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We find ourselves in the month of April, as we prepare to celebrate Easter-a moveable religious holiday rich in festive rituals and ceremonial activities that place this event at the very heart of Christian spiritual life. The spirit of the Resurrection is beautifully complemented by ten Easter-themed postcards from the heritage of the National Museum of History of Moldova, printed a century ago. These pieces were added to the museum's postcard collection over a decade ago following a successful acquisition; as the fund for Easter-themed illustrations is modest, we are in a constant search for new additions.

These postcards are "extraordinary" in terms of their postal, typographical, and chromatic effects-the primary reason for revisiting this genre of greetings. Unlike "classic" postcards, these are smaller in size (6.5 cm x 11 cm), made of cardboard (with the exception of one piece made of photographic paper in black and white), and feature "vivid" colors. Printed in Romania and Germany, they bear the marks of having been sent and circulated through the post.

The name of the holiday originates from the verb persach, meaning "to pass," a term adopted by the Jews from the Egyptians. It entered the Romanian language through the Byzantine-Latin form Paschae, signifying the "passage through death to life, the victory of life, and liberation from the bondage of sin." Easter is a holiday of tolerance and forgiveness, representing a bridge between the present and the past. The significance of this celebration is conveyed through its symbols, which are also featured on these postcards: Hand-painted eggs, the Easter Bunny and the Lamb, traditional sweet breads (cozonac and pască), biblical scenes related to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Easter table also features pască-a ritual food reminiscent of ancient, bloodless "reconciliation" sacrifices. Its preparation is the exclusive task of women, the givers of life, as the leavened dough is considered "alive."

The most significant component of the Easter holiday, however, is the Light. The Ceremony of the Holy Light is associated with the miracle of the light appearing on Easter Sunday at Christ's Tomb in Jerusalem. The candle, often depicted in these images, carries a powerful message; it is with the Resurrection candle that we return home after the midnight religious service. Furthermore, the Easter Bunny represents the rebirth of nature, so eagerly awaited after a harsh winter.

Unlike Christmas, when the announcement and ritual integration of the community into sacred time was the duty of caroling groups, at Easter, "one does not go from house to house." Instead, the ritual meal is organized within each family, symbolizing a direct communion with God.


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Events Archive

Vernissage of the exhibition “ROYAL”

2 December 2025

On 2 December 2025, at 16:00, we experienced a memorable evening at the National Museum of History of Moldova. The vernissage of the exhibition ROYAL, dedicated to Queen Marie and to the 107th anniversary of the Great Union, unfolded in a warm atmosphere that embraced history, art and the audience's emotion.

The event was opened by dr. hab. Eugen Sava, General Director of MNIM, who emphasized the essential role of cultural projects in linking the past with the present, while dr. Vornic Vlad, State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova, reiterated the need to support heritage and local creativity. Monica Babuc, Director of the "Mihai Eminescu" Romanian Cultural Institute in Chișinău, evoked the complex personality of Queen Marie, and curator Mioara Iofciulescu presented the exhibition concept and the collective effort behind a collection of 150 handcrafted works by 15 artists, designed to reinterpret the symbols of royalty through a contemporary language.

The vernissage was enriched by remarkable artistic moments: a recital by Claudia Motea alongside tenor Paul Celmare from the National Opera of Bucharest, a performance of a fragment from the play "The Heart of Queen Marie," and carols that brought the festive spirit to the audience - all of which completed the exhibition's visual and narrative experience.


Organized by the Academy of Handmade Art Bucharest with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova, the ROYAL exhibition offers a complex reading of Queen Marie's life and taste through clothing, handcrafted jewelry, painting, graphic art and decorative objects, together with restored small furniture pieces and visual elements that recreate the aristocratic atmosphere of the early twentieth century. The wardrobe collection signed by Mioara Iofciulescu, including dresses inspired by the royal wardrobe, transforms the exhibition into a visual-memory installation in which each piece becomes a meditation on identity and feminine elegance. Through the eyes of the Chișinău audience, the project continues its national and international tour, which has already premiered in Bucharest, at Balchik Castle and at the Braunstein Palace in Iași.

The "ROYAL" exhibition can be visited from 2 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 in Hall 4 of the National Museum of History of Moldova, Chișinău, 31 August 1989 Street 121 A; from 9 January 2026 the exhibits will be on display at Pelișor Castle.



 

 


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

We find ourselves in the month of April, as we prepare to celebrate Easter-a moveable religious holiday rich in festive rituals and ceremonial activities that place this event at the very heart of Christian spiritual life...

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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.
©2006-2026 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.
©2006-2026 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.
©2006-2026 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