Metropolitan Antonie calls for recovery of Basarabia’s heritage on Chișinău’s 590th anniversary

Metropolitan Antonie of Bessarabia issued a message on the 590th anniversary of Chișinău’s first documented mention. His Eminence called for the recovery of the historic heritage of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, saying: “We have a duty to restore this legacy to the public consciousness.”

The Metropolitan recalled that the earliest known document mentioning the name Chișinău dates from 17 July 1436 and was issued by the rulers of Moldavia.

“Chișinău entered history around its churches, schools, printing presses and cultural institutions. Here, generations of clergy, teachers, physicians, jurists, statesmen and scholars were formed—people who understood that a community endures through faith, education and respect for its own identity,” Metropolitan Antonie said.

“In this historical development, the Metropolis of Bessarabia occupied a decisive place. For generations, it was one of the great institutions of the Romanian lands between the Prut and the Dniester, supporting Romanian education, culture, the press, philanthropy and the formation of the intellectual elite.”

“Around it there emerged a strong historical consciousness, founded upon the Orthodox faith, the Romanian…