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.
Octavian Munteanu, Vasile Iarmulschi, Veronica Perju, Livia Ermurachi
The first building-phase of the fortification at Horodca Mică
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
During four years time (2006-2009) regular investigations were undertaken in the area covered by the defensive line at Horodca Mică. We would like to emphasize that our field observations suggest the existence of several stages of fortification of the same space and what is visible today in the form of a hill of impressive dimensions, preceded by an adjacent ditch, are only ruins of the final phase of this defensive system. Since the stratigraphic picture is too complex to be present in its entire form (even preliminarily), we decided to focus on some particular aspects which can be introduced to an academic audience with sufficient confidence. Therefore we only focused on the first stage of fortification of the promontory of Horodca Mică.
To prove out point we present, primarily, a number of objective observations registered on the ground. Secondly, we explain our vision about how the defensive system was built in the first phase. Finally, we will analyze the techniques and materials used in constructions and their existing analogies, the available chronological markers, and the fate the fortification had.
In conclusion, we affirm that a complex defensive system was arranged in this space. The construction was based on a wooden case extended over 4.3 meters, and was filled up with soil that was excavated from its front. This formed a ditch measuring 7.8 meters at the opening and of 2.7 meters at its maximum depth. It should be noted that the ditch was at 3.7 meters distance from the limit of construction, forming in this way the traditional berm for such defensive systems. Similar edifices could be reported in the eastern Carpathian area and neighboring areas during the whole Latène period.
List of illustrations: Fig. 1. Horodca Mică: 1 - Horodca Site location; 2 - topographic sketch of sections location drown in 2006-2009 years. Fig. 2. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1 in the area of I phase of fortification. Plan and profile. Fig. 3. Horodca Mică 2009. Plan and profiles of the complexes from section nr. 1. Fig. 4. Horodca Mică. Sight of the fortified enclosure: 1 - Southern view; 2 - Western view. Fig. 5. Horodca Mică. Sight of the bastion: 1 - Southern view; 2 - Western view. Fig. 6. Horodca Mică: 1 - sequence of research process of defensive system; 2 - Southern view of the section nr. 1 after releasing the beginning few layers. Fig. 7. Horodca Mică. Sight of the fortification: 1 - Northerly view; 2 - Southern view. Fig. 8. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1. Sight of the West profile ith delimitation of the various phases of construction. Fig. 9. Horodca Mică. The West profile of the section nr 1 with traces of defensive, I phase construction. Fig. 10. Horodca Mică: 1 - sight of the burnt, clay concentration; 2 - view of the coal strip detected under agglomeration of soldering. Fig. 11. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1: 1 - sight of the West profile in the area of the ruins of the I phase construction; 2 - the agglomeration of soldering and wood coal. Fig. 12. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1: 1 - delimitation of the ground lenses between I phase of the constructions damage and II phase; 2 - the I phase ditch in the investigations process. Fig. 13. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1: 1 - the plan of the complexes nr. 26 and nr. 27 from Southern extreme of the I phase; 2 - The section of the complexes nr. 26 and nr. 27. Fig. 14. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1. Sight of the ditch were was identified complexes nr. 44 and 46: 1 - a general view; 2 - sight of the Eastern view; 3 - sight of the Western view. Fig. 15. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1: 1 - sight of the complex nr 46 in the discovery phase; 2 - sight of the discovered complex nr. 46 and complex nr. 44 in the investigations process; 3 - sight of the complexes nr. 46 and 44. Fig. 16. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1. Sight of the discovery phase of complexes nr. 28 and nr. 29: 1 - a general view of the both complexes; 2 - complex nr. 28; 3 - complex nr. 29. Fig. 17. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1. Complexes nr. 28 and nr. 29: investigations process. Fig. 18. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1. Sight of the research phase of complexes nr. 28 and. 29: 1 - complex nr. 28; 2 - complex nr. 29.
Fig. 19. Horodca Mică. Section nr. 1. Sight of the complexes from A3 and A4 squares.
Vasile Iarmulschi
Nochmals zum Beginn der Poieneşti-Lucaşeuca-Kultur
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIV [XXIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică, Chişinău, 2020
Vasile Iarmulschi
J. Brandt, B. Rauchfuß (Herausgeber), Das Jastorf-Konzept und die vorrömische Eisenzeit im nördlichen Mitteleuropa. Beiträge der Internationalen Tagung zum einhundertjährigen der Veröffetlichung der „Ältesten Urnenfriedhöfe bei Uelzen und Lüneburg" d
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Vasile Iarmulschi
Die griechische Amphoren in der Poienești-Lucașeuca-Kultur
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Vasile Iarmulschi
Michał Grygiel, Chronologia przemian kultorowych w dobie przełomu starzego i młodzego okresu przedrzymskiego na Niżu Polskim. Łódź: Fundacja Badań Archeologicznych Imienia Profesora Konrada Jażdżewskiego, 2018, 822 p., ISBN: 978-83-948140-2-1
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XV [XXX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică, Chişinău, 2021
Vasile Iarmulschi
Einige Überlegungen bezüglich der Chronologie und Periodisierung der Poienești-Lucașeuca-Kultur
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], 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
