On our pilgrimage to the North of Moldova we headed to Gura Humorului and when we got there we saw a sign to Voroneț Monastery. Obviously I did not miss the opportunity to visit this architectural gem.
We arrived in front of the wall that surrounds the monastery, guided by a sign that led us to the gate of the monastery. The monastery gate is under the bell tower. What I did not like there were those stalls that did not belong to the monastery, but to some merchants. It reminded me of the Bible when Jesus was outraged from in the the temple merchants.
The church of the Voroneț monastery was built during the reign of Stephen the Great, in 1488, in only three months and three weeks, between May 26 and September 14.
We entered the courtyard of the monastery and then we went to the church and admired its exterior beauty with its frescoes in which once dominated the blue color of Voroneţ. Unfortunately, Voroneț's blue will soon remain a memory.
For those who don't know, Voroneţ Monastery is called the "Sistine Chapel of the East". The "Judgment" painting occupies the entire west wall of the church. In other paintings on the facade are depicted scenes from the life of some saints, St. George killing the dragon, St. Nicholas handing out gifts, but also other saints. There are also scenes with the genealogical tree of the Savior. On the outer columns are painted the faces of the great philosophers Aristotle and Plato.
We couldn't miss not entering the church. The porch was added during the reign of Petru Rareş. Here you can see the figure of Saint Elijah painted. An orthodox calendar is painted on one wall. Also in the porch we have the opportunity to see the original shape of the church depicted in a painting. The original church built by Stephen the Great underwent some changes during the time of Metropolitan Gregory the Red. The metropolitan was the one who took care of what is seen today on the outside of the church. Inside the church we find some paintings that still date from the time of Stephen the Great.
We left the church and went to a group of people where a nun was telling them about the history of the monastery and what each painting symbolizes. I found out that the Church of Voroneț Monastery is considered a stone ship, full of grace, simplicity and charm. The frescoes on the exterior walls, made only one year after the death of Petru Rareş, belong by right to the era of this ruler (along with those from Probota, Humor, Moldoviţa and Arbore). The facades of the porch are used to represent themes to which Metropolitan Grigorie Roşca had attached himself especially: to the south, the Life of Saint Nicholas and Saint John the New from Suceava, on the buttress Saint George killing the dragon, to the north Customs of the air, an eschatological theme common in monastic buildings.
Voroneț Monastery, nicknamed "Eastern Sistine Chapel", is a medieval monastic complex built in the village of Voroneț, today part of the town of Gura Humorului. The monastery is located 36 km from Suceava and only 4 km from the center of Gura Humorului. It is one of the most valuable foundations of Stephen the Great (1457-1504).
Of small proportions, with a trilobate plan, with a tower with a Moldavian vault on the nave, the church is one of the few monuments of religious architecture in northern Moldova that largely retains its original shape. In 1547 Metropolitan Grigore Roșca, cousin of Petru Rareș, initiated the addition of a closed porch, for which he adopted a unique solution, in which the architecture is visibly subordinated to the painted decoration: the west wall of the porch is a solid wall without any opening, as well as painting the exterior walls, from the foundation to the eaves, works that gave the construction a great brilliance.
Voroneț Monastery was built on the site of a wooden church. When the construction works were nearing completion,Stephan the Great donated to the monastery by the deed of August 17, 1488, the Știlbicani estate. Once the construction was completed, the church took over the old patron saint of "Saint and Glory to the Great Bearer of Victory George".
From the reign of Stephen the Great, but especially after 1488, the monastery became an important center of faith and culture in medieval Moldova. It is considered that the appearance of the monk Daniil in Voroneț after a period of stay at the Putna Monastery and the hermitage gave not only an impetus to the monastic life in this place, but also imprinted a very high level of spiritual life.
Stephen the Great was the one who donated to the monastery in addition to a series of estates and several books, the most relevant example being the Tetra-Gospel from 1490, but also church clothes and smells. This was also practiced by his successors during the reign, Bogdan III, Petru Rareș and Alexandru Lăpușneanu, who make or confirm certain donations to the monastery. Often these donations were made on the occasion of the celebration of the patron saint of the monastery, as well as on other religious holidays.
If you want to make a virtual visit to Voroneț Monastery, you can do so by accessing the video link.
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