#Exhibit of the Month

The Chișinău Diocesan Girls' School opened its doors on May 3, 1864, addressing a pressing need: in Bessarabia there were no institutions dedicated to the education of clergy's daughters. According to the 1864 circular, teaching was conducted in the Romanian language, a provision applied throughout the diocese. The school's first headmistress was Anastasia Rizo, of noble origin, invited by Archbishop Antonie.

The curriculum, approved by the Ministry of Public Education and the Chișinău Diocese, combined theoretical subjects with practical training. Students studied religion, reading and writing in Romanian, Slavonic, and Russian, arithmetic and exercises in calculation, world history and geography. The program was complemented by church singing and practical skills such as sewing, embroidery, knitting, as well as household management - baking bread and prosphora, preparing meals and preserves, caring for livestock, and cultivating gardens.

The composite, taken in 1911 at the studio of Z. N. Sumovski in Chișinău, depicts 29 graduates and 13 teachers. At the center are portraits of Bishop Serafim (Ciciagov), headmistress N. R. Mihelson, teacher V. E. Bejerian, and priests F. Ghiliarov and P. Jurikas. Among the teaching staff was Paraskovia Vasilievna Cuciurenko, a calligraphy teacher for 37 years, who in 1911 became senior educator and assistant headmistress. For her dedication, she was awarded the gold medal "For Long Service."

On the reverse of the vignette is a label from the store and workshop of frames, paintings, mirrors, and window glass owned by A. D. Kon'gova, Chișinău, Gogol Street no. 37, near the State Bank.

This graduation composite was donated at the end of 2025 to the National Museum of History of Moldova by the Dadiștian family from Drochia.

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Exhibitions

“Baku – Where Heritage Meets Modernity”

September 26 – October 26, 2025

From September 26 to October 26, 2025, the National Museum of History of Moldova, in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Moldova, presents the open-air photo exhibition "Baku - Where Heritage Meets Modernity".

Displayed along the museum's exterior railings, the exhibition offers a visual journey through the capital of Azerbaijan-a captivating city located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, in the southern part of the Absheron Peninsula. Baku is a place where ancient history intertwines with avant-garde architecture, and cultural heritage is reflected in landmarks such as the Gobustan archaeological site and the Maiden Tower, both listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Old City (İçəri Şəhər), with its narrow alleys and medieval walls, stands in striking contrast to the futuristic buildings that shape Baku's contemporary skyline. The city is also a major cultural and economic hub, home to over two million residents and a distinctive visual identity shaped by Persian, Turkish, Russian, and Western influences.

This event is part of the European Heritage Days program, celebrating cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue across the continent. The exhibition also takes place in the context of the Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty, officially declared in Azerbaijan for 2025-an initiative aimed at reaffirming the country's foundational values and commitment to promoting national heritage.

The exhibition "Baku - Where Heritage Meets Modernity" will be on view from September 26 to October 26, 2025, along the fence of the National Museum of History of Moldova, Chișinău, 31 August 1989 Street, No. 121A.