Manastiri romanesti: Dintr-un Lemn

[altmariusgeo]

www.romanianmonasteries.go.ro DINTR-UN LEMN Monastery Francesti commune, Valcea county. Convent for nuns. Dedication day: “Birth of the Virgin” 8 September.

The church of the monastery was constructed of wood to the end of the 16th century and at the beginning of the 17th century. The church of stones was erected during the reign of Preda Brancoveanu Voivode between 1634 and 1635. In 1684, during the reign of Serban Cantacuzino Voivode, a porch was also added to the holy establishment. In 1707, masters Preda and Ianache have built the tower, which was placed on the pronaos, and the painter Constantinos executed the paintings inside the church.

The monastery was partially reconstructed by the middle of the 20th century, when the old iconostasis of the church was replaced with a new iconostasis. During the same period, a new group of monastic cells was built on the eastern side of the main precinct of the holy establishment, whereas several outbuildings which were designed for monastic domestic uses were erected at the main entrance to the monastery and on the northern side of the establishment. Between 1926 and 1930, as well as between 1938 and 1939, the monastery was renovated and several new monastic cells were constructed. In 1955, the entire monastic establishment has undergone major repairs and alterations, as well as improvement work on the overall structure. Extensive restoration activities were also carried out between 1962 and 1963 and in 1969 the monastery was provided with modern conveniences (included electric light). Inside the church, there are the tombs of the son and of the daughter-in-law of Serban Cantacuzino Voivode.

A hospital was also accommodated within the monastery grounds. The church of this hospital, whose dedicated day was "The Dormition", was constructed of wood between 1810 and 1814. This church was erected on the place where once there had stood an oak-tree which had had the Theotokos carved into it. The church was built on the foundations of an earlier church, which had been constructed through the generosity of Princess Ancuta, the daughter of Mircea Ciobanul Voivode and of his wife Chiajna, in the 16th century. Widespread damage was inflicted on the holy establishment by a disastrous fire that broke out in the 18th century. The monastery possesses one of the most valuable collections of old liturgical objects. The Four-Gospels, which dates from the time of Constantin Brancoveanu Voivode, and of an old icon, covered with silver and dedicated to the Theotokos. The icon was found in an oak-tree, the local people decided to have a small church constructed of the wood of that special oak-tree. In order to remind the people of that miraculous event, the monastery was given the name of "Dintr-un Lemn" ("Built of one piece of wood"). The golden cover of the icon dates from 1711. As regards the hand of the Theotokos and the ring of light around her head, as well as the small crown on the head of the Infant Jesus, they are part of the national monastic patrimony, and are on display in the Museum of the National History of Romania, in Bucharest.