Chisinau residents mark city's Dedication Day

Chisinau, 14 October /MOLDPRES/ - Thousands of Chisinau residents today assembled in the centre of the city to mark the capital’s Dedication Day, the 583rd anniversary of the first documented mention of the settlement. On this day, the old-style Orthodox Christians celebrate the Holy Protection of the Mother of God.    

Today morning, representatives of the central public administration laid flowers at the monument to Ruler Stefan cel Mare. At the same time, the Holy Liturgy was officiated at the Birth of God Metropolitan Cathedral.   

Exhibitions of workmanship, floriculture, books, painting, graphic, etc. were inaugurated on the square of the Metropolitan Cathedral. The official inauguration of the Chisinau Dedication Day holiday took place on the square of the Birth of God Metropolitan Cathedral, after the Holy Liturgy.   

In his pastoral letter, Metropolitan of Chisinau and All Moldova, Most Right Reverend Vladimir said that not only on this day, but throughout the year, Christian appeal to the Mother of God to protect them from every evil, to cover us with Her Holy Protection. ‘’I want to congratulate everybody on this nice event, the Dedication Day of the Chisinau municipality. There is an altar dedicated to this great holiday in our municipal and Metropolitan Cathedral, as the Chisinau city was founded close to the period of the holiday of the Holy Protection of the Mother of God,’’ Most Right Reverend Vladimir stressed.    

In his speech, the acting general mayor of Chisinau, Adrian Talmaci, informed that, under a decision by the municipal council from 26 September 2002, the Chisinau residents had been marking the city’s Dedication Day on the holiday of the Holy Protection of the Mother of God, regarded as the spiritual protector of Chisinau.

”This day is an occasion of happiness and meeting again dear people, of spiritual and cultural solidarity. We welcome, on this occasion, all guests of the capital who honour us with their presence at this nice holiday. In particular, we hail the presence of representatives of local public administrations from twin cities, as well as all those who came from other settlements of the country or from various regions of the world, where our fellow countrymen went to make a future to their children,’’ Adrian Talmaci also said.      

A folk show took place next, given by about 500 professional artists and amateurs, who presented texts from the Akathist of the Mother of God. They sang the anthem of the Chisinau city, accompanied at the piano by the anthem’s author, composer Eugen Doga. A 60-metres-long cover was prepared on this occasion, which was blessed along with an icon of the Mother of God, held in the hands of each participant.     

The actions continued on the Great National Assembly Square (PMAN) with a folk show with the participation of folk bands from all over Moldova. Concerts dedicated to the holiday were held on the stages of the praetor’s offices of the Chisinau city, set on the Stefan cel Mare blvd. Also today at 18:00, a pedestrian zone was inaugurated nearby the National Ethnography and Natural History Museum, in the perimeter of four streets from Chisinau’s historical centre.  

A show titled, Ode to Chisinau, given by more light music singers and bands, took place on PMAN at 16:40-17:30.

A folk music show titled, Hora Chișinăului (Round Dance of Chisinau) will be held on PMAN at 20:00-23:00. The special guests of the event are the singers Andra and Fuego from Romania.

The schedule dedicated to Chisinau’s Dedication Day will end with a pyrotechnical show titled, I Welcome You, Chisinau.

Dedication Day is marked in more settlements of Moldova on 14 October. According to the Orthodox Church, the miracle of the Holy Protection of the Mother of Good took place in the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae from Constantinople during the reign of Emperor Leo VI the Wise (886-912). The Mother of God appeared during an all-night-long vigil, surrounded by saints, praying to God for the mankind.