Dositheus the Teacher of Secu

Dosoftei was a hieroschemamonk, abbot of Zosimas's Skete in the Secu valley and the first abbot of Secu Monastery, from 1602 to 1606. He fell asleep on 21 August 1606. He is named in the Romanian Paterikon and venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.

He had taken his vows at Neamț Monastery. The skete in the Secu valley was built in the time of Alexander Lăpușneanu by the treasurer Zosin, who became the monk Zosimas, and Dosoftei was among its first abbots. For forty years he stood at the head of a community of more than fifty hermits, teaching them fear of God, obedience, humility and the craft of monastic struggle. He was known for his wisdom throughout Moldavia, even to the prince, skilled in interpreting Scripture, in Greek and Slavonic and in the dogmas of the Church. He founded a monastic school for monks who loved learning, so that his contemporaries called him teacher, or nastavnik.

One of his best-⁠known disciples was the future metropolitan Varlaam Motoc, who lived in the skete for more than twenty-⁠five years. Dosoftei was also confessor and guide of the hermits of the Secu forests. He helped greatly in rebuilding the foundation of Nestor Ureche, of 1602, beside the skete, and was the first abbot of Secu Monastery between 1602 and 1606, making his community a lavra known throughout Moldavia.

On 21 August 1606 he left the hieroschemamonk Andrew, one of his spiritual sons, as abbot in his place, and he himself passed to the rest of Christ, mourned by his disciples and the hermits of the Săc valley.