#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. 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

Library „Tyragetia"

Elena Ploșnița, Mihai Ursu

Encyclopedia of Museology of the Republic of Moldova

Series “Biblioteca „Tyragetia” XX, Chișinău, 2011, 308 p. ISBN 978-9975-80-526-1.

Encyclopedia of Museology of the Republic of Moldova is a work dedicated to the museum world of the country. Its content focuses on the most significant museums, the most remarkable personalities in the field. An encyclopedia about museums can not cover everything, but the selected and presented materials reflect the museum sphere in detail.

Encyclopedia of Museology of the Republic of Moldova appeared in late 2011, at the Bons Offices Publishing and Printing House, Chisinau. The authors of the volume are Elena Ploșnița, Ph.D. and Mihai Ursu.

Encyclopedia of Museology of the Republic of Moldova contains ca 300 articles placed in alphabetical order, which provide clear and objective information about the Moldavian museum world since the 19^th century to the present. It is supplemented by the List of Abbreviations, summaries in four languages, List of Sources, Bibliography, Index of Articles, Index of Names, and Index of Localities. Many of the articles have a historical prelude: every phenomenon is presented in its development. Most articles are accompanied by Works and Bibliography, which contain the most important materials on the subject or on the life and work of museums, scientists, and people of culture. Both in the Works and Bibliography, the works are presented in chronological order, regardless of the language they were written.

The work comprises three main blocks of information: museological material (terminology, concepts); historical material (information on museums of the past, different societies, contemporary museums and their collections, etc.); biographical material (information about the museum specialists, collectors, museum supporters, etc.). All the articles are presented in alphabetical order, regardless of the block of information.

The Encyclopedia includes black and white and color illustrations. Special attention was given to illustrations reflecting museum pieces; there are also given images of museum buildings and photos of personalities who have found the right place in the pages of the Encyclopedia. In black and white there are given presently nonexistent museums of the past, collectors, scientists, and museum specialists who are no longer among the living. In color there are presented pieces from the museum collections, buildings of the museums, which are now open to the public, and specialists who are working in the museums today. Most of the photographs were made by Iurie Foca.

The Encyclopedia as any work can be improved; it is a beginning that can be continued by colleagues, curators, historians, and others, in one or another way. We will be grateful to those who would have the courage to continue the presentation of MUSEUM phenomenon in other scientific publications.