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#Exhibit of the Month

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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

„Petru Lucinschi: Portrait Over Time”

January 27 - February 28, 2025

The exhibition marks the 85th anniversary Petru Lucinschi, second President of the Republic of Moldova. It features approximately 180 photographs, documents, distinctions, books, works of art, personal items, and other documentary evidence that reconstruct the most significant stages of the renowned politician and statesman's life and career.

Petru Lucinschi's biography is closely intertwined with the times in which he lived and worked with passion and dedication, as well as with the recent history of the Republic of Moldova, including its political and socio-economic transformations during the early years of independence and the international affirmation of the young sovereign state.
Born on January 27, 1940, in Rădulenii Vechi, Florești District, Petru Lucinschi graduated from the State University of Moldova, Faculty of History and Philology, in 1962. He is a member of the Academy of Social Sciences of the Russian Federation (Moscow) and holds a PhD in Philosophy (1977).

Between 1960 and 1971, he held roles as instructor, department head, secretary, and first secretary of the Central Committee of the Leninist Young Communist League (ULCT) in the Moldavian SSR. From 1971 to 1976, he served as secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Moldova (CCPCM). Between 1976 and 1978, he was first secretary of the Chișinău City Committee of the Communist Party. From 1978 to 1986, he worked as deputy section chief of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). From 1986 to 1989, he was second secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Tajikistan.

In 1989, he was elected first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Moldova, serving until 1990. Between 1990 and 1991, he was secretary of the Central Committee and a member of the Politburo of the CPSU. From 1991 to 1992, he worked as a senior researcher at the Institute of Socio-Political Research of the Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation and as executive director of the Fund for Social Science Development of the same academy. From 1992 to 1993, he served as the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the Russian Federation.

On February 4, 1993, he was elected President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. From December 1, 1996, to April 4, 2001, he served as President of the Republic of Moldova.

Petru Lucinschi was a deputy in the Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian SSR (1967-1980), the Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan (1986-1990), and the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1986-1991). From 1990 to 1996, he was a deputy in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.

Currently, he is the president of the Lucinschi Foundation for Strategic Studies and Development of International Relations.

In 2005, Petru Lucinschi was awarded the "Order of the Republic". He also holds prestigious international honors, including the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor (France, 1998), the Order of the Savior (Greece, 1999), the Grand Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher (Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Jerusalem, 2000), and the Order of the Star of Romania in the rank of Collar (Romania, 2000).

The exhibition will be open to visitors from January 27 to February 28, 2025, in the upper-floor hall of the National Museum of History of Moldova, located at 121A 31 August 1989 Street, Chișinău.


 




Independent Moldova
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic
Bessarabia and MASSR between the Two World Wars
Bessarabia and Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the Period between the Two World Wars
Revival of National Movement
Time of Reforms and their Consequences
Abolition of Autonomy. Bessarabia – a New Tsarist Colony
Period of Relative Autonomy of Bessarabia within the Russian Empire
Phanariot Regime
Golden Age of the Romanian Culture
Struggle for Maintaining of Independence of Moldova
Formation of Independent Medieval State of Moldova
Era of the
Great Nomad Migrations
Early Middle Ages
Iron Age and Antiquity
Bronze Age
Aeneolithic Age
Neolithic Age
Palaeolithic Age
  
  

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#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...

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The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

 



The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

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The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC