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.
The Soviet state bodies, aimed to address the problems of religious denominations in the interwar period (1918-1940)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
This article is dedicated to the government bodies authorized to implement the religious policy of the Soviet state in the interwar period. In the interwar period in the USSR, there were three groups of authorities responsible for overseeing the activities of religious denominations. The first group consisted of bodies concerned with technical implementation of the Soviet legislation on religious cults. They were authorized to register or remove the registration of religious communities, to transmit the building and other structures in the use of religious communities (republican Departments of Cults, provincial or regional executive bodies). The second group consisted of the institutions that determined the religious policy of the state, considered relevant legislation and resolved questions regarding the registration and liquidation of religious communities (Interdepartmental Commission at the Commissariat of Justice (1918), the 8th Division of the Commissariat of Justice (1918-1922), Antireligious Commission (1922-1929). The third group included the bodies which had the prerogatives of both of the above groups: registration or deregistration of religious communities, harmonization of legislation concerning religious cults (the Commission for Religious Affairs of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the RSFSR (1929-1934) and the other one, under the same name, which operated under the Presidium of the USSR Central Committee (1934-1938), the Councils of People’s Commissars (all-union and republican), and the Supreme Soviets (all-union and republican) (1938-1943)). In the interwar period in the USSR, there were many bodies responsible for the development and implementation of the religious policy of the state, which led to all sorts of violations and abuses. Attempt to unify the bodies responsible for the relationship between the state and religious groups was made in 1943, when the Council for Russian Orthodox Church at the Councils of People’s Commissars of the USSR was established, and in 1944, when the Council for Religious Denominations, also at the Councils of People’s Commissars of the USSR, was formed.
Nicolae Fuștei
The Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni. Administrative activities at Kiev Bishopric
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2007
Nicolae Fuștei
The Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church at the Council of Ministers of the USSR (1943-1965) – a special body for communication between the State and the Church
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2015
Nicolae Fuștei
Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni's attitude to some negative phenomena in society and the church during the period of Exarchate of Moldavia, Wallachia, and Bessarabia (1808-1812)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Nicolae Fuștei
The Church during the “Khrushchev Thaw” (1953-1964)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVII [XXXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Nicolae Fuștei
Pastoral-social service of the Metropolitan Gabriel Banulescu-Bodoni
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
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
