"Three Hierarchs" Church

 

 

The Monastery of the Holy Three Hierarchs (Vasile cel Mare, Grigore Teologul and Ioan Gură de Aur) represents a central nucleus of the culture, history and ecclesiastical area of ​​Iași. The church was built during 2 years, between 1637-1639, under the guidance of Voivode Vasile Lupu.

 

Immediately after the construction of the beautiful monastery with Romanian valences and motifs, Vasile Lupu received as a gift, in 1641, from Constantinople, the relics of Saint Parascheva which are placed in a specially built area in marble, matched with precious stones and mosaics from the life of the Saint . The relics of the Protector of Moldavia have been inside the “Trisfetitele” church for more than 250 years before being moved to the Metropolitan Church of Moldavia in 1889.

Today, in the niche that once housed the coffin of St. Paraschiva, rest the relics of St. Hierarch Vasile the Great, received as a token of gratitude by Voivode Vasile Lupul in 1650. 

 

The monastery complex has an engraved stone that specifies that the church was consecrated by Metropolitan Varlaam on May 6, 1639 and erected in the name of the three hierarchs. The patron saint of the “Three Hierarchs” Church takes place annually on January 30, once the celebration of the 3 saints.

 

The "Holy Three Hierarchs" Monastery is the most beautiful foundation of the ruler Vasile Lupu. The current appearance of the monastery is the result of the restoration works of the architect Andre Lecomte de Nouy, ​​carried out between 1882 and 1904. The external structure has been preserved, due to which the monastery is unique in the Romanian ecclesiastical architecture. The ornaments that cover the entire building and were originally gilded, combine Turkish, Arabic, Georgian, Armenian and Persian elements with Romanian architectural motifs, in a beautiful stone lacework (there are over 30 registers of decorative motifs that are not repeated) .