The Almăj – Putna Monastery is the “Banat Putna” or The monastery of “Putneanul” after the “trace” left by the monastic life of the monk Pahomie Putneanul, who left the Almăl Monastery to go to the Putna Monastery in Moldavia. It is said that in the 17th century, a faithful man from Almăj, wishing to live a monk’s life and thirsting after salvation “like a deer at the water springs”, went to Moldova to the Putna Monastery, founded by Prince Stephen the Great. After many religious endeavours, he went to Mount Athos (in Greece), where he remained for almost 18 years. Toward the end of his life, the Mother of God appeared in a dream to the righteous monk, urging him to return to his native lands to support the Orthodox believers who at that time were persecuted by the “catholic wave” of the foreign domination.