393 years since the passage to God of Miron Barnovschi: The first martyr ruler of the Romanianstranslated

Thursday marks the 393rd anniversary of the death of Miron Barnovschi, the first martyr ruler of Moldova.

A career soldier, the future Voivode of Moldavia was born in 1590 in Toporăuți, in the Chernivtsi region, on the territory of today's Ukraine.

He reigned twice in Moldova: in the periods January 1626 - July 1629 and April - July 1633.

The first reign ended on his own initiative, in order not to put additional burdens on the people, because the High Ottoman Gate had asked him to increase the tribute paid annually.

After the people re-elected him ruler, he responded to this call to ministry and went to Constantinople to obtain the recognition of the High Porte. There, however, he was arrested and imprisoned at Edikule, then beheaded, just like St. Voivode Martyr Constantin Brâncoveanu more than eight decades later.

"During the three years as leader of the Country of Moldova, Miron Barnovschi testified to a strong faith and proved to be a man of God", writes stavrophora Maria Magdalena Gherghina, abbess of the Dragomirna Monastery in the work "Miron Barnovschi - Voivod praying and sacrificial founder", published by Crimca Publishing House of the Archdiocese of Suceava and...