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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. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
ISSN 1857-0240
E-ISSN 2537-6330

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie

Chișinău, 2014

I.   Researches


Lilia Zabolotnaia
New research areas in the modern historical science of Moldova. Results and Prospects

Elena Chiaburu
New interpretations of the origin and the name of Gavriil Bănulescu (Bodoni)

II. Papers and surveys


Răzvan Mihai Neagu
Considerations regarding the catholic dioceses founded by the popes of Avignon outside the Carpathians: the bishopric of Milcova and the bishopric of Siret

Vasile Mărculeț
Jerémias - un métropolite ignoré de la Hungrovalachie du début du XVe siècle

Mihai Onilă
From the history of Săseni village of the Orhei County in 15th-18th centuries

Irina Cereș
Jewish merchants' role in expanding trade relations between the Russian Empire and the Principality of Moldova in the late 18th and early 19th centuries

Alina Felea
From family history in the Romanian space: Alcoholism and family relations in the 18th century in Moldavia and in the first decades of the 19th century in Bessarabia

Valentin Tomuleț
Taxation of the mazili and ruptași social categories in Bessarabia under the Tsarist domination (1812-1847)

Dinu Poștarencu
The population census of Bessarabia in 1824

Tatiana Chicaroș
Development of secondary education in Bessarabia in 1833-1871

Eugen-Tudor Sclifos
Prince Mihail Sturdza and his relations with Russia

Valentin Tomuleț
The establishment and activity of Lancasterian schools in Bessarabia in the 1820s-1840s

Igor Cereteu
Pages from the history of the Hâncu Monastery library

Marian Petcu
Advertising of slave trade in the Romanian principalities

Владимир Морозан
The Commission for Revision of Actions of the Bessarabian Assembly of Nobility

Liviu Papuc
20 old and rare books from the library of Paul Gore

Maria Danilov
Reference points in the historiography of the Noul Neamț Monastery. Issues and interpretations

Mihail Iliev
The Society for the Protection of War Orphans. The Chișinău Regional Committee (1918-1924)

Nicolae Fuștei
The Soviet state bodies, aimed to address the problems of religious denominations in the interwar period (1918-1940)

Sergiu Tabuncic
The 1941 villages census - an important source for studying local history

Marius Tărîță
Aspects of the Moldavian Soviet writers' activity in 1942-1944

Cristina Tănase
Military operations of the 2nd Mountain Division in the territory between the Prut and Bug (July 3 - August 17, 1941)

Liliana Condraticova
Archival documents as a source for the research of jewelry for church use

Yuri Pyatnitsky
A seal of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher of the 17th century from the State Hermitage Museum collection, Saint Petersburg

Elena Ploșnița, Tatiana Buianina
The cost of a visit to the museum: Analysis of a survey

Andrei Emilciuc
Western European dictionaries and encyclopedias from the collections of the National Museum of History of Moldova

Elena Postică
Memoirs - important resource of reconstructing the ordeal of deportations

Sergiu Dobrea
Some considerations on the museum exhibition „Arms and Military Equipment: the Evolution in Time"

Vera Stăvilă
Concert posters from the National Museum of History of Moldova

Ecaterina Bondarenco
Restoration of headwear from the National Museum of History of Moldova

Vera Serjant
The magazine „Kishinyovskie Eparkhial′nye Vedomosti" („Chisinau Diocesan Journal") as a means of advertising (1867-1917)

Adelaida Chiroșca
Icons of the Intercession in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova

Ana Grițco
Royal visit to Chișinău (1920) - images and history

Lucia Marinescu-Tonu
Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences in Rio de Janeiro - between science and public

Elena Ploșnița
Anniversary celebrations at the National Museum of History

III. Paper and book review


Silviu Andrieș-Tabac
Muzeul Național de Istorie a Moldovei. The National Museum of History of Moldova. Национальный музей истории Молдовы. 1983-2003: [album]. Volum elaborat de Eugen Sava, Aurelia Cornețchi, Elena Postică, Elena Ploșnița, Chișinău: Casa Editorial-Poligra

Ion Eremia
Mihai Maxim, O istorie a relațiilor româno-otomane, cu documente noi din arhivele turcești. Vol. I. Perioada clasică (1400-1600), Brăila: Editura Istros a Muzeului Brăilei, 2012, 606 p. ISBN 978-606-654-026-1

Diana Cașu
Lilia Zabolotnaia, Femeia în relațiile de familie din Ţara Moldovei în contextul european până la începutul secolului al XVIII-lea (căsătorie, logodnă, divorț), Chișinău: Pontos, 2011, 344 p. ISBN 978-9975-51-278-7

Ion Chirtoagă
Ion Ţurcanu, În căutarea originii numelui Basarabia, Chișinău: Labirint, 2010, 190 p. ISBN 978-9975-948-21-0

Maria Danilov
Dumitru Th. Pârvu, Problema Basarabiei în lumina principiilor actelor juridice internaționale (Contribuții la cunoașterea raporturilor diplomatice româno-ruse). Studiu introductiv, note și indice de nume de Ion Constantin, București: Editura Bibliote

Svetlana Suveică
Hildrun Glass, Deutschland und die Verfolgung der Juden im rumänischen Machtbereich, 1940- 1944 (Germania și persecutarea evreilor în spațiul de putere românesc, 1940-1944), München:Oldenburg Verlag, 2014, 304 p. ISBN 978-3-486-72293-2

 IV.   In memoriam


Памяти Любови Иосифовны Малаховой

 



 

 

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