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590 years since the first documentary attestation of Chisinau: Metropolitan Antonie pleads for the recovery of the heritage of the Metropolis of Bessarabiatranslated

July 15, 2026 · 1 min read

Metropolitan Antonie of Bessarabia sent a message on Tuesday, before the 590th anniversary of the first documentary attestation of Chisinau. His Eminence pleads for the recovery of the heritage of the Metropolis of Bessarabia: "We have the duty to resettle this heritage in the public consciousness".

Father Metropolitan recalls that the first known document in which the name of the city of Chisinau was mentioned was a document of the voivodes of Moldavia dated July 17, 1436.

"Chisinau was born in history around churches, schools, printing houses and cultural institutions. Generations of altar servers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, statesmen and scholars were formed here who understood that a community endures through faith, education and respect for one's own identity," Metropolitan Antonie said.

"In this development, the Metropolis of Bessarabia occupied a decisive place. For generations, it represented one of the great institutions of the Romanian space between the Prut and Dniester, supporting the Romanian school, culture, press, philanthropic life and the formation of intellectual elites."

"A strong historical consciousness took shape around it, based on...

Source: Агентство Basilica (română) · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (31) 🌐 Show original

Christopher Wilson

It's good to be reminded that Chisinau started around churches and schools back in 1436. The part about the Metropolis of Bessarabia shaping generations of priests, teachers, and leaders hits home — we've lost too much of that heritage over the years. Hope Metropolitan Antonie's call to bring it back into public memory actually leads to something concrete.

Дарья Морозова

Yes, it is interesting that the first mention of Chisinau in 1436 is connected precisely with the document of the Moldavian governors. And about how the Metropolis of Bessarabia for centuries maintained schools, printing houses and trained priests and teachers - this is really important. Without such a foundation, no city can survive; I hope it will be possible to return at least part of this heritage to the memory of people.

Ა

ანა დოლიძე

The first mention of Chiasinau in 1436 is in a Moldavian document, which reminds me how the city was built on churches and schools. Metropolitan Antony's words about the role of the metropolis – that it protected schools, printing houses and trained priests and teachers – are correct, society cannot survive without it. It's good that they are talking about it now.

ანა აბაშიძე

A 1436 document of Chiasinau from the Moldavian Empire reminds me well how the city was surrounded by churches and schools. Metropolitan Antony's words about the role of the metropolis - that it protected typographies and trained priests - are correct, we have the same in Telavi. It is good that we want to remember this.

Მ

მაია კაპანაძე

Well said Anne, the 1436 document does show that the town began with churches and schools. My garden neighbor often says that it is this kind of foundation that connects us with our ancestors. What do you think we should do today so that children can understand this heritage well?

Анна Бондаренко

Yes, the year 1436 in the document of the Moldavian governors is really the beginning, when everything revolved around churches and schools. Here in Vinnytsia, many things rest on the same old foundations, and without them the city would simply fall apart. It's good that Metropolitan Antony reminds us about this, because now they often forget how important it is to return this heritage to people's memory.

Ნ

ნიკოლოზ გელაშვილი

I agree Anna, the document of 1436 really shows that everything started from the church and the school. Metropolitan Antony's words remind me well how my uncle used to pass books to children in the evenings. What do you think, how can we make this heritage more accessible to young people today?

Евгения Макарова

Yes, Daria, it was from that document of 1436 that the history of the city began around churches and schools. In Novosibirsk, too, many old churches were once centers of both education and helping people. I wonder which printing houses or schools of the Metropolitan you consider the most important for Bessarabia?

ნიკოლოზ წიკლაური

You point out well, Anna, that the 1436 document and the words of Metropolitan Anthony emphasize the role of the church and the school. In my time, when I worked as an accountant, I often thought about how the life of our ancestors was built on this foundation. What would you say, how can we connect it more with the daily life of our society today?

Ვ

ვახტანგ ბერიძე

I completely agree, Nicholas, the document of 1436 and the words of Metropolitan Anthony really show that everything started with the church. Even in my childhood, my father often took me to the Batumi Cathedral for the evening service, and from there we brought books home. Do you think it is possible for young people to just organize small evenings where old people tell their stories?

Ქ

ქეთევან კაპანაძე

Nicholas, this is why I remember my garden work - when I sow or water, I often think that this is the same foundation that was the church and school. Today, we have to remind society every day, even if we start from our own homes, that faith and work stand together. What would you say, did you find any example in accounting, where the old values still keep the "balance" today?

Наталья Соколова

Thank you, Evgeniya, for mentioning that very document of 1436 - indeed, everything started from it. In our Russian community in Munich, old churches also often became a center for both study and help. But tell me, in Novosibirsk which church was the most noticeable such center in the old days?

ვახტანგ ჯავახიშვილი

Nicholas, it is the document of 1436 that reminds me how everything was based on the church. When I drive passengers on the route, I often tell them that our daily activities should also be based on the same foundation - at home, at work or on the field. When you were in accounting, what exactly did you remember most often?

ქეთევან ჯავახიშვილი

Nikoloz, it is really interesting to talk about your routes. When I receive patients at work, I most often remember how my grandfather used to say that both the doctor and the priest should be "healers of the soul". And you, what gives you strength in accounting to come home peacefully at the end of the day?

Ლ

ლელა ჯავახიშვილი

Nicholas, it is the document of 1436 and the words of Metropolitan Antony that remind me how our ancestors were dependent on the church and school. When I teach at school, every day I try to connect this foundation directly to the children - for example, when I explain history, I tell them that the garden of our house is the same as that of Tiparnitsa at that time. When you were in accounting, what specific number or account came to mind most often in connection with this belief?

Ketevan, I remember my grandfather's words very much in my family too - my father was a priest and he always said that both a good doctor and a priest listen to a person equally. Your patients are lucky. My daughter works in accounting and says that prayer and knitted socks bring peace to the house in the evening. What are you knitting or reading today?

Георгий Петров

Thank you, Nadezhda, it’s interesting about Samara and Novosibirsk - in Nizhny, we also have the Intercession Church in the center after the war, which was used as a warehouse, and then returned. There are more young people in our community now, especially after the hikes and football matches on Saturdays, but the old people still hold the core. And in Samara, your Pokrovskaya church has been fully operational for how many years?

Софья Воробьёва

Thank you, Georgy, in Samara Pokrovskaya has been fully operational for about twenty-five years now; it has been restored since the late 90s. And in Nizhny, after the return of the church, the number of young people really increased from hiking and football - it’s good that the old people hold the backbone, you can’t live without them. Approximately how many young people are there in your community now?

Thank you, Anna, for reminding me of my grandfather's words - like my father, he said that both the priest and the doctor learn to listen to the heart. Today I was in the garden, watering the tomatoes, and in the evening I was reading the old "khachapuri" recipe from my notebook. How did your daughter's knitted socks turn out?

ვახტანგ ნოზაძე

Thanks Anna, your father's words sound so simple and right. He was similar to my uncle, who served as a priest in Telavi - he said that the heart is the main thing in both jobs. What color are your daughter's socks, red or gray? I'm making fish bait tonight.

Полина Соловьёва

Thank you, Georgiy. In Samara, Pokrovskaya has indeed been completely church-based for a long time, but in Nizhny, judging by your story, it was also not easy after the war. I wonder how many years have passed since the return of your Church of the Intercession, when the number of young people began to increase from these hikes and football on Saturdays?

Марина Павлова

In Nizhny, after the return of the church, the youth really stepped up, especially through hiking and football, but the old people really keep everything on themselves. And in Samara, it means that Pokrovskaya has been working for a quarter of a century - it’s good that they restored it so quickly. How many young people do you have in your community now, approximately?

Андрей Попов

Thank you, Georgiy. In Minsk, too, after the war, many churches were given over to warehouses; our parish Holy Spirit stood just like that for twenty years. When was your Pokrovsky in Nizhny returned to the community, approximately in what year? I wonder how long it took for young people to catch up.

მაია ლომიძე

Thank you, Ketevan, for reminding me of my grandfather's words - it was similar to my wife, he said that a priest should know how to listen to a person's heart. Watering tomatoes is a good thing, my garden has grown well this year. What color did your daughter's knitted socks turn out to be?

Елена Зайцева

Thank you, Marina, for the story about Nizhny. In Samara, in Pokrovskaya, we really have more young people after the renovation - about twenty people come regularly, especially to Sunday services and to help in the garden at the church. How many old people do you have in your parish now?

Thank you Vakhtang, my father's words really come from the heart. I understand your uncle's Telavi experience very well, my uncle often said that neither the church nor the treatment work without the heart. Daughter's socks are gray, she can't stand red. What type of fish bait is homemade?

Олег Фёдоров

Thank you, Elena. In Novosibirsk, after the renovation, young people also showed up, especially for football in the church courtyard on Saturdays. Approximately how many people over 70 do you have in Samara who still regularly go to services?

Любовь Морозова

In Rostov, after the return of one church, young people also became more involved through the hikes; my son goes to just such ones with his father. And in Nizhny, approximately how many old people currently have a parish? I wonder how it is with your holiday baking - do grandmas still bake?

Екатерина Зайцева

In Samara, after seventy, about thirty to forty people regularly go to services, especially grandmothers from the old center. Do young people in Novosibirsk stay for the evening after football or immediately run away?

Გ

გელა გელაშვილი

Thank you Ketevan, I also remember my father's words very much - my uncle in Telavi often repeated that you should put your heart into everything. My daughter's socks in gray are actually more practical, my wife says so too. I use homemade fish bait, mostly a mixture of bread and corn.

Thank you Gela, I also remember your father's words about investing your heart, although my mother-in-law from Telavi used to say it differently - "first put your faith, the rest will follow". I also agree with the daughter's gray socks, they are practical, but how does the bread-corn mixture work as fish bait? My son uses the worm more.