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#Exhibit of the Month
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Around thirty icons from the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova feature Saint Nicholas the Hierarch and Miracle Worker. While most represent the later iconographic tradition, a few early images stand out as rare examples due to their composition.
In the icon "Saint Nicholas with Scenes from His Life", the hierarch is depicted bust-length, blessing the Gospel. He is framed by two round medallions showing Christ and the Mother of God, who hand him the Gospel and the omophorion. Saint Nicholas, earlier than other saints, was portrayed with scenes from his hagiographic cycle. The first images of his life date back to the 11th century, represented on a folding icon from the Monastery of Saint Catherine at Sinai. 

The museum icon dates from the early 19th century, preserving the traditional chest format typical of classical icons. Twelve panels illustrate episodes from the saint's life, arranged from left to right: four on the upper register, four on the lower, and two on each side, as follows: Birth of Saint Nicholas (1), Baptism of Saint Nicholas (2), Miracle of Healing the Crippled Woman (3), Apprenticeship of Young Nicholas (4), Ordination as Deacon (5), Ordination as Bishop (6) Vision of Constantine (7), Saint Nicholas Saves Three Voivodes from Execution (8), Miracle of Rescue from Drowning (9), Miracle of Saving Basil from the Arabs (10), Dormition of Saint Nicholas (11), Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas to Bari (12).

Saint Nicholas the Hierarch is commemorated by the Orthodox Church twice a year: on December 6/19, the day of his birth, and on May 9/22, the day his relics were transferred from Myra to Bari (1087). Among all saints of the Christian world, the image of Saint Nicholas is one of the most popular, easily recognizable even to those unfamiliar with iconography.

He was born in the Roman Empire, at Patara in the province of Lycia, between 260-280, though early sources omit the exact date. Coming from a wealthy family, he rejected fame and luxury. From an early age he devoted himself to prayer and the study of Holy Scripture, while also mastering other disciplines. He avoided noisy gatherings and idle talk, attended church regularly, and pursued a life of chastity. Later he dedicated himself to pastoral ministry, defending the Christian faith with perseverance and firmly opposing heresies.
Through his care for people and the benefactions he performed everywhere, he became highly venerated not only in Myra but also in the surrounding regions. The grace of the Holy Spirit dwelling in his heart was revealed through miracles performed both during his life and after his death, earning him the enduring title of "Miracle Worker." Saint Nicholas passed away in the 330s (circa 334-337), and his remains were placed in a sumptuous marble tomb in the episcopal cathedral where he had served for many years. This soon became an important center of pilgrimage.
Holy Tradition has preserved with accuracy the features of his portrait, and his appearance in icons is marked by a distinct individuality. Ecclesiastical art has produced numerous iconographic representations, ranging from bust images to full-length depictions. The diversity of these representations suggests that the final iconography of Saint Nicholas was not yet established, taking shape only in the 10th-11th centuries. It is said that an authentic icon from the basilica in Myra, executed during the saint's lifetime and mentioned in written sources as early as the 11th century, played a significant role in his veneration.
Icons depicting the hagiographic cycle of Saint Nicholas spread widely in both Byzantine and post-Byzantine art, confirming the importance and popularity of his cult.

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Events Archive

XXXth Annual Scientific Conference with International Participation “History. Archeology. Museology” held online

Chișinău, October 29-30, 2020

 
The annual scientific conference held by the National Museum of History of Moldova over the years has turned into a prestigious forum that brings together famous historians, archaeologists and museographers from the country and abroad. This year's conference communications featured thematic diversity, new methodological approaches, and interdisciplinary research. A significant part of the communications was based on the results of new archaeological investigations, the study of original archival sources, offering new interpretations of known sources.

The conference brought together over 90 participants from 10 countries: Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, France, Tajikistan, Lithuania, Georgia, and the Russian Federation.

During the two days of the conference, 65 communications of researchers from different institutions were heard: from museums (Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, Russian Federation): the National Museum of History of Moldova, the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History, the Odessa Museum of Archeology (Ukraine), the Moldova National Museum Complex Iaşi (Romania), the Arad Museum Complex, the Vasile Goldiş Western University (Arad), the Kuskovo Museum (Moscow), the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera) of the Russian Academy of Sciences; from universities (Moldova, Germany, Russian Federation, Romania, Poland, France, Georgia): the Moldova State University, the Ion Creangă State University, Freie Universität Berlin (Germany), the Southern Federal University in Rostov-on-Don (Russian Federation), the Wallachia University of Târgovişte (Romania), Université Sorbonne, Paris (France), the University of Bucharest, the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi, the Jagiellonian University, Kraków (Poland), the West University of Timişoara, the Tbilisi State University (Georgia), the Don State Technical University, Rostov-on-Don (Russian Federation), the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (Russian Federation), the Saint Petersburg State University (Russian Federation), and other academic institutions (Moldova, Russian Federation, Romania, Lithuania, Tajikistan: the Institute of History of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, the Institute of Archeology of the Romanian Academy Iaşi Branch), the Olga Necrasov Center for Anthropological Research of the Romanian Academy (Iaşi Branch) (Romania), the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Russian Federation), the N.N. Miklouho-Maclay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow), the Lithuanian Institute of History, Vilnius (Lithuania), the Faculty of Philosophy of the Oryol State University (Russian Federation), the A. Donish Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, the Center for Written Heritage of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia), the Institute of World History of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia). The full program of the conference can be found here.

We express our gratitude to all the participants of this conference.



 
 


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
Around thirty icons from the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova feature Saint Nicholas the Hierarch and Miracle Worker. While most represent the later iconographic tradition, a few early images stand out as rare examples due to their composition...

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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

 

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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

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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