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.
Some aspects regarding exchange of salt in 6th - 2nd millennia BC in the Carpatho-Danubian area
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
The article deals with prehistoric salt production and exchange of salt in south-east and east-central Europe. The major points of the article are: 1. the modeling of the traditional forms of salt production and exchange in the area; 2. the identification of archaeological indications specific to every type of salt production and exchange; 3. the classification of available archaeological evidence of prehistoric salt production and exchange in Carpatho-Danubian zone.
Salt had two major senses during prehistoric period: on one hand it was as a good of daily consumption and thrifty use, on the other hand it was the exotic good. Every of these senses implied different types of production and exchange. The daily consumption and thrifty use salt could be made both within domestic and industrial productions. Of these, only industrial one was intended for long-distance exchange of salt. Salt as the exotic good was made only within special i.e. „sacred" type of production. This type of industry produced „miraculous" salt which was mainly, if not exclusively, intended for long-distance exchange.
The available archaeological evidence of salt production in the Carpatho-Danubian area is classified in the article on the above principles (tab. 1). Thus, the Neolithic salt production centers from Subcarpathian Moldavia (Lunca and Ţolici) as well as the Eneolithic one from the same area (Cucuieți) are attributed in the article to the domestic production of salt for daily consumption and thrifty use. The main goal of this type of production was to produce salt for domestic use or/and for short-distance traffic. Neolithic and especially Eneolithic salt production attested at Provadia-Solnitsata (northeast Bulgaria) is classified as industrial one. It produced common salt by evaporation of brine, and its main destination was the long-distance exchange, perhaps to east Balkans and North-Pontic area. The Eneolithic salt production centers from subcarpathian Moldavia (Lunca, Ţolici, Cacica, Solca etc.) produced exotic salt in the form of small cone-shaped cakes by evaporation in small briquetage. It was produced for long-distance exchange. The two Early Bronze Age salt production sites from northern Transylvania (Băile Figa and Săsarm) are classified as the domestic production centers which extracted rock salt for their own use and/or for short-distance traffic.
More attention is paid in the article to the end of Middle and Late Bronze Age (the end of 17th-9th centuries BC) salt mining centers from Transylvania and Maramureș: Băile Figa, Caila, Săsarm, Ocna Dej, Valea Florilor, Valea Regilor (Tisolovo) and Solotvino (Ocna Slatina) (Case Study). By all the available evidence, these centers seem to have been involved in the large-scale salt production and long-distance trade. Blocks of rock salt were traded from these centers to Hungarian Plane, by Someș and Tisa rivers. It is well-known fact that the period of functioning of the above salt mining production centers was the one of widest spread of tin bronze objects in the area. That is why, it seems likely that in exchange of salt its owners get, among other goods, tin.
List of illustrations: Fig. 1. The map of the Late Bronze Age salt mining sites: 1 - Caila; 2 - Săsarm; 3 - Băile Figa; 4 - Ocna Dej; 5 - Valea Florilor; 6 - Solotvino (Ocna Slatina); 7 - Valea Regilor (Tisolovo). Fig. 2. Northern Transylvania. Troughs in situ: 1 - Caila; 2, 3 - Băile Figa. Behind the trough at the position 2 the one can observe a ladder. Fig. 3. Băile Figa. One of the troughs (the same at fig. 2/3, the nearest plan). Wood. Fig. 4. Băile Figa. The pegs from the trougs (the troughs at fig. 2). Fig. 5. Băile Figa. One of the troughs (uncovered close to the trough at fig. 2/2). Fig. 6. Băile Figa. The pegs from one of the troughs (the trough at fig. 5). Fig. 7. Băile Figa, the year 2010. The experiment with the trough. Fig. 8. Băile Figa. Mining tools. Stone. Fig. 8. Băile Figa. Tools. Wood. Fig. 10. Băile Figa. The wooden construction for storage of salt (?). Fig. 11. Băile Figa. The parts of wooden constructions for storage of salt (?).
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
