Christmas bells entered the Romanian cultural space through a long process in which archaic traditions blended with Christian belief and European influences. Long before the holiday of Christmas developed as we know it, metallic sounds played an important ritual role in old communities: they were used to drive away evil spirits, to purify spaces, and to protect people during transitional moments at the turn of the year. These beliefs have been preserved in winter customs such as caroling, the Plugușor, and masked dances, where bells and jingles were indispensable. With the spread of Christianity, the sound of the bell also acquired a profound religious meaning, becoming an announcer of major feasts and a symbol of the Nativity. Small bells, however, were not originally used as decorations but primarily as functional or ritual objects. The first decorated Christmas tree in the Romanian lands was the one at the palace of Prince Carol I of Hohenzollern, following his arrival in the Romanian Principalities in 1866. From that moment the tradition took root, and on Christmas Eve princes and princesses invited to the palace would take part in decorating the tree. Among the ornaments used were small metal bells, symbolizing joy, the good news, and divine protection for the home. In the twentieth century, Christmas bells spread across all Romanian provinces and became a visual emblem of the holiday, appearing in both decorations and carols. Even during periods when religious expression was curtailed, bells remained in people's homes as signs of joy and the continuity of tradition. Today they retain this dual meaning: the echo of ancient beliefs and, at the same time, the announcement of the Birth of Christ - a symbol of hope, light, and the link between past and present. These tinkling pieces are part of a generous heritage collection at the National Museum of History of Moldova (NMHM), which includes more than 200 cultural items. A substantial contribution to the museum's collection of decorative bells was made by Dorina Raischi, a teacher at School No. 94 in Chișinău, who donated 174 bells, of which around 30 are winter-themed. Made of ceramic, porcelain, glass, and metal, they were brought from different parts of the world and together offer a succinct picture of the global culture of bells. They add a festive note to the home and even to a gift, and it is hard to imagine Christmas without their cheerful tinkling.
The library of Costache Tufescu: Reconstructions (1st half of 19th century)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
The study of private libraries of Bessarabia of the first half of the 19th century is limited to the paucity of sources. Reconstruction is often based on indirect sources, which, however, give us hope for new discoveries. The nobleman Costache Tufescu (1793-1846), settled in Bessarabia in first years after annexation, was considered by Gheorghe Bezviconi the “first researcher of genealogy of Bessarabian noble families“.
Costache Tufesku was a contemporary of Costache Stamati, Al. Hâjdău, Ange Balli, Alecu Leonard, Ioan Pralea Moldovanul. In this context, we can say that among the Bessarabian nobility there was a certain cultural environment, which was favorable for the creation of spiritual values and the formation of private libraries.It can be argued that Tufescu maintained constant relations with Iasi. His brother-in-law, Dumitrache Bran, who was a member of the Divan, often visited him.
Constantin Tufescu’s rich archive has been preserved and later became the property of Ştefan Ciobanu, who posted this fact in the press in the interwar period. It was Ştefan Ciobanu, who had first published in 1933 unique data on the Catalogue of Costache Tufescu’s library. All the researchers, who wrote later about this library, relied on scanty data provided by Ştefan Ciobanu, and the history of this book collection is still unexplored.
Maria Danilov
Kаталог архивного фонда Русского Свято-Пантелеимонова монастыря на Афоне», том седьмой, часть 4. Составитель Ермолай (Чежия), Святая Гора Афон/ Издаельство «Голос Пресс», Москва, 2015 г. 445 стр. ISBN 978-5-7117-0734-9
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Maria Danilov
Ştefan Plugaru, Teodor Candu, Episcopia Hușilor și Basarabia (1598-1949). Editura PIM, Iași, 2009, 360 p.
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Maria Danilov
The Bibliophilic value of a manuscript from Ștefan Ciobanu’s library (Ph. Wieghel, Observations on the present state of aff airs in Bessarabia, 1823)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XI [XXVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Maria Danilov
The Bessarabian manuscript of the Anthim’s sermons
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XII [XXVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Maria Danilov
Valuable books from the library of Paul Gore (Identification and/or inventory of sources)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Christmas bells entered the Romanian cultural space through a long process in which archaic traditions blended with Christian belief and European influences. Long before the holiday of Christmas developed as we know it, metallic sounds played an important ritual role in old communities: they were used to drive away evil spirits, to purify spaces, and to protect people during transitional moments at the turn of the year...
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
