Neophytus Eliade of Neamt

Neofit Eliade, a hieroschemamonk of Neamț Monastery, born into a family of free peasants of Vrancea, was a Hellenist, confessor and teacher of the Jesus Prayer, abbot of Secu from 1870 to 1877. He fell asleep on 3 February 1886. He is named in the Romanian Paterikon and venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.

The young Nicholas was sent to school and then entered the community of Neamț, where he learned Greek, the writings of the Fathers and Holy Scripture to perfection and, in a short time, surpassed all in zeal and wisdom. Abbot Neonil tonsured him and sent him for a time to Pocrov, where he received the schema and became a known hermit and ascetic, fasting, praying, keeping vigil and reading Scripture. He ate only once a day, in the evening, and slept a few hours.

Called to the lavra, he was ordained priest and made confessor and teacher of Greek in the monastic school, where almost a hundred brothers studied. He was a great Hellenist and teacher of prayer. For almost three decades he raised disciples and brought a spiritual renewal at Neamț and Secu. At his urging, the monastery built at Târgu Neamț, between 1850 and 1856, a large hospital, a pharmacy and a school, then a school at Vânători, a pharmacy and a hospital for the mentally ill in the monastery. Between 1870 and 1877 he was abbot of Secu, where he received gifts and renewed the community's life.

The monks of Neamț asked him to be their abbot, but he refused, thinking himself unworthy. In 1860 the prince of the land and some hierarchs proposed him as metropolitan of Moldavia, but he fled into the wilderness, loving stillness. He translated from Greek only one book, Song of Zion in Praise, printed in 1871, because he thought it more useful to build people up by deed than by word. In 1877 he gave up the abbacy of Secu and withdrew to his monastery of vows, then fell asleep in peace in 1886.

Bishop Narcis Crețulescu, his disciple, calls him an erudite man, Hellenist, great hieroschemamonk, hermit and ascetic, and writes that whoever had not seen him at prayer had not seen holiness incarnate. He says he died on 3 February 1886 at Neamț.