#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

“Official and unofficial symbols of the Republic of Moldova”

Dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the State Flag and the State Coat of Arms of the Republic of Moldova and to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the National Heraldry Commission

November 3, 2020 - June 21, 2021

Symbols are expressions of the spirit, which are evoked by specific material manifestations that define the individual or collective embodiment of the idea of homeland. Of the many symbols that exist in space and time, national symbols are of paramount importance. Their role is to coagulate national and state entities and to sensitize society in order to educate patriotism, dignity and the appreciation of national values. Among the national symbols of a state are distinguished the official ones, such as the coat of arms, the flag, the anthem, the state insignia, the national currency, but also other emblems that identify it in non-formal situations, such as flowers, trees, birds, animals, monuments, and so on.

The purpose of the exhibition is to present the official national symbols of the Republic of Moldova, but also the complementary national emblems fundamental for the country, which have the role of defining and popularizing the heraldic image of our country both within the country and in Europe.

The exhibition is divided into three compartments. The first of them is dedicated to the major national symbols: State Coat of Arms, State Flag, State Anthem, state and departmental insignia, national currency, and so on. Among others, original medieval documents from the collections of the National Archive of the Republic of Moldova are exhibited, which illustrate the use of the coat of arms of Moldova in the medieval and modern era. For the first time, several exhibits are displayed that highlight the life and work of the authors of the anthem Limba noastră [Our Language], the poet Alexe Mateevici and the composer Alexandru Cristea.

The second compartment includes derived national symbols, such as the banners of the highest officials of the Republic of Moldova or the state seal, but also some complementary national emblems, from the field of nature or culture, such as national plant, national flower, national tree, the national animal emblem, the national bird, the national river, the national holiday, the folk costume, and so on.

The purpose of the third compartment is to present to the public the model of a country that successfully and inspiringly promotes its natural and cultural symbols. This is Canada, where those symbols are adopted not only at the national level, but also at the provincial level. Thus, several materials are exhibited, including various products, souvenirs, coins, postcards, objects, clothing accessories, and other items, which contain images of unofficial symbols of this state.

Organizers:
National Museum of History of Moldova
National Heraldry Commission under the President of the Republic of Moldova

Partners:
National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History
Mihail Kogălniceanu National Museum of Literature
National Archives Agency
Researcher Maria Ișaev
Also collaborated: Eugen Belinschi, Varvara Buzilă,
Marina Chilat, Petru Costin, Svetlana Dernovici,
Alexandru Macovei, Daniel Racoviță, Valentina Rudâc,
Leontina Vatamanu, and others.