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.
Ekaterinovka – single-layer settlement of the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov culture
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică Chișinău, 2015
Abstract
In 1978, on a single-layer settlement of the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov culture near the village of Ecaterinovca (Cimișlia District) rescue excavations were carried out. On an area of a bout 1,800 sq. m. there were identified three ground pillar structures, one of which served as a dwelling while the other two were of household destination, a dugout without heating facilities, two storage pits with burnt walls, garbage pits, many pits of poles, as well as a remote wattle-and-daub frame oven. In one of the storage pits there were found five whole vessels: three large seed vessels with the remnants of charred millet, a massive wide-necked red-figure amphora with fluted body and helmet bottom, and a narrow-necked gray-clay single-handed jug. The range of fine and cooking ware is common for sites of this culture. Fragments of rough and smooth gray wheel-made pottery prevail; there are fragments of amphorae made of red clay and light-colored clay. The percentage of hand-modeled ceramics is negligible. There were found individual objects made of clay, iron, stone, bone, glass, and bronze. Based on the dating of the widenecked amphora and a bronze fibula the Ecaterinovca settlement dates back to the 4th century.
List of illustrations: Fig. 1. Location of the Ecaterinovca settlement on the topographic map (1) and the map of the Republic of Moldova (2). Fig. 2. Ecaterinovca. Plan of the bottom part of the excavation III. Fig. 3. Ecaterinovca. Excavation III. Plans and sections of structures: 1 - pit 1A, 2 - pit 2A, 3 - oven 1. Fig. 4. Ecaterinovca. Plan of the bottom part of the excavation IV. Fig. 5. Ecaterinovca. Individual founds: 1-4 - of glass and glass paste; 6, 8, 11 - of iron; 7 - of bronze; 9, 12, 13, 15 - of clay; 14, 16 - of stone. Fig. 6. Ecaterinovca. Excavation IV. Plans and sections of structures: 1 - pit 1A, 2 - dugout 1. Fig. 7. Ecaterinovca. Pottery: 1-3 - from the filling of the pit 1A, excavation IV; 4 - from the filling of the pit 1A, excavation III. Fig. 8. Ecaterinovca. Pottery from the filling of the pit 1A, excavation IV.
Иван Власенко
Defensive system of citadel Mereșeuca-Cetățuie
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Иван Власенко
Early medieval bone handles of knives with annular notches as one of the possible signs of ethnic attribution of the Tivertsi
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIII [XXVIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Иван Власенко
Hallstatt cultural-chronological horizons of multilevel settlement Ivancea II
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică Chișinău, 2007
Иван Власенко
The results of archaeological exploration in central and northern regions of the Republic of Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Иван Власенко
Multi-layered settlement Rudi XX (excavations in 1982)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XI [XXVI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
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...
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.
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.
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.
31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
