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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. IX [XXIV], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
ISSN 1857-0240
E-ISSN 2537-6330

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică

Chișinău, 2015

I. Researches


Aurel Zanoci
Typology and evolution of gates and access into early hallstattian fortresses in Tisa-Dniester space

Denis Topal
Use of bronze in the producing of Early Scythian akinakai

II. Papers and surveys


Гурам Чхатарашвили
Some samples of art of the Paleolithic period from Georgian Stone Age sites

Stanislav Țerna, Mariana Vasilache
Anthropomorphic fi gurines of the Cucuteni A stage from Duruitoarea Veche I (Râșcani District, Republic of Moldova)

John Chapman, Bisserka Gaydarska
The Anglo-Ukrainian project “Early urbanism in prehistoric Europe?” sends its travelling exhibition to Chișinău

Mariana Sîrbu
The spiritual life of the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni communities through the prism of the non-funerary items found in settlements

Юрий Бойко
Research of a tumulus near the Bandyshovka village

Валерий Самар, Андрей Антонов
Research on the burial mound no. 2 of the “Bel’mak-Mogila” group near the village of Trudovoe (Kuibyshevo District, Zaporizhia Region)

Владимир Фоменко
A metal vessel with the zoomorphic handle from Kabardiano-Balkaria

Сергей Горбаненко
Palaeoethnobotanical materials from Znamenskoe hill-fort and Dyakovo culture grain production

Natalia Mateevici, Mihaela Iacob, Dorel Paraschi
New findings of Greek amphorae in the area of Peceneaga in Western Dobrogea

Octavian Munteanu
Élements defensifs dans la fortification gete du Horodca Mare, districte Hâncești

Виталий Синика, Николай Тельнов
Lamps in the funeral practice of the Scythians of the North Black Sea littoral

Aurel Zanoci, Octavian Munteanu, Ion Tentiuc, Valeriu Bubulici
New archaeological discoveries of the Iron Age sites near the village of Mana, Orhei District

Ion Tentiuc, Valeriu Bubulici, Angela Simalcsik
A cremation burial of a horseman near the village of Mana (the Orhei district)

Monica Nicolăescu
Graphic representations in Romanian archaeology. An overview regarding Late Iron Age dwellings

Иван Власенко, Татьяна Щербакова
Ekaterinovka – single-layer settlement of the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov culture

Виталий Козюба
Contentious issues in the historical topography of the Old Russian city of Berestye

Vasile Mărculeț
On the relations between the Vlach-Bulgarian Tsardom and the Byzantine Empire in 1197-1204

Елена Избицер
Professional ethics and subjectivity: regarding one monograph and two reviews

Ana Boldureanu
Chronicle of monetary findings (IX)

III. Paper and book review


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

Rodica Ursu Naniu
De vorbă cu Radu Florescu. Amintiri și evocări. Târgoviște: Editura Cetatea de Scaun, 2013, 181 p. ISBN 978-606-537-199-6

IV. Homage


Наталья Шишлина, Евгений Сава
Честное служение науке...

Philip L. Kohl
V.A. Trifonov: Sixty Years Young

 



 

 

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