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.
The flags derived from the state flag of Republic of Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
The quality of the national flag implies several categories of flags: the civil flag, the state flag, the war flag, the civil ensign, the state ensign, the naval ensign, the national colors, the battle standard (the military colors), the presidential standard, the standard of the speaker of the Parliament, the standard of the Prime Minister, the standard of the Ministry of Defence and other types. Most of these flags have a historical and semantic interdependence.
After two decades of independence of the Republic of Moldova the only official flag was the State flag, approved on April 27, 1990. Also the military colors were crystallized in a single form, but this unity of form was not fixed by law. On September 17, 2010, the Moldovan Parliament adopted a new law on State Flag, which solved some of the historical problems of the national vexillology. The author reviews and explains the new regulations and the new vexilological symbols.
Illustration: Fig. 1. Technical drawing for the presidential standard, the standard of the speaker of the Parliament, the standard of the Prime, enacted on 17 September 2010. Michael Malașevschi drawing.
Silviu Andrieș-Tabac
Muzeul Național de Istorie a Moldovei. The National Museum of History of Moldova. Национальный музей истории Молдовы. 1983-2003: [album]. Volum elaborat de Eugen Sava, Aurelia Cornețchi, Elena Postică, Elena Ploșnița, Chișinău: Casa Editorial-Poligra
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Silviu Andrieș-Tabac
Les armoiries et les drapeaux des villes Anenii Noi, Cimișlia, Fălești, Leova, Nisporeni
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Silviu Andrieș-Tabac
Territorial symbols registered in the General Armorial of the Republic of Moldova in 2022
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVII [XXXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Silviu Andrieș-Tabac
Les Symboles de la République Démocratique Moldave (1917-1918). Interprétation sémantique
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Silviu Andrieș-Tabac
Studii de muzeologie (I). Responsabil de ediție Elena Ploșnița, Chișinău: Bons Offices SRL, 2008, (Biblioteca „Tyragetia”, XVI), 196 p.
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
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 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.