#Exhibit of the Month

The Gospel is a fundamental liturgical book of the Orthodox Church that brings together the four apostolic testimonies about the Son of God - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - "inspired by the same Holy Spirit, the one true and sole author of the Gospel." The Gospel, or the Good News, testifying to the Glory of Christ, refers to the full teaching and deeds of the Savior; the four Gospels are regarded as the four sustaining pillars of the Church.
St. Jerome (c. 340-420), author of the first complete Latin translation of the Holy Scriptures, assigned to the four evangelists the living creatures that appear in the vision of the prophet Ezekiel (1:5). Thus, the Evangelist Matthew, the first to relate the Nativity of the Lord, is accompanied in imagery by the angel who announced the miracle; the Evangelist Mark, likened to St. John the Baptist - "the voice of one crying in the wilderness" - is associated with the lion. The Evangelist Luke, who opens his Gospel with the priest Zechariah, is personified by the winged ox, recalling the ox's sacrificial role; and the Evangelist John, for his elevated theological vision, is associated with the eagle.
This altar Gospel, printed in 1890 at the Lavra Pecerska printing house in Kyiv, contains - in addition to the four canonical Gospels - other liturgical texts: readings for Vespers, the Divine Liturgy, prayers, and services.
It is a large-format Gospel measuring 37 × 48 cm, bound in cardboard and leather. The gilded metal cover is fitted with two metal clasps and gilt edges. Five vertical-oval icon plaques in polychrome enamel are applied to the cover, which is engraved with vegetal and geometric ornamentation. The central plaque depicts the "Resurrection of the Lord"; in the corners of the upper register appear the faces of the Evangelists Matthew and John, and in the lower register those of Luke and Mark. Printed in red and black, the volume comprises 428 leaves; the text is enriched with various typographic ornaments - vignettes, initials, engravings, frontispieces, etc. Pagination is indicated on the leaves, the folio number appearing in the upper right.
The Gospel of Matthew is printed on pages 1-105, the opening page accompanied by the scene of the Nativity of the Lord. The Gospel of Mark continues on pages 104-168, its representative scene being the Baptism of the Lord. The Gospel according to Luke occupies pages 172-273, its opening page bearing the scene of the Annunciation. The Gospel according to John is included between pages 280-358, the evocative scene being the Crucifixion of the Lord.

The Lavra Pecerska printing house, cited in the colophon, has long roots - traditionally founded by Archimandrite Elisei Pletenetsky (1595-1624) in 1615 - although the precise dates of its earliest publications remain a matter of debate. This copy entered the collections of the National Museum of History of Moldova under inventory number FB-23062-35; acquired in 1982, it was transferred to the MNIM collections in 1996 from the holdings of the Museum of the History of Religion.

Virtual Tour

Events Archive

Opening of the photographic art exhibition "Impressions of India"

June 4, 2024

On June 4, at the National Museum of History of Moldova, the opening of the photographic art exhibition "Impressions from India" by the artist Paul Bock (USA), organized by the International Association "Euro Photo Art" from Oradea (AIEFA) took place.

This exhibition, organized under the auspices of the International Federation of Photographic Art recognized by UNESCO, in collaboration with the National Museum of History of Moldova, the Embassy of India in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, and Summit Agro Romania, part of the Japanese Corporation "Sumitomo", supporter of agriculture and of art, presents a selection of 50 large photographs taken by Paul Bock, originally from Oradea and AIEFA member. The photos were captured during a trip to India in the year 2022.

The General Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Ana Varzari, the former Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Natalia Gavriliță, the Deputy Mayor of Chisinau, Angela Cutasevici, the Ambassador of India to Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Albania, Rahul Shrivastava, the curator of the exhibition, the photographer Ștefan Tóth István, the president of AFIAP, ESFIAP, and representatives of the Summit Agro Company from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria and Adria.

The general director of NMHM, Eugen Sava, stated that this is the first thematic exhibition dedicated to India hosted by the National Museum of History of Moldova. "For the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, India is an enigma, and through this exhibition, supported by the Embassy of India, we have the opportunity to discover this country with a rich history. This is proof of the international collaboration between our countries".

Ana Varzari, General Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, emphasized that the "Impressions of India" exhibition is not just a simple collection of photographs. "These impressive images provide a window into a millennia-old civilization, India's tourist attractions and beauties, its daily life and culture. Last year, the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova was opened in New Delhi, which we hope will become a catalyst for bilateral projects. We hope this exhibition will help our citizens to know India better."

India's Ambassador to Romania, Republic of Moldova and Albania, Rahul Shrivastava, highlighted the importance of cultural diplomacy and cultural relations between the two countries, thanking the National History Museum of Moldova for hosting the exhibition.

During the event, the photo album "Impressions from India" by Paul Bock was launched, made with the financial support of the Embassy of India in Romania and published by "Euro Foto Art" Publishing House. Viola artist Thurzó Sándor József from Oradea performed several pieces from the Indian repertoire, including "Poor Heart" by A.R. Rahman, 'Fire in Poroshmoni City' by R. Tagore, 'I Still Want You' by Mithoon and 'Sare Jahan Se Acha' by Suhale Mazoor.

The photographic art exhibition "Impressions from India" can be seen until June 30, in the hall on the ground floor of the National Museum of History of Moldova, Chisinau, str. 31 August 1989, 121A.

#Exhibit of the Month

Altar Gospel (1890)

Opening of the photographic art exhibition "Impressions of India"

June 4, 2024

#Exhibit of the Month