to the eastern apse of the "Dormition of the Virgin Mary" Church. Important consolidation, restoration and renewal works have been made, beginning with 1962, with the financial and technical support of the state and of Moldavia and Suceava Mitropoly, both for the three churches as for the guest chamber and for some of the buildings in Văratec Monastery. During 1968-1969 the restorer painter Arutium Avachian washed and restored the painting for the "Dormition of the Virgin Mary" Church. During abbess stavrophore Nazaria Niță (1973-1995), Văratec Monastery was visited by patriarchs Pimen Izvekov of Moscow, Diodor of Jerusalem and Dimitrios of Constantinopole, and also by a large number of Orthodox Church hierarchs, and by other representatives of Christian Churches. A basin was installed in 1985 in place of the altar of the old wooden church, the statue of an angel with a cross in his arms being placed there. The superior mothers leading the monastic life in this place during the 20th century were: Evghenia Teodor - abbess around the year 1909 archimandrite Irina G. Lecca (20 January 1881 – 30 November 1953) - abbess during 1940-1942 and 1946-1951 stavrophore Margareta Ocolescu (10 February 1916 – 6 January 1996) -abbess during 1951 - 1954 schema nun Pelaghia Amilcar (1885 - 1981) - abbess during 1942-1946 and 1954-1972 stavrophore Nazaria Niță (7 May 1928 – 28 October 2001) - hegumen during 1958-1965 and abbess during 1973-1995 Văratec Monastery in the 21st century From 2002 the monastery abbess is stavrophore mother Iosefina Giosanu, sister of Ioachim Giosanu bishop and niece of Ioanichie Bălan archimandrite. In the meeting of the Holy Synod of Romanian Orthodox Church from 5–7 March 2008, at the proposal of the Moldavia and Bucovina metropolitan, they discussed sanctifying nine saints from Neamț county. The Holy Synod decided that the nine proposed saints were canonized (sanctified). Father Iosif of Văratec is also among the nine canonized saints, and his celebration day was chosen to be 16 August. The solemn proclamation of the nine Neamț saints took place on 5 June 2008, at Neamț Monastery, and was celebrated by the patriarch Daniel. On 16 August 2008, during the feast of the titular saint of the Church "Dormition of the Virgin Mary", a special local service took place at Văratec Monastery, to proclaim the sanctification of Father Iosif, founder and confessor of the monastery. The religious service was held by metropolitan Teofan Savu