In 2004, Moldova will celebrate the 500th Anniversary since
the death of Stephan III, a remarkable ruler, whose active
life was the brightest example of striving of the Moldovans
to enhance their state, and their readiness to die for the
country's independence. Moreover, owing to fight for independence
of the small country, Stephan managed to pass on the Greek-Byzantine
spirituality to the rest of the world. No doubt, the year
of Stephan the Great is a remarkable benchmark for all citizens
who are interested in and proud of their country's past,
and a test of its kind for the historians. It is their duty
to ensure a broad and objective display of documents concerning
the great Moldovan ruler.
In this connection, the most challenging issue is to find
unknown records concerning Moldova of the time. The most
promising direction for this search is Athos, or the Holy
Mount. Here, on the Greek territory, brothers-monks hold
twenty fortified monasteries which belong to the Greeks,
Bulgarians, Russians and others. Athos became a place of
concentration of Eastern Christian cloisters and turned
into the biggest religious, philosophic and cultural centre
of the Orthodox world.
Stephan the Great (a fresco from
Voronetz monastery, Romania)
The Ottoman conquerors (since
1430) chose the way of economic suffocation of the Orthodox
strongholds on the Holy Mount. It was Stephan the Great
who saved the monasteries of inevitable death: he paid off
their debts and taxes and offered lands to the monks in
Moldavia. Evidence of such activities of the Moldavian gospodars
(princes or rulers) is illustrated, for instance, by Stephan's
own banner in Zographou monastery on Athos, grants to the
monasteries Gregoriou, Saint-Paul and other, or the wharf-castle
with inscriptions and emblems of Bogdan III, Stephan's son,
as well as numerous official documents.
Unfortunately, Moldavia's outstanding contribution to preservation
of the Orthodox culture and civilisation is understudied
and little known to the world. The time has come to organise
an international expedition to Athos in order to study exceptional
sites of Medieval Moldavia.
The standart of Stephen III, which was presented him
to the Athonian monastery Zographos
Project's main activities
are aimed, first of all, at elimination of "blank spots"
in Moldova's past, by a targeted study and further popularisation
of Moldavian antiquities from the Holy Mount, and generally,
by study of Moldova's cultural heritage.
Except these purely scientific results, this expedition
and shooting of the documentary, will enable enhancement
of Moldova's position and prestige of the Moldovan Metropolis,
it will extend Moldova-Greece relations in scientific, cultural
and religious spheres.
Provided that the Project enjoys a successful implementation,
we can expect a quicker integration of our society, and
understanding of our country's past as a value in itself
and a unique phenomenon.
