Joasaph of Putna

Joasaph was an archimandrite and the first abbot of Putna Monastery, the foundation of Stephen the Great, from 1470 to 1476. He passed to the Lord on 19 October 1484. He is named in the Romanian Paterikon and venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.

He received monastic tonsure at Neamț Monastery and was formed spiritually beside the most distinguished fathers of the lavra. There he learned Greek, Slavonic and the copying of books from the disciples of Gabriel Uric. In 1440 he was ordained priest and became a skilled confessor. For the holiness of his life he was chosen abbot of Neamț, where the community passed two hundred monks, of whom more than thirty were teachers, cantors, calligraphers and confessors.

Hearing of his struggle, Stephen the Great called him in 1468, with the blessing of Metropolitan Teoctist, to be abbot at Putna, the foundation then being built. Joasaph came with about twenty-⁠five chosen monks, among them hieromonks, confessors and calligraphers. The monastery was consecrated on 3 September 1470, in the presence of the prince and tens of thousands of people.

From then on he was the prince's secret counsellor and spiritual father of Putna. In a short time he formed a community of more than sixty monks, with the services and order after the model of Neamț. Their duty was to praise Christ without ceasing and pray for the country and the prince, and in their free time to copy books. At Stephen's command he founded a school of calligraphers on the scale of the one at Neamț, a school of teachers and catechists for the common people, and a school of church music. From here came abbots and hierarchs, as well as teachers and cantors known as far as Constantinople.

In 1476 he withdrew from the abbacy and received the great schema with the name Joseph, and on 19 October 1484 he reposed in peace.