You can not pass through the Old Town of the capital and do not stop to admire the tiny Church Stavropoleos. A "true gem" adorned with garlands and laces carved in stone with floral motifs on the facade, at the windows and porch, something unusual in the decoration of buildings of worship.
"The delicate building" (as the historic Constantin Giurescu calls it) is considered among the most valuable achievements of art Brancovan of the country. It is founded in 1724, during the reign of Nicolae Mavrocordat, by a Greek Archimandrite Ioanichie, who came from the "Monastery Gura" from Epirus. He bought in 1722 from Despa (a boyar-woman) the place where he has to build the inn and the church.
In the medieval times, many inns were built around the churches and monasteries in the interest of ensuring the financing the places of worship. From the old settlement remained only the church. The church porch still retains original fresco, well preserved. The entrance is lined with a portal carved in stone. At the top there is the original inscription bilingual (Greek and Romanian).
The iconostasis with the royal doors and two iconostases carved in wooded, are well preserved. The original icons are painted on gold background. The church is part of a monastic ensemble, which includes an inner courtyard surrounded by monastic buildings, the result of an extensive restoration project started in 1904 by the architect Ion Mincu.
The restoration of painting was entrusted of the painter priest V. Damian. The Stavropoleos Monastery owns a library, a refectory and a collection of old church things. The library contains numerous volumes that bring together a substantial collection of writings patristic, biblical, dogmatic, liturgical, historical, pastoral, catechetical, dictionaries and manuals classics, but also studies about the Orthodox iconoclasm, the Byzantine art, the Romanian history and civilization of the century XVIII and the medieval culture.
The collection contains icons, art objects, religious objects, art pieces and decorative fresco fragments recovered from demolished churches during the communist regime. The Stavropoleos settlement has a high concern for the Byzantine music. The almost two hundred books and manuscripts make up the largest collection of its kind in Romania. The church plays only traditional church music, with Byzantine influence.
The traveler tired of the roads and thoughts can to withdraw and rest in this little paradise, descended from other worlds and other times, in the middle of urban bustle. Being here, you can feel that a divine silence wraps you with his blessing and a deserved rest is spread over your thoughts and body.
Information: www.crestinortodox.ro
Elena Radu
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