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#Exhibit of the Month

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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.

Virtual Tour


Publications Journal „Tyragetia"


Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
ISSN 1857-0240
E-ISSN 2537-6330

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie

Chișinău, 2007

I. Researches


Gheorghe Postică
Orhei fortress in the strategy of Ştefan cel Mare

Ion Tentiuc, Anastasia Hâncu-Tentiuc
Aspects of interrelation of Christian folk beliefs and funeral ritual of in the Early Middle Ages in central and south-eastern Europe

Sergius Ciocanu
Monasteries Vișnevăț and Căpriana – two different ecclesial establishments. „Poiana” and „prisaca”

Valentin Tomuleț
Jewish component in the ethnical structure of the commercial bourgeoisie in Bessarabia (1812-1868)

Maria Danilov
Pedagogical literature of Bessarabia: editions, impressions and imposed models (1814-1918)

II. Papers and surveys


Sergiu Matveev
The reflection of the ethno-cultural processes from the 2nd-14th centuries between Prut and Nistru in the soviet ethno-folck studies

Igor Sava
Le droit de la fondation dans les Pays Roumains à la fin du XIVème – XVIème siècles: traditions byzantines et particularités locales

Лилия Дергачева
Deponierung Alexanders der Guten in Belgorod-Dnestrovsk

Екатерина Абызова, Светлана Рябцева
Buckles from the collection of the National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova

Lilia Zabolotnaia
The conditions of the marriage concluding in the Middle Ages. Comparative study

Анна Никулицэ
Silverware and coins from the two medieval hoards

Alina Felea
La population de la ville Soroca (XVI-XIX siècles)

Виктор Филатов
Lamellar armour from the reserves of the National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova

Emanuil Brihuneț
First documentary attestations of Mileștii Mici village, Ialoveni district

Maxim Melinti
Influence of the Holy Mount Athos on the spiritual and cultural life of Moldova

Ирина Гончарова
G. Haupt Medal “Battle of Kalish” (1706) from the collection of the National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova

Ion Gumenâi
Dynamics of number of the old believers’ population in Bessarabia 1812-1835

Nicolae Fuștei
The Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni. Administrative activities at Kiev Bishopric

Valeriu Bubulici, Mihai Onilă
Curchi monastery. Its history and results of the archaeological salvage operations conducted in 2006

Adelaida Chiroșca
Lockets with the image of the Holy Virgin from the collection of the National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova

Vlad D. Ghimpu
St. George’s Church in Chișinău (1819)

Andrei Emilciuc
The role of land transport in Bessarabian commerce (1812-1853)

Maria Maftei
A survey of cereal trade in Bessarabia through the ports of Reni and Ismail in 1812-1856

Natalia Timohina
Economical Situation of Bessarabia before the Crimean War

Ludmila Coadă
The Manifestation of the National Factor in the Bessarabian Zemstvo

Lucia Sava
Les modalités d’organiser le loisir à Chișinău au début du XXème siècle

Dinu Poștarencu
Mihail Ozmidov, the first architect and land surveyor of the tsarist Bessarabia

Vasile Dobrescu
„Tovărășia” (1906-1911) – periodical with co-operative profile of Romanians from Transylvania

Lucia Sava
Le milieu de vie des habitants de la ville Chișinău au début du XXème siècle

Marian Petcu
Bribery, cheating and blackmail: Romanian media

Lidia Pădureac
The activity of Romanian diplomacy in the context of the Soviet-British relationship (1924-1926)

Vera Stăvilă
Contribution to the study of the activity of the Chișinău orphanage “Children’s home”

Maria Costea
The Consequences of the Munich pact for Romano-Bulgarian relations

Ana Grițco
Requisition as a way of sovietisation of Bessarabian peasants

Iulia Postică
Museum exhibition – a means to valorize the archaeological heritage

Olga Şcipachin, Dragoș Toma
Museum jubilee exhibition (80th anniversary of Academician S. Rădăuțanu)

Elena Postică
Independent Moldova seen through a museum exhibition

Sergiu Apostol
Reformation of higher education in the Republic of Moldova (1991-2006)

Elena Ploșnița
National Museum of Archaeology and History – from utopia to reality

III. Paper and book review


Ion Eremia
Ioan Horga, Sorin Şipoș, De la „Mica" la „Marea Europă". Mărturii franceze de la sfârșitul secolului al XIX-lea despre frontiera răsăriteană a Europei. Studii și documente. Traducerea textelor Delia-Maria Radu. Oradea, Editura Universității din Oradea, 2006

Ludmila Bacumenco
Michel Mollat du Jourdin, Europa și marea, traducere și note de Gabriela Ciubuc, Iași, Editura Polirom, 2003, 281 p., ISBN 973-681-432-7

Maria Danilov
Axentie Stadnițchi, Mitropolit G. Bănulescu-Bodoni, Chișinău, 2004, 224 p. (Sau cum nu trebuie editate cărțile noastre vechi...)

Valentina Eșanu, Andrei Eșanu
Ana Grițco, Popas în timp. Catalog de carte poștală ilustrată, Casa editorial-poligrafică Bons Offices, Chișinău, 2006, 268 p., ISBN 978-9975-9818-3-5

IV. Homage


Elena Postică
Cu drag despre un Om drag: la aniversarea Doamnei Aurelia Cornețchi

 



 

 

Independent Moldova
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic
Bessarabia and MASSR between the Two World Wars
Bessarabia and Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the Period between the Two World Wars
Revival of National Movement
Time of Reforms and their Consequences
Abolition of Autonomy. Bessarabia – a New Tsarist Colony
Period of Relative Autonomy of Bessarabia within the Russian Empire
Phanariot Regime
Golden Age of the Romanian Culture
Struggle for Maintaining of Independence of Moldova
Formation of Independent Medieval State of Moldova
Era of the
Great Nomad Migrations
Early Middle Ages
Iron Age and Antiquity
Bronze Age
Aeneolithic Age
Neolithic Age
Palaeolithic Age
  
  

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#Exhibit of the Month

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...

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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.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

 



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.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

menu
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.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC