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Moldovan Orthodox Church

Last modified: 2021-06-12 by rob raeside
Keywords: moldovan orthodox church | moldova |
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[Flag of the Serbian Orthodox Church] image located by Valentin Poposki, 18 May 2021


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The Moldovan Orthodox Church

The Moldovan Orthodox Church - Metropoly of Chisinau and All of Moldova adopted its symbols in 2018 https://sputnik.md/religion/20180221/17424547/oficial-stema-drapel-stindard-mitropolia-moldovei-inregistrate.html
This is a copy of the primary source, whose report is translated below.

The coat of arms, flag and banner of the Metropolitan Church of Chisinau and All Moldova were registered on 20 February 2018 in the General Armorial of the Republic of Moldova by the National Heraldry Commission under the President of the Republic of Moldova.

Theologians, historians and specialists in the field of heraldry were involved in the elaboration of the metropolitan insignia; the work lasted more than three years.

The coat of arms is composed of a shield argent with a fess gules, superimposed with the icon of the Nativity of the Savior Jesus Christ. The shield is superimposed to a hierarch's staff and a gold cross crossed in saltire. The shield is surmounted with a gilded miter featuring in the center the icon of the Savior Jesus Christ, left the Hârbovăț icon of the Mother of God, and right the icon of the Holy Blessed Voivode Stephen the Great.

Designed by Radu Voina, the emblem was inspired by the coat of arms used in the interwar period by the Diocese of Chisinau and Moldova, which was elevated in 1995 by the Russian Patriarchate to the rank of Metropolitan (Metropolitan Church of Chisinau and All Moldova). This is the legal successor of Orthodox ecclesiastical entities on the territory of the Republic of Moldova.

The project was developed at the initiative of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, for the distinctive church symbolism to represent the majority of citizens of the Republic of Moldova who identify as Orthodox Christians.

The chromatic range of the flag is similar to that of the metropolitan bishop's mantle. The canvas is predominantly blue, with a white line and a red ribbon.

https://mitropolia.md/comisia-nationala-de-heraldica-a-decis-inregistrarea-in-armorialul-general-al-republicii-moldova-a-stemei-drapelului-si-a-stindardului-mitropoliei-chisinaului-si-a-intregii-moldove/
Press release by the Church PR Department, 20 February 2018

The icon of the Mother of God, of unknown origin, is kept in the Monastery of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin of Hârbovăț and celebrated on 1 October.
On 14 December 1790, Colonel Alabduev intended to visit his old friend, Hârbovăț abbot Pahomie; he was killed by a rogue horse that threw him to the ground and buried on 17 December. For the funeral, the colonel's relatives offered to the monastery an icon kept in the family for generations.
The Hârbovăț icon, painted on canvas, is of the Hodighitria (Guide) style. Seated on the Virgin's left hand, Baby Jesus holds a roll of paper in the left hand and blesses with the right hand.
The monastery was burned to ashes three times by the Turks; every time, the icon remained intact except the edges of the canvas that blackened.
Since the monastery was reopened in May 1995, the icon has been kept in the church in winter and spring until Easter, and then carried in procession through the neighboring villages and Chisinau.

https://doxologia.ro/viata-bisericii/documentar/icoana-maicii-domnului-din-harbovat
Doxologia - Orthodox Portal

Ivan Sache, 19 May 2021


Description of the flag

The Moldovan Orthodox Church - Metropoly of Chisinau and All of Moldova adopted its symbols in 2018 https://sputnik.md/religion/20180221/17424547/oficial-stema-drapel-stindard-mitropolia-moldovei-inregistrate.html
They are registered by the Moldovan Heraldry Commission, too.
Official website of MOC https://mitropolia.md/

The flag is blue with a horizontal white-red-white near the bottom and the shield centred.
Valentin Poposki, 18 May 2021


Standard

[Flag of the Serbian Orthodox Church] image by Valentin Poposki, 18 May 2021


Coat of arms

[Flag of the Serbian Orthodox Church] by Valentin Poposki, 18 May 2021