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.
On some ornaments and clothing accessories of the populations from the Carpathian-Danubian space in the 14th-17th centuries
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
The present study analyses some types of ornaments specific to the costume of the population from the Carpathian-Danubian space in the 14th-17th centuries. In the category of head ornaments needles are included, intended for fixing the head covers and to decorate the hair. The earliest examples are represented by needles with bird-shaped end discovered at Pohrebeni (Republic of Moldova) and Suceava (Romania). The needles and clips with roundish ends, often decorated with rosettes made of metal wire and precious stones, are more widely known. Such pieces are found in the inventory of archaeological monuments from the 15th-17th centuries (treasures from Musaid, Re- public of Moldova; Sihleanu, Zăvoia, Covei, Păun from Romania).
A specific tradition for the populations’ ornaments in the given region are clothing pieces with applications made using the filigree and granulation technique. Such objects are grouped according to two different traditions. Applications are known, made in the 15th century most probably by Tatar-Mongols craftsmen (Costești, Republic of Moldova), Suceava (Romania). It is possible that the type of clothing applications specific to the 15th-17th centuries from Putna, Păun (Romania), Sîngerei, Musaid (Republic of Moldova) were formed under the influence of these pieces. A series of applications and brooches made according to the western-European tradition (Curtea de Argeș, Buda, Sibiu), different from the first two types, are known as well.
In the 17th century the set of ornaments is supplemented with specific necklaces known at Hîjdieni, Saharna (Re- public of Moldova). The appearance of these objects in the group of ornaments from Moldova can be explained by influences of Bulgarian traditions. The articles made by the Ciprovici school from Bulgaria were in great demand in the 16th-17th centuries. It is known that the craftsmen of this school manufactured toreutic articles and various ornaments, mostly for the neck, made of thin wire, at custom order of princes from the Romanian countries. In conclusion we show that ornaments of the population from the Carpathian-Danubian space in the 15th-17th centuries represents an integral complex of pieces based on various traditions and cultural influences.
List of illustrations: Fig. 1. Ornaments with figures of birds: 1 - Pohrebeni (Republic of Moldova); 2-4 - Bulgaria on Volga; 5 - Suceava (Romania); 6 - Novo Brdo (Serbia); 7-9 - Mamay-Surka (Ukraine); 10-11 -Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts (Bucharest, Romania). Fig. 2. Ornaments with figures of birds: 1, 2 - Bulgaria on Volga; 3 - Syria. Fig. 3. Jewelry from hoards Păun and Şendereni (Romania): 1-9 - Păun; 10-23 - Şendereni. Fig. 4. Jewelry from the Musaid treasure (Republic of Moldova). Fig. 5. Ornaments with filigree decor: 1 - Costesți (Republic of Moldova); 2 - Tushkov Town (Russia); 3 - detail of decoration of “Monomakh’s Cap”(Russia); 4-25 - Suceava (Romania). Fig. 6. Details of fashions decorations: 1-9 - Curtea de Adgeș; 10-14 - Putna; 15-17 - Buda; 18-21 -Sibiu (Romania). Fig. 7. Neck ornaments: 1 - Saharna; 2 - Hîjdieni (Republic of Moldova); 3 - Golovantsy (Bulgaria); 4, 5 - Bulgaria.
Екатерина Абызова, Светлана Рябцева
Medieval belt and bag fitting finds from Echimauti site of ancient settlement
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Екатерина Абызова, Светлана Рябцева
Buckles from the collection of the National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2007
Светлана Рябцева
The findings of belts in the complexes of XIII-XVI centuries in the Carpathian-Balkan region
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], 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
