#Exhibit of the Month

We find ourselves in the month of April, as we prepare to celebrate Easter-a moveable religious holiday rich in festive rituals and ceremonial activities that place this event at the very heart of Christian spiritual life. The spirit of the Resurrection is beautifully complemented by ten Easter-themed postcards from the heritage of the National Museum of History of Moldova, printed a century ago. These pieces were added to the museum's postcard collection over a decade ago following a successful acquisition; as the fund for Easter-themed illustrations is modest, we are in a constant search for new additions.

These postcards are "extraordinary" in terms of their postal, typographical, and chromatic effects-the primary reason for revisiting this genre of greetings. Unlike "classic" postcards, these are smaller in size (6.5 cm x 11 cm), made of cardboard (with the exception of one piece made of photographic paper in black and white), and feature "vivid" colors. Printed in Romania and Germany, they bear the marks of having been sent and circulated through the post.

The name of the holiday originates from the verb persach, meaning "to pass," a term adopted by the Jews from the Egyptians. It entered the Romanian language through the Byzantine-Latin form Paschae, signifying the "passage through death to life, the victory of life, and liberation from the bondage of sin." Easter is a holiday of tolerance and forgiveness, representing a bridge between the present and the past. The significance of this celebration is conveyed through its symbols, which are also featured on these postcards: Hand-painted eggs, the Easter Bunny and the Lamb, traditional sweet breads (cozonac and pască), biblical scenes related to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Easter table also features pască-a ritual food reminiscent of ancient, bloodless "reconciliation" sacrifices. Its preparation is the exclusive task of women, the givers of life, as the leavened dough is considered "alive."

The most significant component of the Easter holiday, however, is the Light. The Ceremony of the Holy Light is associated with the miracle of the light appearing on Easter Sunday at Christ's Tomb in Jerusalem. The candle, often depicted in these images, carries a powerful message; it is with the Resurrection candle that we return home after the midnight religious service. Furthermore, the Easter Bunny represents the rebirth of nature, so eagerly awaited after a harsh winter.

Unlike Christmas, when the announcement and ritual integration of the community into sacred time was the duty of caroling groups, at Easter, "one does not go from house to house." Instead, the ritual meal is organized within each family, symbolizing a direct communion with God.

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Events Archive

The European Night of Museums 2022

„The light gives splendor to the night…” May 14, 2022

On Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 18:00 to 23:00, at the National Museum of History of Moldova, one of the most important events in the life of the world museum community took place - the European Night of Museums, which this year was held under the motto "The light gives splendor to the night...". This is the 18th edition of the event initiated by the French Ministry of Culture, which is currently under the patronage of UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the International Council of Museums (ICOM).

The National Museum of the History of Moldova, in cooperation with our partners, has prepared a rich and full of surprises program for visitors. The evening began with a choreographic show "Dancing on the Edge of Time" performed by students of the Faculty of Choreographic Art of the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts, coordinated by Snejana Apostol. During the evening, three more dance shows were presented in different rooms of the museum, which were meant to invite visitors to learn history through dance, so that "through the dance the history becomes visible". That night, the Blue Room of the museum became the temple of the "Music for Peace". The divine voices of the girls from the "Cantabile" choir of the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, under the direction of Elena Marian, accompanist Vitalie Mosiiciuc, sounded in a wonderful concert of choral music.

A balm for the soul was the concert of classical music "Discover Classical Music in the Museum" performed by the members of the musical and literary salon "Vine and Lyra". Extraordinary voices of soloists Nicolae Busuioc, People's Artist of the Republic of Moldova; Angela Apti, Honored Artist of the Republic of Moldova, soloist of the Maria Bieșu National Opera and Ballet Theatre; Alexei Digore, soloist of the Maria Bieșu National Opera and Ballet Theatre; Tatiana Gavrilița, laureate of republican and international vocal competitions, brought light, emotions and grandiose resonance to this magical evening at the museum.

The museum courtyard was the place where visitors enjoyed the screening of the film "From the museum's collections", sat on the grass, admired the exhibits and the reconstruction of the Cucuteni culture dwelling, took pictures against the backdrop of the beautifully lit museum building.

During the evening, Cărturești in the Museum offered a series of authors' recitals, with the title "Literary Ambiences", where they highlighted the museum's heritage and perpetuated the light through decorations and books.

At the same time, Tucano Coffee Moldova prepared an extremely interesting quest for history lovers and offered many surprises and prizes.

The evening culminated with the parade of torchbearers, a unique show of medieval fighting, organized by the Ensifer Historical Club under the direction of Mikhail Tereshchenko, and the fire show by the Kairos Club under the direction of Elena Trukhina.

The Night of Museums is over, but the emotions are still there! We are very glad that on the Night of Museums we saw in our rooms a huge number of beautiful and friendly people, lovers of history and beauty, who opened their souls to this event.

We sincerely thank the staff of the National Museum of History of Moldova, who was involved in the event, ensuring its smooth running, as well as our guests and partners.

Event Partners: Cărturești in the Museum; 513; Cantabile Youth Choir of the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova; Faculty of Choreographic Art of the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts; Vine and Lyra Musical and Literary Salon, Ensifer Historical Club; Kairos Club.

Media Partners: Agora.md; ZUGO; diez.md; TV Moldova1.