At the question „What is worth visiting in the city of Orhei?” the answer is Roman Catholic Church „Assumption of the Mother of God” from Orhei. This monument of architecture of national importance, named „the jewel of Orhei” is the pride of the city and the place where you are always welcomed with open arms.
On October, 17th 2014, the Roman Catholic Church „Assumption of the Mother of God” from Orhei celebrated its 100th anniversary. „It is an architectural marvel, having neo-Gotics elements, giving it slenderness and charm. The association with yellow stone from a „dry” career from Orhei give to church a skate which no other church I have seen in Bessarabia has” write Romanian blog pelerinaje-mariane.ro.
The history
The church can be found on the street Vasile Mahu, near the office „Moldtelecom” and it is in contrast with other buildings from the city. Imposing, enigmatic and attractive, especially when the organ is heard from inside. And if such a church is a natural thing for Paris, Berlin or London, then for Orhei it is something special, as if we had arrived on an alley in a western and by no means Bessarabian city.
The Catholic community in Orhei was formed at the beginning of the century XIX and initially existed in the parish of Chisinau. In 1895 in the city Orhei lived 125 Catholics, they attended the Holy Mass in the cities of Chisinau or Ribnita, most were Lithuanians, Poles and Germans. In 1904 catholic community addressed to Serghei D.Urusov, the governor of Bessarabia (1903-1904), with the entreaty to let the building of a Roman Catholic church.
We owe the existence of this beautiful church to Caesarina Doliwa-Dobrowolski, who was the basic founder of the cult building. It is interesting that the husband of the lady (a Russian soldier in reserve) was Orthodox and founded the Orthodox church in the village of Brăviceni, where he was buried, and Mrs Cezarina was a Catholic of Lithuanian origin, buried in the crypt of the Roman Catholic church. Their descendants settled in Switzerland and Canada visited the churches founded by their relatives several times.
The work on the Roman Catholic church in Orhei began in 1911 and was completed in 1914. The place of worship was built in neo-Gothic style, specific to the countries of northwestern Europe.
During the Second World War, more precisely during the Iasi-Chisinau operation, the church building suffered, and in 1946 it was closed by the Soviets, being transformed into a gym, and after the 90s it was used in warehouse quality for Moldtelecom.
The ruin renaissance of the Roman Catholic Church in Orhei
The Roman Catholic Church in Orhei was saved by Father Klaus Kniffki, who in 1998 urged parishioners to revive the Catholic community in Orhei. In 2001, after the restitution of the church of the Catholic community in Orhei, the Roman Catholic Episcopate of Chisinau began the restoration of the building. The church was built of stone, from the quarries in Orhei district. It is embellished with frescoes, stained glass windows and flowers. On August 15, 2008, on the feast of the Assumption, the newly restored church was consecrated.
The ruin renaissance of the Roman Catholic Church in Orhei
The Roman Catholic Church in Orhei was saved by Father Klaus Kniffki, who in 1998 urged parishioners to revive the Catholic community in Orhei. In 2001, after the restitution of the church of the Catholic community in Orhei, the Roman Catholic Episcopate of Chisinau began the restoration of the building. The church was built of stone, from the quarries in Orhei district. It is embellished with frescoes, stained glass windows and flowers. On August 15, 2008, on the feast of the Assumption, the newly restored church was consecrated.
Father VIVIAN FURTADO
On June 15, 2014, the parish priest of the community was named Father Vivian Furtado, of Indian origin, born on December 20, 1972, in Udupi, Karnataka in southern India. Vivian Furtado was born into a Catholic family, has three brothers and two sisters, one of whom is a nun. He is a missionary monk in the Congregation of the Divine Word. He knows Romanian, English, Italian, Russian and five Indian dialects. He learned Romanian in the city of Roman, Romania. Since 2003 he has been on a mission in the Republic of Moldova. He served at the Catholic parish of city Stăuceni.
Father Vivian is actively involved in community life (he is also active on Facebook) and always has a good word for all those who step on his church doorstep. He performs services every day, and on Sunday several believers come (he officiates the Holy Mass in Romanian and Russian). A day center for about 25 children operates on the territory of the church, with a program from Monday to Friday, from 12.00 to 14.00, where students prepare their homework and get involved in various activities.
English is studied at church on Sundays. The ministers of the sanctuary are also involved in charitable projects. In summer, leisure camps are organized for 80-100 children. The purpose of these activities is to organize rest and spiritual formation. Excursions are made to the Curchi monastery. Father Vivian Furtado considers it necessary to know both churches - Orthodox and Catholic. The father is feeling well in the Republic of Moldova. He says people are very friendly. However, he notes that both parents and children do not know much about Christian teaching. People know how to have fun, but often they can't find an hour to go to church. They should not forget God, for peace of mind. Father Vivian Furtado studies the documents of the Catholic Church and the sermons of Pope Francis. The presence of an intelligent and sociable priest in the religious and cultural life of Orhei brings a special charm to the city.
Returning to the past
The restoration, although difficult, is moving forward with luck. „We know that the architects were from St. Petersburg, and the style of construction is very close to a pure Gothic, only it is very small. A gem! We try to restore all the initial elements, from the few stuccoes or relief sculptures to the warheads and forged elements of the windows and the small rose window in the stained glass window”, says the father, who wants to draw our attention that, since it could not be removed enough material from the old stone mine that supplied the builders a century ago, much was sought for the stone with both a yellowish hue and the porosity of the original one. He shows us the rows of parallelepiped stones: „I brought them from the Crimea!”.
The social component
„When I came to Bessarabia, to Stăuceni, in 1996, I took care of more children. I was here for 3 or 4 years and I had a community of children and four or five adults of Catholic descent – ethnic Poles and Lithuanians. But more and more children were coming and one day I decided to build a church. And at that moment, you will not believe, the church was filled with adults.”
„It was an extraordinary phenomenon! The work of the Lord!”, Father Klaus Kniffki confesses to us about the believers he pastors in the Catholic parish of Stăuceni, Bessarabia. Then a social canteen was built and put into use here. „We felt compelled to feed these children, whose parents are often away working,” he said. „Our mission has always had a social component.”
A brief review of the main historical landmarks of the Roman Catholic Church in the current space of the Republic of Moldova demonstrates that this religious institution, until the Soviet intervention, was on the rise. In the 19th century, the number of Catholic believers in Bessarabia increased due to immigrants and settlers, especially Germans, and the massive exodus of Poles. Despite the unfavourable conditions generated by the Polish uprising of 1863 and the anarchist movement in the Russian Empire, the number of Catholics in the region steadily increased from 4,500 in 1840 to 20,000 in 1897. Most believers were concentrated in Chisinau. In 1926, there were 12,325 Catholics in Bessarabia. There were nine parishes, pastored by eight priests, who served in six churches and eight chapels. The aim of the anti-religious policy promoted by the Soviet authorities was to substantially reduce the number of believers. Catholics in the Moldovan SSR, mostly of Polish, German, Ukrainian and Armenian descent, also suffered from this policy. The assets of the Roman Catholic Church were nationalized, churches, parish houses, chapels were closed. Administratively, there were three Catholic dioceses in the USSR, two for Lithuania and one, based in Riga, for the rest of the Soviet Union, including the Moldovan SSR. There were only two Catholic seminaries - in Riga (Latvia) and Kaunas (Lithuania). The Roman Catholic Church and its servants were considered by the Soviet system elements of capitalist imperialism, destructive elements of Soviet society. If in 1945, in the Moldavian SSR, seven parishes (Chisinau, Balti, Bender, Orhei, Ribnita, Rascov and Soroca) of the Roman Catholic community were active, in 1949 there were four, and in 1960 only two, as the only space reserved for believers. Roman Catholics on the territory of the MSSR to be transferred to the Chapel of the Catholic Cemetery in Chisinau (former Armenian Chapel, in 1950 it was rented to Catholics), a building built between 1910 and 1914 at the initiative of the Armenian philanthropist, officer, landlord, president of the Zemstva Bălți, Iacob Grigorie Marcarov (1861-1936). To alienate the property of some churches, the Soviet authorities instituted a policy of confrontation between religious communities. Thus, in 1944, the Armenian Church in Bălți „St. Gregory the Enlightenment” (which has been in operation since 1912) was given to the Roman Catholic Church.
The large-scale persecutions of the Roman Catholic Church were directly related to the policy of the Soviet system of the annihilation of religious life in the Soviet Union. In 1977, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution, balance sheet analyzes were performed in all areas of activity. On this occasion, it was found that if before 1917 there were 4,233 Catholic churches in the Russian Empire, in 1977 only 1,014 remained in the USSR. In the second half of the 1980s, against the background of Gorbachev restructuring and transparency, the Roman Catholic community like the other believers, he was revived and moved to a new stage of spiritual rebirth.
The Catholic community in Orhei was formed at the beginning of the century XIX and initially existed in the parish of Chisinau. In 1895, 125 Catholics lived in the city of Orhei, including 60 males and 65 females. They participated in the Holy Mass in Chisinau or Ribnita.
In 1904 the Catholic community addressed Sergei D. Urusov, the governor of Bessarabia (1903-1904), with the request to allow the construction of a Roman Catholic church. Upon request, the plans for the future building were attached for approval.
The church began to be built in 1911, and the works were completed in 1914. The place of worship, built-in neo-Gothic style (specific to the countries of northwestern Europe), was built on land purchased from the Orthodox Church „St. Nicolae”. The basic founders of the cult building were members of the Doliwa-Dobrowolski family, landowners, especially Cesarina Doliwa-Dobrowolski (1841–1924), buried in the church tomb. Her descendants settled in Switzerland and Canada visited the shrine several times.
In 1934, the parish of Orhei was visited by the bishop of Iaşi, Mihai Robu, who officiated the Holy Pontifical Liturgy, at which „about 40 people shared, and 24 people received St. Mir”. In the context of this canonical visit, the press of the time records: „Orhei is a small parish, but it forms the centre for many Catholics scattered in this county”.
In 1940, Bessarabia was incorporated into the USSR, and some Catholic believers emigrated to Romania. The holy liturgies in the sanctuary of Orhei were rarely celebrated by the priest who came from Tighina.
Like other buildings in the town, the church suffered during the Iasi-Chisinau operation
The local council of Orhei, following the requests of the local Komsomolists, ordered, on August 1, 1946, the closure of the church, located on the main street of the city, which bore the name of the „father of peoples” I.V. Stalin. As a reason for closing the sanctuary, the lack of Polish believers and the non-functioning of the church for 50 years (sic!) Were invoked. The building was transferred to the management of the District Directorate for Physical Education and Sports, being transformed into a gym. The building was later used as a radio station. After 1990 it was used as a warehouse for Moldtelecom.
The church was revived thanks to Father Klaus Kniffki of the Congregation for the Divine Word, who in 1998 urged parishioners to revive the Catholic community in Orhei.
In 2001, after the restitution of the church of the Catholic community in Orhei, the Roman Catholic Episcopate of Chisinau began the restoration of the building. Evgheni Smolin was the chief architect of the restoration project. The church was built of stone, from the quarries in Orhei district. It is embellished with frescoes, stained glass windows and flowers. On August 15, 2008, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, PS Anton Coşa consecrated the newly restored church. According to the 2004 census, there were 88 Catholics in Orhei district.
Schedule: winter: 9.00 - 16.00, summer: 9.00 - 17.00
Address: Orhei, 117 Vasile Mahu Street
According to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chisinau, there are 16 churches of this cult in Moldova, most of them reopened in the last decade. Three of them are in Chisinau, and the rest - in the districts. Among the last places built in the Roman Catholic church in Ungheni. The services are held here in Russian and Polish, and for the seven families from Sculeni who come to the religious ceremonies, in Romanian. In 2010, the “Holy Archangels” Church in Bălţi was established, the only Roman Catholic place of worship in the city, which is located on the territory of the central park in the city. The church was built for more than ten years.
The sources:
On October, 17th 2014, the Roman Catholic Church „Assumption of the Mother of God” from Orhei celebrated its 100th anniversary. „It is an architectural marvel, having neo-Gotics elements, giving it slenderness and charm. The association with yellow stone from a „dry” career from Orhei give to church a skate which no other church I have seen in Bessarabia has” write Romanian blog pelerinaje-mariane.ro.
The history
The church can be found on the street Vasile Mahu, near the office „Moldtelecom” and it is in contrast with other buildings from the city. Imposing, enigmatic and attractive, especially when the organ is heard from inside. And if such a church is a natural thing for Paris, Berlin or London, then for Orhei it is something special, as if we had arrived on an alley in a western and by no means Bessarabian city.
The Catholic community in Orhei was formed at the beginning of the century XIX and initially existed in the parish of Chisinau. In 1895 in the city Orhei lived 125 Catholics, they attended the Holy Mass in the cities of Chisinau or Ribnita, most were Lithuanians, Poles and Germans. In 1904 catholic community addressed to Serghei D.Urusov, the governor of Bessarabia (1903-1904), with the entreaty to let the building of a Roman Catholic church.
We owe the existence of this beautiful church to Caesarina Doliwa-Dobrowolski, who was the basic founder of the cult building. It is interesting that the husband of the lady (a Russian soldier in reserve) was Orthodox and founded the Orthodox church in the village of Brăviceni, where he was buried, and Mrs Cezarina was a Catholic of Lithuanian origin, buried in the crypt of the Roman Catholic church. Their descendants settled in Switzerland and Canada visited the churches founded by their relatives several times.
The work on the Roman Catholic church in Orhei began in 1911 and was completed in 1914. The place of worship was built in neo-Gothic style, specific to the countries of northwestern Europe.
During the Second World War, more precisely during the Iasi-Chisinau operation, the church building suffered, and in 1946 it was closed by the Soviets, being transformed into a gym, and after the 90s it was used in warehouse quality for Moldtelecom.
The ruin renaissance of the Roman Catholic Church in Orhei
The Roman Catholic Church in Orhei was saved by Father Klaus Kniffki, who in 1998 urged parishioners to revive the Catholic community in Orhei. In 2001, after the restitution of the church of the Catholic community in Orhei, the Roman Catholic Episcopate of Chisinau began the restoration of the building. The church was built of stone, from the quarries in Orhei district. It is embellished with frescoes, stained glass windows and flowers. On August 15, 2008, on the feast of the Assumption, the newly restored church was consecrated.
The ruin renaissance of the Roman Catholic Church in Orhei
The Roman Catholic Church in Orhei was saved by Father Klaus Kniffki, who in 1998 urged parishioners to revive the Catholic community in Orhei. In 2001, after the restitution of the church of the Catholic community in Orhei, the Roman Catholic Episcopate of Chisinau began the restoration of the building. The church was built of stone, from the quarries in Orhei district. It is embellished with frescoes, stained glass windows and flowers. On August 15, 2008, on the feast of the Assumption, the newly restored church was consecrated.
Father VIVIAN FURTADO
On June 15, 2014, the parish priest of the community was named Father Vivian Furtado, of Indian origin, born on December 20, 1972, in Udupi, Karnataka in southern India. Vivian Furtado was born into a Catholic family, has three brothers and two sisters, one of whom is a nun. He is a missionary monk in the Congregation of the Divine Word. He knows Romanian, English, Italian, Russian and five Indian dialects. He learned Romanian in the city of Roman, Romania. Since 2003 he has been on a mission in the Republic of Moldova. He served at the Catholic parish of city Stăuceni.
Father Vivian is actively involved in community life (he is also active on Facebook) and always has a good word for all those who step on his church doorstep. He performs services every day, and on Sunday several believers come (he officiates the Holy Mass in Romanian and Russian). A day center for about 25 children operates on the territory of the church, with a program from Monday to Friday, from 12.00 to 14.00, where students prepare their homework and get involved in various activities.
English is studied at church on Sundays. The ministers of the sanctuary are also involved in charitable projects. In summer, leisure camps are organized for 80-100 children. The purpose of these activities is to organize rest and spiritual formation. Excursions are made to the Curchi monastery. Father Vivian Furtado considers it necessary to know both churches - Orthodox and Catholic. The father is feeling well in the Republic of Moldova. He says people are very friendly. However, he notes that both parents and children do not know much about Christian teaching. People know how to have fun, but often they can't find an hour to go to church. They should not forget God, for peace of mind. Father Vivian Furtado studies the documents of the Catholic Church and the sermons of Pope Francis. The presence of an intelligent and sociable priest in the religious and cultural life of Orhei brings a special charm to the city.
Returning to the past
The restoration, although difficult, is moving forward with luck. „We know that the architects were from St. Petersburg, and the style of construction is very close to a pure Gothic, only it is very small. A gem! We try to restore all the initial elements, from the few stuccoes or relief sculptures to the warheads and forged elements of the windows and the small rose window in the stained glass window”, says the father, who wants to draw our attention that, since it could not be removed enough material from the old stone mine that supplied the builders a century ago, much was sought for the stone with both a yellowish hue and the porosity of the original one. He shows us the rows of parallelepiped stones: „I brought them from the Crimea!”.
The social component
„When I came to Bessarabia, to Stăuceni, in 1996, I took care of more children. I was here for 3 or 4 years and I had a community of children and four or five adults of Catholic descent – ethnic Poles and Lithuanians. But more and more children were coming and one day I decided to build a church. And at that moment, you will not believe, the church was filled with adults.”
„It was an extraordinary phenomenon! The work of the Lord!”, Father Klaus Kniffki confesses to us about the believers he pastors in the Catholic parish of Stăuceni, Bessarabia. Then a social canteen was built and put into use here. „We felt compelled to feed these children, whose parents are often away working,” he said. „Our mission has always had a social component.”
A brief review of the main historical landmarks of the Roman Catholic Church in the current space of the Republic of Moldova demonstrates that this religious institution, until the Soviet intervention, was on the rise. In the 19th century, the number of Catholic believers in Bessarabia increased due to immigrants and settlers, especially Germans, and the massive exodus of Poles. Despite the unfavourable conditions generated by the Polish uprising of 1863 and the anarchist movement in the Russian Empire, the number of Catholics in the region steadily increased from 4,500 in 1840 to 20,000 in 1897. Most believers were concentrated in Chisinau. In 1926, there were 12,325 Catholics in Bessarabia. There were nine parishes, pastored by eight priests, who served in six churches and eight chapels. The aim of the anti-religious policy promoted by the Soviet authorities was to substantially reduce the number of believers. Catholics in the Moldovan SSR, mostly of Polish, German, Ukrainian and Armenian descent, also suffered from this policy. The assets of the Roman Catholic Church were nationalized, churches, parish houses, chapels were closed. Administratively, there were three Catholic dioceses in the USSR, two for Lithuania and one, based in Riga, for the rest of the Soviet Union, including the Moldovan SSR. There were only two Catholic seminaries - in Riga (Latvia) and Kaunas (Lithuania). The Roman Catholic Church and its servants were considered by the Soviet system elements of capitalist imperialism, destructive elements of Soviet society. If in 1945, in the Moldavian SSR, seven parishes (Chisinau, Balti, Bender, Orhei, Ribnita, Rascov and Soroca) of the Roman Catholic community were active, in 1949 there were four, and in 1960 only two, as the only space reserved for believers. Roman Catholics on the territory of the MSSR to be transferred to the Chapel of the Catholic Cemetery in Chisinau (former Armenian Chapel, in 1950 it was rented to Catholics), a building built between 1910 and 1914 at the initiative of the Armenian philanthropist, officer, landlord, president of the Zemstva Bălți, Iacob Grigorie Marcarov (1861-1936). To alienate the property of some churches, the Soviet authorities instituted a policy of confrontation between religious communities. Thus, in 1944, the Armenian Church in Bălți „St. Gregory the Enlightenment” (which has been in operation since 1912) was given to the Roman Catholic Church.
The large-scale persecutions of the Roman Catholic Church were directly related to the policy of the Soviet system of the annihilation of religious life in the Soviet Union. In 1977, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution, balance sheet analyzes were performed in all areas of activity. On this occasion, it was found that if before 1917 there were 4,233 Catholic churches in the Russian Empire, in 1977 only 1,014 remained in the USSR. In the second half of the 1980s, against the background of Gorbachev restructuring and transparency, the Roman Catholic community like the other believers, he was revived and moved to a new stage of spiritual rebirth.
The Catholic community in Orhei was formed at the beginning of the century XIX and initially existed in the parish of Chisinau. In 1895, 125 Catholics lived in the city of Orhei, including 60 males and 65 females. They participated in the Holy Mass in Chisinau or Ribnita.
In 1904 the Catholic community addressed Sergei D. Urusov, the governor of Bessarabia (1903-1904), with the request to allow the construction of a Roman Catholic church. Upon request, the plans for the future building were attached for approval.
The church began to be built in 1911, and the works were completed in 1914. The place of worship, built-in neo-Gothic style (specific to the countries of northwestern Europe), was built on land purchased from the Orthodox Church „St. Nicolae”. The basic founders of the cult building were members of the Doliwa-Dobrowolski family, landowners, especially Cesarina Doliwa-Dobrowolski (1841–1924), buried in the church tomb. Her descendants settled in Switzerland and Canada visited the shrine several times.
In 1934, the parish of Orhei was visited by the bishop of Iaşi, Mihai Robu, who officiated the Holy Pontifical Liturgy, at which „about 40 people shared, and 24 people received St. Mir”. In the context of this canonical visit, the press of the time records: „Orhei is a small parish, but it forms the centre for many Catholics scattered in this county”.
In 1940, Bessarabia was incorporated into the USSR, and some Catholic believers emigrated to Romania. The holy liturgies in the sanctuary of Orhei were rarely celebrated by the priest who came from Tighina.
Like other buildings in the town, the church suffered during the Iasi-Chisinau operation
The local council of Orhei, following the requests of the local Komsomolists, ordered, on August 1, 1946, the closure of the church, located on the main street of the city, which bore the name of the „father of peoples” I.V. Stalin. As a reason for closing the sanctuary, the lack of Polish believers and the non-functioning of the church for 50 years (sic!) Were invoked. The building was transferred to the management of the District Directorate for Physical Education and Sports, being transformed into a gym. The building was later used as a radio station. After 1990 it was used as a warehouse for Moldtelecom.
The church was revived thanks to Father Klaus Kniffki of the Congregation for the Divine Word, who in 1998 urged parishioners to revive the Catholic community in Orhei.
In 2001, after the restitution of the church of the Catholic community in Orhei, the Roman Catholic Episcopate of Chisinau began the restoration of the building. Evgheni Smolin was the chief architect of the restoration project. The church was built of stone, from the quarries in Orhei district. It is embellished with frescoes, stained glass windows and flowers. On August 15, 2008, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, PS Anton Coşa consecrated the newly restored church. According to the 2004 census, there were 88 Catholics in Orhei district.
Schedule: winter: 9.00 - 16.00, summer: 9.00 - 17.00
Address: Orhei, 117 Vasile Mahu Street
According to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chisinau, there are 16 churches of this cult in Moldova, most of them reopened in the last decade. Three of them are in Chisinau, and the rest - in the districts. Among the last places built in the Roman Catholic church in Ungheni. The services are held here in Russian and Polish, and for the seven families from Sculeni who come to the religious ceremonies, in Romanian. In 2010, the “Holy Archangels” Church in Bălţi was established, the only Roman Catholic place of worship in the city, which is located on the territory of the central park in the city. The church was built for more than ten years.
The sources:
- Biserica romano-catolică din Orhei [online] [citat 11.05.20]. Disponibil: wikipedia.org
- #VisitOrhei – Biserica Romano-Catolică din Orhei [online] [citat 11.05.20]. Disponibil: orheianca.eu
- Biserica romano-catolică din Orhei [online] [citat 11.05.20]. Disponibil: observatorul.md
- Biserica romano-catolică din Orhei a sărbătorit O SUTĂ de ANI/FOTO [online] [citat 11.05.20]. Disponibil: radioorhei.info
- (foto) Perla arhitecturală din centrul Orheiului – Biserica Romano-Catolică [online] [citat 11.05.20]. Disponibil: diez.md
- ZECE CURIOZITĂȚI DESPRE BISERICA ROMANO-CATOLICĂ „ADORMIREA MAICII DOMNULUI” DIN ORHEI [online] [citat 11.05.20]. Disponibil: enciclopedia.asm.md
- Vechea Biserică catolică din Orhei [online] [citat 11.05.20]. Disponibil: pelerinaje-mariane.ro
The sources of photos:diez.md, orheianca.eu
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