#Exhibit of the Month

The history of this icon traces back to the 10th century at the Protaton Monastery on Mount Athos. In one of the cells named "The Dormition of the Mother of God," an elderly hieromonk lived with his disciple. They preserved a superb depiction of the Virgin Mary. This old icon became renowned through the revelation of the prayer "It Is Truly Meet."
Between the years 980-982, on a Saturday evening before an all-night vigil, the elder monk left for the nearby church, instructing his disciple to continue the religious routine in the cell. Being obedient, the disciple followed the instructions. When he reached the 9th Ode of the Canons, "More Honorable Than the Cherubim...," he suddenly heard someone beginning to chant alongside him: "It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos..." It was a mysterious pilgrim monk who had appeared unexpectedly and joined in the prayers. At that moment, the icon began to radiate light, as if it were broad daylight. Astonished by the events, the disciple asked the mysterious monk to write down the verses. The monk wrote them on a tile with his finger as if it were soft wax and said, "From now on, this is how you Orthodox Christians should chant," and, saying this, he vanished. Left alone, the disciple realized he had witnessed a great miracle. Enlightened, he understood that the pilgrim was none other than the Archangel Gabriel, who had come, as he had before, to deliver the word of the Highest to humanity.

The icon was transferred from the cell to the Holy Altar of the Protaton Church, where a similar icon is preserved to this day. The tile with the divine hymn was taken to Constantinople and included in the Orthodox Church's liturgical books. Soon after, Archangel Gabriel's prayer was incorporated into the Divine Liturgy, immediately following the Consecration of the Gifts of Bread and Wine. The valley with the cells has since been called Adin, meaning "to chant," "chanting."

The icon "It Is Truly Meet" is of inestimable value and has become the protector of Mount Athos. The icon is celebrated on June 11/24, commemorating the miraculous appearance of the Archangel, and on July 13/26, in honor of the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel.

This icon, of the Eleusa type, portrays gentleness and tenderness in its central figures. The Virgin holds the Child with her right hand, while her left hand, placed beneath His feet, grips the hem of His tunic. The small Jesus wears a short tunic reaching His knees and holds a scroll in His right hand inscribed with the words of the Axion hymn. His left-hand slips under the veil of the Virgin towards her left shoulder. Both figures are crowned with golden halos. Two angels flank the Virgin's halo, while the Almighty in an open heaven blesses with both hands.

Crafted using tempera on wood, the icon is adorned with gold leaf and multicolored enamel, giving the image a unique delicacy. The inscription on the lower frame indicates that the icon was created by the painter Ioasaf in 1905.

The painter monk Ioasaf Berghie (1862-?) of the New Neamț Monastery resided there between 1887 and the 1940s, occupying three rooms to set up his studio, where he worked continuously on icons and church artworks. Born into the family of a church teacher in Jabca village, Ștefan Berghie, Ioan Berghie developed a passion for sacred iconography from an early age. In 1890, Andronic, the abbot of the New Neamț Monastery, blessed him to paint icons. Taking monastic vows in 1895 under the name Ioasaf, he traveled by foot to visit major ecclesiastical centers nearby and further afield, learning the art of iconography. Starting with naive-style interpretations, he eventually mastered professional painting techniques and acquired new decorative skills. His works became highly popular throughout Bessarabia and abroad. Painting a significant number of icons, they were often mistakenly sold as coming from major artisan workshops. To prevent such confusion, he received the abbot's blessing to sign his works, earning recognition and fame for his name.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"A walk through 20th century Chișinău"

Opening: November 5, 2019, 17:00, Suțu Palace

November 5 – 24, 2019

Chisinau is, without a doubt, a city of contrasts. A settlement that leads life between "was" and "is". We live this contrast sharply, we see and experience it every day, and its architecture is deeply marked by the transition from the old to the new, being a witness and main indicator of change.

Known from the pictures from the beginning of the last century as a small but very friendly city, today we are increasingly confronted with the nostalgic phrase "here it was" ... "Here was the Diocese", "here was the Hotel Suisse", "here was the girls' gymnasium where the deputies from the Sfatul Țării voted the Union in 1918". Of the architectural jewels that once enjoyed the eyes of the townspeople, today we have only pictures left. These pictures are included in collection catalogs and today, the unknown treasures of architecture and urban life, reflected in 48 images, are brought to the public's attention in an exhibition dedicated to Chișinău in the 20th century.

Chișinău is an open air museum, where thousands of people throughout their lives have lived, loved, built with meaning and humility the image of the city "carved in white stone". Each street keeps the footsteps of those who admired it, whether they were simple or noble people. Each villa retains the living memory of its masters and some are still waiting for them, and the holy places in Chișinău are illuminated by the thoughts of those who admired them or passed through the entrance door.

This exhibition is a challenge for all of us to rediscover Chișinău in times when we have and give so little time for the beauty. It is an invitation to a virtual walk on the streets of former times in an attempt to bring back to attention known or forgotten facts, places loaded with history or emotions. And, as in any place that tends to validate its authenticity through culture, Chișinău, today, perhaps more than ever, needs the exercise of memory in order to survive and develop.

The exhibition of these images at the Suțu Palace was made possible thanks to the combined effort of two teams formed of Dr. hab. Eugen SAVA - General director, Mariana VASILACHE-CUROȘU - Deputy director, Ana GRIȚCO - Head of History section, Cătălina PLINSCHI and Denis TOPAL - exhibition graphics (National Museum of History of Moldova); and Dr. Adrian MAJURU - Manager and Dr. Dan PÎRVULESCU - Deputy director (Bucharest Municipal Museum), hosts of this event.