that Stephen would return and would become
the ruler of Moldavia, which did occur in 1457. At the urging of Daniil Sihastrul, Stephen the Great built
Putna Monastery in 1466. After its consecration in 1470, Daniil withdrew to Voroneț, on the banks of the
Voroneț River, by Șoimului Rock, where he continued his monastic life. At Voroneț he was again visited by Stephen the Great, after the
Battle of Valea Albă in 1476, seeking advice. Daniil Sihastrul advised him to continue battling the Turks, foreseeing that he would triumph. To commemorate this victory in 1488 the ruler commissioned the
Voroneț Monastery. After its consecration, Daniil moved from his hermitage to the monastery. He spent the latter part of his life here, being elected as hegumen. He died in 1496 and was buried in the church at the Voroneț Monastery. On his tomb stone, carved according to the wishes of Stephen the Great, it is written:
"This is the tomb of our father David, the schema-monk Daniil". ==Legacy==