Discover Moldova with #MOLDPRES // La Pristol Spring in Cosăuți, where legend and faith emerge from rock

Hidden in the heart of the Stânca-Jeloboc scenic reserve in the village of Cosăuți, Soroca district, La Pristol spring continues to attract pilgrims and tourists through the beauty of the place and the legends that enhance its charm. Surrounded by high ridges and ancient forests, the spring is regarded by residents as one with healing water.

Director of the Museum of History and Ethnography in Cosăuți Aurica Osatiuc notes that the spring in this area has been studied by specialists, and its water is appreciated for its rich mineral content.


“It is a spring known for its beneficial properties. The water is rich in minerals, and local people and tourists have been coming here for many years, convinced of its effects on health, especially for joints and eyesight,” Aurica Osatiuc told MOLDPRES.




The legend of the spring has been passed down from generation to generation.


“It is said that an old monk withdrew here for prayer and fasting. One day, weakened by thirst, he prayed to the Mother of God to grant him a drop of clean water. Then, from the ground, a trickle of clear water is said to have sprung forth. After drinking, the monk regained his strength,” recounted Aurica Osatiuc.




According to historical sources, nearly three centuries ago there was a monks’ monastery here founded in 1729 by the monks Pavel and Gavriil. The monastic settlement gradually declined and was closed in 1833, and its property and archive were transferred to Călărășeuca Monastery. On the site of the old monastery, a small chapel remained, where pilgrims still light candles and pray today.



„Acoperământul Maicii Domnului” Monastery in Cosăuți is located about 15 kilometers from the municipality of Soroca and 170 kilometers from Chișinău, on the bank of the Dniester River. The old monastery was destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century following an earthquake and landslides, with only part of the monastic cemetery preserved.

It was only in 1990 that Archimandrite Ieronim Palii obtained a new plot of land for the reconstruction of the monastery, and in the following years the current monastic complex was built, using the renowned Cosăuți stone.