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The Holy Trinity Church
Religion
Affiliation	Eastern Orthodox Church
Location
Location	Grătiești, Moldova
Architecture
Completed	1908

The Holy Trinity Church is a church located in Grătiești, Chisinau municipality, Republic of Moldova. It is an architectural monument of national importance included in the Register of monuments of the Republic of Moldova protected by the state with no. 302 ( Criuleni district). It dates from 1908.

History

In 1903, a group of six Christians from the village of Grătiești, consisting of Caraman Grigore, Osman Hîncu, Mitrofan Florica, Ion Florica, Eftodie Roibu and Pascal Ioan, took the initiative to build a church in their village. A year later, in 1904, they invited an architect who selected a plot of land proposed by Brușteneasa, a noblewoman of Jewish origin, where the church was to be built. Before the construction of this place of worship, Christians from Grătiești were going to the "Constantin and Elena" church in Chisinau.

Following approval from the Spiritual Consistory of Chisinau, the Construction Commission approved the construction project for building a stone church in the village of Grătiești, Chisinau county, on June 21, 1902 . The diocesan leadership authorized the construction of the stone church in the village of Grătiești with the local residents' own resources on April 28/May 4, 1904. The first collection of funds, organized by the charity ledger of August 25, 1905, collected 2,236 rubles and 3 kopecks . After four years of work, the total construction costs reached 60,000 rubles.

The Holy Trinity church was consecrated in 1908, in the presence of a council of eleven priests, after all the construction work, including the installation of the iconostasis, had been completed. The consecration was carried out by the ecclesiastical authorities, and on that date, the surrounding wall of the church was also built with the funds collected on the occasion of the religious event. The complete finalization of the works was certified by the architect Mihail Serotinschi, who stated in his report that the church was constructed according to the project approved by government authorities, was solid, and made from high-quality materials.

In the archival fund 1135, the deed of sale and purchase of a house in the village of Grătiesti was found, dated December 16, 1907. The agreement was made between Elena Nicolaevna Musteață, a widow residing in Chișinău, and the Grătiești community represented by Mitrofan Florica, Ivan Gâncu, Grigore Caraman, Ivan Stefanov, Eftodii Roibu. The house was intended to serve as the residence for the priest of the new village church. The document describes the house as being in good condition, with wattle walls, a shingle roof, three rooms, a hallway, nine windows, "all doors," and surrounded by a plot of land measuring "11 prăjini and one oblon," according to Moldovan measurement units. The seller received 500 rubles from the community’s representatives, transferring ownership of the property to the community. The house was bordered by other residents’ properties: to the east by Feodor Slobozeanu, to the north by Feodor Zavtoni, to the south by Ivan Codrean, and to the west by Manoil Cauș.

The Holy Trinity church was consecrated in 1908, in the presence of a council of eleven priests, after all the works, including the installation of the iconostasis, were completed. The consecration was carried out by the ecclesiastical authorities, and on that date, the surrounding wall of the church was also built with the funds collected on the occasion of the religious event.

Architecture and structure

The Holy Trinity Church is a stone building, having a stone foundation and walls and an iron roof . High quality materials were used in the construction, and the architect Mihail Serotinschi supervised the entire project. The bell tower of the church is built above the porch, and the church is equipped with a central dome .

In 1938, a document signed by priest Onisim Budacov stated that the church in Grătiești had an area of 312 m², and the surrounding land covered 2,200 m². The parish house was built in 1925, with a foundation and walls made of stone and clay, a shingle roof, and an area of 105 m². The land associated with the building measured 1,380 m². In the interwar period, the church had a library with 200 religious books .

From the completion of construction in 1908 until 1938, the church's exterior walls were repaired several times, as well as the roof, however, "the interior walls of the church were never whitewashed."

The interior of the church

The interior of the church

The Holy Trinity Church houses a valuable collection of icons, 90% of which are original from the time of the church's establishment, while 10% are donations from parishioners, including those from the neighboring village of Hulboaca. The large polychander in the center of the church was donated by a Russian officer. In 1927, the church library contained about 200 books.

The church's architecture and paintings are testaments to the local craftsmanship and artistic influences of the era. The paintings on the walls and vaults are executed in the Byzantine style, depicting biblical scenes and holy figures, in accordance with Orthodox practice. The iconostasis is richly ornamented, adorned with icons revered by the faithful. Most of the icons were painted at the Holy Mountain. One of the church’s painters was the schemamonk Ireneu Protcenco (baptismal name Ioan), one of the humblest living in Sihăstria Monastery, known as "the painter of Sihăstria Monastery."

Properties and Administration

In Insurance Policy no. 244 of the Grătiesti parish, issued on March 27, 1939 in Bucharest, the following buildings and insured objects were indicated:

1. The church from the village of Grătiesti, a building with stone walls "coverd" with iron.
2. The iconostasis inside the church.
3. The church's parish house, serving as the priest's residence, "covered" with shingles (also referred to as the "new parish house").
4. In the courtyard of the parish house, a barn with three compartments and a cellar beneath it, with stone walls "covered" with tiles.
5. The church house in Grătiești, with wooden walls "covered" with shingles (also referred to as the "old church house").
6. The building in the church courtyard designated for the caretaker, with stone walls "covered" with tiles.

In the file regarding the material condition of the clergy in Lăpușna county for the year 1937, the following information about Grătiești parish is entered:

1. The church was built in 1908 through the efforts of the residents of Grătiești and donations collected via the charity ledger.
2. The building is made of stone, with a wooden roof "covered" with black iron, coated with tar.
3. The belfry is made of stone, built above the porch.
4. The altar is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and the church’s patronal feast is celebrated on the Monday after Pentecost.
5. The church has sufficient religious items and vestments.
6. According to the state, a priest and a church cantor are provided.
7. The clergy receive their salary from the state.
8. The church owns 3,000 m² of land under the parish house and 19 hectares of arable land designated for the maintenance of the clergy, located about 1 km from the church.

On one hectare of this land, located in the Gulboca estate, the priest of the Grătiești parish, Onisim Budacov, planted a vineyard in 1930, using cuttings purchased with his own funds. The properties owned personally by the priest were separate from the church’s assets, including five hectares of land located in the Băcioi estate, Lăpușna County. Priest Onisim Budacov had served at the Grătiești church since 1925. Cantor Gheorghie Zahar also owned six hectares of land in the Grătiești estate and a house of his own.

Religious and cultural role

The Holy Trinity Church has been an active religious center for the residents of Grătiești, offering regular religious services and activities. The church has been and continues to be a place of prayer, religious services and essential Christian ceremonies such as baptisms, weddings and funerals. Despite periods of religious persecution and repressive political regimes, the church remained an uninterrupted place of prayer. Even during the Soviet regime, the church kept the tradition of divine services. The priests who served in the church were pillars of support for the community in times of crisis or social change.

Heritage and protection

The church, with a history of over a century, celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2024, and is an example of local architectural and religious tradition. It reflects the history, customs, and beliefs of the community. In 1939, the Holy Trinity Church was insured for the amount of 360,000 lei, according to Insurance Policy No. 244 issued in Bucharest. This policy included not only the church itself but also other associated buildings, such as the parish house, a storage building with three compartments and a cellar, and the caretaker's building. The church reflects the political, social and economic changes that Grătiești went through, often having a role of cultural resistance in the face of challenges, including during periods of religious restrictions.

Renovations

Over the decades, the church has undergone several major repairs. In the 1970s, archpriest Stepan Constantin initiated repair works, and in 1985, archpriest Ioan Știrbu carried out a cosmetic repair of the church. In 2004, when archpriest Victor Pleșca became parish priest, capital repair works were started, essential for the preservation and beautification of the place. Among the important works carried out were:

• Opening the central dome to allow better illumination of the interior of the church.
• Hardware replacement (oak doors and hardware).
• Full painting of the church, including the altar .
• Building a new, larger resonating chancel.
• Setting up a spring on the church grounds.
• Building a new parish house, changing the gate and planting trees and decorative flowers on the grounds.

The serving priests

Throughout its history, The Holy Trinity Church was served by the following priests :

• Prot. Gheorghi lampshade (1908-1922)
• Prot. Bocanovschi Mihail (1916-1922)
• Prot. Jereghia Nicolai (1922-1928)
• Prot. Grigore Cunschi (1928-1933)
• Prot. Budacov Onisim (1933-1938)
• Prot. Mihai Schidu (1938-1942)
• Prot. Joachim Varzari (1942-1944)
• Prot. Elifani Mihail (1944-1945)
• Prot. Coletchi Nifon (1945-1948)
• Prot. Moroz Gavriil (1948-1958)
• Prot. Salaru Nicolae (1958-1959)
• Prot. Fiodor (1959-1970)
• Prot. Stepan Constantin (1970-1984)
• Prot. Stefan Birca (1984-1985)
• Prot. Vinoagă Ioan (1985)
• Prot. Sirbu Ioan (1985-2024)
• Prot. Serghei Iamandii (1998-2003)
• Priest Novac Ioan (2003-2024)
• Hieromonk Agafanghel (parish priest Pleșca Victor, 2004-2024)

Gallery

• 
  "Holy Trinity" Church from Grătiești
• 
  The side of the Church
• 
  The roof of the Church
• 
  Church with opening to the cemetery
• 
  The church and cemetery in its entirety
• 
  The church in winter
• 
  "Holy Trinity" Church
• 
  "Holy Trinity" Church in winter
• 
  Religious icons and flowers
• 
  The church between the trees
• 
  Wreath in the church
• 
  Religious service in the church
• 
  Icon framed with flowers
• 
  Icon with flowers
• 
  Decorative religious icon
• 
  Icon with flowers
• 
  The interior of the church
• 
  Decorations inside the church
• 
  Reading a prayer
• 
  Hieromonk Agafanghel inside the church
• 
  Protopope Știrbu Ioan and Hieromonk Agafanghel

Bibliography

• Biserica „Sfânta Treime” - 100 de ani de păstorie a sufletelor creștinești, 2004.

External links

Media related to [[Commons:Category:Holy Trinity church in Grătiești|Holy Trinity church in Grătiești]] at Wikimedia Commons Categories: Eastern Orthodox Church