EN RO















#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


Events Archive

Series of events in the framework of project “Historical Site Camp of King Charles VII of Sweden at Varnița - valorization and promotion”

May 22-23, 2017

On 22 and 23 May, 2017, the National Museum of History of Moldova, in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden in Moldova, NGO „Women. Hope. Future" (Varnița), ArmesMuseum from Sweden (Stockholm), and the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Sweden organized a series of events within the project „Historical site Camp of King Charles XII of Sweden at Varnița - valorization and promotion". The project is funded by the European Union in the framework of the CHOICE / Cultural Heritage: Opportunity for Improving Civic Engagement program. In the Republic of Moldova the program is carried out by the National Association ICOM Moldova in partnership with the Association of Local Democracy Agencies ALDA (France).

The official opening of the events took place on Monday, May 22, in the Blue Room of the museum, in the presence of representatives of diplomatic missions, scholars and scientists, central and local government representatives. The event was attended by scientists, museographers, and university professors from Sweden, Ukraine, Turkey and Moldova.  

Klas Kronberg from the ArmesMuseum in Stockholm presented two volumes of studies and articles: "Karl XII" published in 2015 and "When Sweden was Ruled from the Ottoman Empire" published in 2016. Both volumes were edited by the Stockholm ArmesMuseum. The books sum up the results of the scientific research conducted within the project "When Sweden was governed from the Ottoman Empire", a project that involved Sweden, Moldova, Turkey, and Greece. Dr. Per Sandin was the project manager. All articles deserve attention, they are well developed, structured, signed by specialists from Ukraine, Turkey, Sweden and the Republic of Moldova. Publishers of the volumes are Asa Karlsson, Klas Kronberg and Per Sandin.  

The volume "Historical Site Camp of King Charles VII at Varnița. Recovery of memory" was presented by dr.hab. Elena Ploșnita. The book was published in 2017 in the Tyragetia Library series, a series promoted by the National Museum of History of Moldova. The volume was peer-reviewed by dr. Valentina Ursu and dr. hab. professor Valentin Tomuleț. E. Ploșnita noted that during the 18th,19th and 20th centuries, the national historiography and international historiography, especially the European one, produced valuable approaches to the phenomenon of Charles XII, the King of Sweden, but there are gaps in covering fully the historical site from Varnița both in chronological and spatial terms. This volume comes to fill this gap. The publication stemmed from the necessity of knowing and promoting a segment of common Moldovan-Turkish-Swedish history with implications in the history of Poland and Ukraine and as a tribute to all those who through their enthusiasm contributed to the preservation of the memory of King Charles XII of Sweden in Varnița, Moldova. Many scholars, museographers, university professors from Moldova and from abroad contributed to the publication - Victor Ţvircun, coordinating academician, ASM, dr.hab. Ion Eremia, professor, USM, dr. Dinu Poștarenco, researcher at the Institute of History of the ASM, Dr. Alexandru Levinschi, ASM, dr. Ion Tentiuc and dr. hab. Eugen Sava from the NMHM, numismatist dr. Ana Boldureanu, architect Ion Budeci, researchers from Sweden - Anders Wesslen and Oscar Sjostrom, the Ukrainians Igor Sapojnikov and Vladimir Levciuk and others. The authoritative name of the authors is a guarantee for the quality of the book. It is an intellectual achievement worth remembering through documentary value, graphic design and, of course, the significance of the scientific approach.  

During the events was opened the exhibition "Camp of King Charles VII of Sweden from Varnița. Photo-documentary testimonies". The exhibition reflects chronologically, through photography and document, the process of scientific and public valorization of the historical site "Camp of King Charles VII of Sweden in Varnița".  

In the Blue Room of the Museum took place the international conference "Historic Site Camp of the King Charles XII of Sweden in Varnița. Recovering memory". At the conference were presented 11 papers, the authors of which focused on subjects related to the life and activity of Charles XII during 1709-1713, the camp of the king in Varnița, the relations of Swedes with the Ottoman Empire and Russia at the beginning of the 18th century.  

On May 23, 2017, the participants of the conference visited the historic site Camp of King Charles VII of Sweden in Varnita. Dr.hab. Eugen Sava presented the results of the project at Varnița, mentioning that within the project was conducted archaeological research, historical and documentary research, were conserved the remains of the foundations of the Chancellery of the Swedish king from Varnița and was rebuilt the monument from the site dedicated to King Charles XII of Sweden. A meeting with the local public authorities was held at the town hall in Varnița in which were discussed issues of collaboration between various institutions in Sweden and the Republic of Moldova in order to continue the valorization on the historical site located in the village.

Elena Ploșnița



 

 


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
  
  

Come to Museum! Discover the History!
  
Visit museum
Visit museum
Summer schedule: daily
10am – 6pm.

Winter schedule: daily
10am – 5pm.
Closed on Mondays.
Entrance fees:  adults - 50 MDL, Pensioners, students - 20 lei, pupils - 10 MDL. Free access: enlisted men (...)

WiFi Free Wi-Fi Zone in the museum: In the courtyard of the National History Museum of Moldova there is Wi-Fi Internet access for visitors.


#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...

Read More >>

































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

menu
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