monastery

LocatedatthebottomofMountBigHma,atanaltitudeof950m,ontheroadbetweenMiercureaCiucandGheorghieni,themonasteryhasasdedicationdayTheReposeoftheHolyMother.Austereontheoutside,withgraymedievalfortresswalls,hidesbetweenthemawhitechurch,sittinginthegrasslikeabridedressedinaRomanianwedding.

MuresSpringMonasterysconstructionbeganin1996andwascompletedin2000,beingthesoulprojectofIPSJohnSelejean,archbishopofCovasnaandHarghita.Builtonaplotcalled"PriestsPlace",themonasticcomplexincludes:aBrancovenianstyledchurch,thebodyofsanctumswithchapel,confessorshouse,thebellandotherhouseholdanexes.

Interestlyisthattherespectiveplacewassubjecttoapreviousmonasteryprojectin1963,whichwasabandonnedduetoTransilvaniabeingoccupiedandthenduetotheinstaurationofthecummunistregime.

IPSIoanSelejeansprojectmeanttobeanortodoxismoasisforRomaniansthatdidnthaveanychurchesinthatzone.Thechurchispopulatedby25nunsbelongingtoallcornersofthecountryandinitresidesapartofSaintNicolaesrelics.ThepaintinginsidethechurhisneobizantineinstyleandhasreproductionsofthesaintspaintedinchurchesonMountAthos.

TheiconostasisismanuallysculptedwithaspecificRomanianstyle,fromwildpalewood,whichisextremelyrare.

Duringthreeofthefourseasons,MuresSpringisarathercoldplace.DuetothisspecificreasonexceptforSundaysandimportantholidays,whentheservicesarekeptinside,monasticordinancesareholdinthechapelofSaintJohntheBaptizerschurch,whichafullyfledgedchurchinitsownright.

AtMuresSpringmonasteryyouhaveabigchanceofmeetingIPSIoanSelejean,archbishopofCovasnaandHarghita,thehighprelatecommingtospendmostofhissummershere,oftenholedaysinordertoprayandcontemplate.