Hârbovat Monastery

Hârbovăț Monastery is located in the Ichel River valley , near the village of Hârbovăț, approximately 10 km from the city of Călărași . It is one of the oldest functioning monasteries in Moldova, with a rich spiritual history and architectural monuments.

History of the foundation

The monastery was founded in 1730 by the boyar Konstantin Karpuz , although some researchers believe that its roots go back to the 17th century .

Before 1812, the monastery was burned three times by the Turks and Tatars, as a result of which the entire monastery archive was lost.

In 1816, the summer Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God was built on the site of the old wooden church, with the support of Stefan Lupu and his wife Elena. In 1870 , the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit was erected .

Stefan Lupu later took monastic vows under the name Serapion . The Summer Church of the Assumption was restored in 1828 and 1855 .

Soviet period and closure

In the 1960s, Hârbovets Monastery remained one of the few functioning monasteries in Moldova. Monks expelled from closed monasteries (such as Căpriana and Țăgănești) flocked there.

However, in 1962, after a long and brutal armed siege, the monastery was completely closed:

Church utensils and treasures were destroyed;
The cellars of the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, where church officials rested, were plundered;
The altar and the catapetasma are destroyed;
Six bells were knocked down and removed;
Icons, books and archives were burned.

A school for children with disabilities was opened on the monastery grounds. The church served as a school club, the basements as storage facilities, and later, the church was converted into a barn.

Restoration of the monastery

In 1988–1989, the school administration began restoration of the complex, and in 1992, the Hyrbovets Monastery was completely restored. The monastery's condition at that time was catastrophic, but through the efforts of the clergy and parishioners, it was brought back to life.

Spiritual treasures

The main relic of the monastery is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Gerbovetskaya" , donated to the monastery in 1790 by the widow of the Russian colonel Nikolai Albaduev, who died at the monastery gates.

The icon is covered with a gilded silver frame and decorated with precious stones;
Traditionally it is kept in the monastery from April 23 to October 1 , the rest of the time it is exhibited in the Chisinau Cathedral ;
The icon is revered as miraculous , attracts pilgrims and serves as a symbol of the spiritual revival of the monastery.