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- Title
MÂNĂSTIREA ZLĂTARI DIN BUCUREŞTI ÎN LUMINA UNOR CATAGRAFII INEDITE DIN VEACUL AL XIX-LEA.
- Authors
Popescu, Oana Mădălina
- Abstract
Zlătari Monastery in Bucharest, dating back from the sixteenth century, in accordance with the archaeological evidences and mentioned in written documents beginning with the seventeenth century, was dedicated to the Apostolic Throne of Alexandria (Egypt), in the time of Constantin Brâncoveanu, the ruler of Wallachia. A diptych of 1854, written in the Greek Language and preserved at the Library of the Romanian Academy, attests the fact that the church was restored in 1692 and then, completely reconstructed in 1851, in the time of Calistrat Livis, the hegumen of the monastery. The works of rebuilding were finished by the hegumen Athanasie, the successor of Calistrat. Three inventories, emitted in January 1846, May 1849 and September 1852, also preserved at the Library of the Romanian Academy, put in light the damaged condition of the church in the nineteenth century and ascertain the truth of the facts revealed by the diptych of 1854. These inventories, belonging to the manuscript no. 719, are written in the Rumanian language, but with Chyrillic characters, specific to the nineteenth century's handwriting. The state of the manuscript is very deteriorated, so, many words or even phrases become unreadable. The three inventories we are referring at, confirm the fact that the church itself and the inn around it were seriously damaged, their walls were broken, the iconostasis of the small chapel and also the belfry fell into decay. The inventory written in 1852 compels attention on the fact that the church was, at that time, in course of reconstruction. So, there is another evidence, excepting the diptych, of the rebuilding of the monastery in 1851-1852. Consequently, the year 1852 is very important for Zlătari Monastery, recording a new period in the history of the building, as it was completely renovated. On the other hand, the inventories offer us many valuable and even detailed information on the objects and estates which belonged to the monastery, such as liturgical books and vestments (stoles, epitaphs), religious vessels or icons. There are also mentioned some documents (charters and deeds) concerning different estates and succursal monasteries which Zlătari church possessed in the country, as we know Zlătari Monastery, although had been devoted to Alexandria, had its own succursal hermitages in Oltenia region. There are mentioned holy relics too. It is about the right hand of St. Cyprian, the bishop of Carthagina and one finger of a saint named Anton (which we cannot identify yet). We consider the holy relics of St. Cyprian had been donated to Zlătari Monastery by the Apostolic Throne of Alexandria, which Zlătari had been dedicated to. It is possible the relics had been given on the occasion of the devotion, when Gherasim Palada, the Patriarch of Alexandria visited Wallachia, in the reign of Constantin Brâncovean. An inscription engraved on the coffin of St. Cyprian, dating back from the year 1790, demonstrate us that, at the ending of the eighteenth century, the holy relics had been already preserved and venerated in the church. The inscription is written by Meletie of Thebe, the hegumen of the monastery. He gave some money for making the coffin, because St. Cyprian, as wonder-working, cured him by the plaque, in a marvelous way.
- Subjects
BUCHAREST (Romania); ROMANIA; MONASTERIES; ICONS (Religious art); RELICS; CHRISTIAN inscriptions
- Publication
Studii Teologice, 2011, Vol 7, Issue 1, p169
- ISSN
1011-8845
- Publication type
Article