Hirjauca Monastery is located on coast of a small river with the same name, at the lap of a hill with century oaks, near Calarasi region. The architecture of the monastery is very interesting and original, to the gate goes an alley of pyramidal poplars and the monastery is arranged in the form of horseshoe.
According to researcher P. Crusevan, the monastery was funded in 1740. Forest around the monastery served as hiding for citizens who were in funk of Tatars. An old man, whose name was Teodosie built a house in the forest, which became a place for prayers. After conflict was clarified, hieromonk Varsonufie came to these places and with the support of a noble man Miculita, built some cells and replaced the house of prayers with a wooden temple.
According to another source Hirjauca Monastery was funded in 1750 by a monk – Inochentie Sava from Calarasi town. It was said that monk and his uncle endowed monastery the lordship Sipoteni.
From 1846, the monastery became a bishopy. First monastery Superior was archbishop Irinarh of Chisinau city with dummies: priests Pantelemon and Ilarion. Under their guidance a lot of changes and renovations were achieved.
In 1917, during the revolution, Russian soldiers demolished drastically the monastic complex.
Since 1918, when the Bessarabia territory was emancipated and joined with Romania, monastic life was improved significantly. Archbishop Nicodin of Husi effectively participated in the development of the monastery. Monastic library was extended with his help; books from Iasi were brought to the library. But in 1962, at the urgency of a group of atheists, the monastery was closed. Since then, monastic complex was functioning as a sanatorium under “Codru” denomination.
In 1981, at the initiative of the sanatorium administration, mainly at the initiative of Gheorghe Osoianu and of the ministry of Culture, the restoration of the monastery continued. The old fresco was found under the strata of paint in the monastery interior. It was drown in a classic style by famous painters as: Blinov, Stoianov and Lemaic during the period of 1901 – 1906. Painters as: Vasile Negruti, Serafim Prodan, Alexandru Ivanov and Elena Grigorasenco restored the old fresco for eight years.
In 1993, local husbandry provided the monastery with 2 ha of arable land, though later in 1995 it offered the monastery 10 ha of land. In 1994, on the territory of the monastery were already living 10 people.
In autumn 1994, the God Ascension temple was hallowed. Architecturally the temple has a semblance with the metropolitan Chair from Chisinau city, which was built in the same period.
Hardly in 1998, the priorship building was liberated; it was restored and hallowed in summer the same year. The refectory and one stair building were restored too.
Translated from Romanian by Felicia Lupasco, Moldova.ORG
Monastery”Ascensions of God”, Hirjauca
January 28th, 2011 admin
Hârjăuca Monastery is located in the Calarasi region. Hârjăuca Monastery was founded in 1750 by a monk Inochentie Sava of Calarasi fair. It would be endowed with. his uncle, Miron Badica the monastery, giving Sipoteni estate.
In 1846 the monastery becomes Hierarchal. The first abbot was holding her Irinarh Archbishop of Chisinau, denote them as priests Pantelemon and Ilarion, in which, or made many renovations and changes. In 1917, during the revolution, the russian soldiers have made great devastation and terrible barbarism manifested in a monastery.
After 1918, when Bessarabia(now R.Moldova) was liberated and united with Romania, monastery life normalized. Contributed substantially to the development of the monastery priest Nicodin of Husi.The library’s contribution to extend the old books were brought in Iasi, Bucuresti. The monastery became a great prosperity. But in 1962, at the insistence of a group of aggressive atheist, the monastery was closed. Inside a sanatorium was established with the name “Codru”.
The sanatorium management initiative, especially by Gheorghe Osoianu and the Ministry of Culture, began restoration of the summer church in 1981 “Ascension of God”. Inside, beneath layers of lime and paint the fresco was discovered the old church, built in classical style in the years 1901-1906, by paintings Blinov, Stoyanov and Lemaik. For eight years, painting restorers Vasile Negruta Seraphim Prodan, Alexandra Ivanov and Elena Grigorasenco have restored this wonderful mural.
For the monastery that was to be reopened, in 1993 the local agriculture has allocated two hectares of arable land, and in 1995 – another 10 ha.
In 1994 the monastery gathered 12 dwellers , nursing home nearby was forced to give them a building. In the autumn of 1994 was re-blessed “Ascensions of God” Church. This architecture resembles the Cathedral Church Metropolitan of Chisinau, which was built in the same period.
Only in 1998 was released abbey building, which, after restoration, was dedicated in the summer of that year. All have since been transferred to the refectory and a building with a floor of the winter church.
About the monastery of Hîrjauca
Accordingly to the legend, it was founded by a monk named Hîrju or Hîrjan, in 1740. Sleeping in the wood, the monk had a dream with the Mother of God (Teotokos, God-bearer), and on that place he built a monastery dedicated to the Ascension of Jesus Christ. Another legend says that the monastery was established by an old man from a local village, named Teodosie, by two monks from Neamţ Monastery and by a Moldavian boyar, Niculiţă. The monastery is located in the Hîrjauca commune, in the raion of Călăraşi, inside the valley of Ichel River.
The monastery has two churches, one dedicated to the Ascension of Jesus Christ (founded by the egumen Spiridon Filipovici in 1836) and one to Saint Spyridon, established in 1848. The firs into the monastery yard, that can be seen in the pictures, and also on the coin and on the 10 lei banknote, were brought in 1920 from Bucovina. The monastery library was enriched with many Romanian religious books in 1918, when Nicodim Munteanu, future patriarch of Romania, was locum tenens of the archbishop of Chişinău and Hotin and worked at the reorganization of the orthodox church in Basarabia.
The monastery was closed for about 30 years, until 1993. In 1959 the old monastery was transformed into “Soviet Moldavia” resort, and the church became dancing club. Nowadays near the monastery is Codru resort, one of the most famous resorts in Moldavia.
On the coin the summer church Ascension of Jesus Christ is represented. At the last restoration the exterior of the church was adorned with Cosăuţi stone.
Hirjauca Monastery is situated in district Calarasi nearby the river with the same name. The researcher P.Crusevan says that the monastery was founded in 1740, and it a monastery of monks. It was founded nearby a spring with healing water in the forest on the nobleman Niculita’s estate. They built firstly wooden church with five towers named “Adormirea Maicii Domnului”.
During the time the monastery knows a lot of problems, but when the ruler Spiridon Filipovici lived here the place lives better times. In this period they built the summer time church named “Inaltarea Domnului” with a classic architecture . A liitle bit later they have built the stone church for the winter time named Saint Spiridon. The architecture knows the traditonal moldavian style combined with classical Russian style.
Later appears the library, the refectory, some cells and brick workshops, located in a unique way in a perfet harmony with the nature. Due to this fact this place becames for about one century the Residence for Moldova’s Metropolitan.
Between 1953-1993 the monastery was closed by the sovietic authorietes and since 1954 becomes a sanatorium for childrens with disabilities. Hirjauca Monastery is always visited by the people who come to rest in the sanatorium . The ideal and amazing atmosphere makes the monastery to attract through its nature and calmness that release people’s hearts and delight their souls with peace and harmony.
Hirjauca Monastery is situated in district Calarasi nearby the river with the same name. The researcher P.Crusevan says that the monastery was founded in 1740, and it a monastery of monks. It was founded nearby a spring with healing water in the forest on the nobleman Niculita’s estate. They built firstly wooden church with five towers named “Adormirea Maicii Domnului”.
During the time the monastery knows a lot of problems, but when the ruler Spiridon Filipovici lived here the place lives better times. In this period they built the summer time church named “Inaltarea Domnului” with a classic architecture . A liitle bit later they have built the stone church for the winter time named Saint Spiridon. The architecture knows the traditonal moldavian style combined with classical Russian style.
Later appears the library, the refectory, some cells and brick workshops, located in a unique way in a perfet harmony with the nature. Due to this fact this place becames for about one century the Residence for Moldova’s Metropolitan.
Between 1953-1993 the monastery was closed by the sovietic authorietes and since 1954 becomes a sanatorium for childrens with disabilities. Hirjauca Monastery is always visited by the people who come to rest in the sanatorium . The ideal and amazing atmosphere makes the monastery to attract through its nature and calmness that release people’s hearts and delight their souls with peace and harmony.