Humor Painted Monastery

Located in northern Moldavia, at 5-6 km from the little town of Gura Humorului, on a valley crossed by the crystal clear waters of the river Humor, the monastery church is one of those famous churches with walls painted in the outside which reflect the fallen glory of the past and the melancholy of the local historical fate.

Two monastic establishments were successfully erected here. Out of the oldest, which was built during the time of Alexandru cel Bun, only a few pieces of wall were left, by the road, in the center of the village (1415, founder – Ioan Vornicul).

Since the monastery was allowed to deteriorate and turn into ruins, in 1530 it was rebuilt on a new site. The ruler, Petru Rares, had the initiative of rebuilding it in its vast plan of reconstructing and restoring the old monastic settlements of Moldavia.

The monastery was built owing to the most faithful chancellor, Toader Bubuiog and his wife, Anastasia.

On the southern wall, by the porch, one can read on the inscribed commemorative stone:’ this establishment was started and ended due to the good will and the help of our blessed ruler, Petru Voievod, the son of the old Stefan Voievod, with all the contribution and pains taken by the servant of God, Noble Toader, the Great Chancellor, and his wife, Anastasia, in this 15 th day of August, year 7038.’

Later, 1641 Vasile Lupu erected a defense tower and strengthen the surrounding walls. The architecture of the sacred monument of Humor displays some special characteristic. This is the very establishment where the open porch was used for the first time in the construction of churches in the area of Moldavia. Then comes the pronaos, and following its line comes the tomb chamber and a new room on the upper story-the secret chamber- placed precisely above the tomb chamber. To the east, the church ends in a circular absis of the altar divided from the naos by a remarkable altar screen carved in yew wood, donated by Gheorghe Movila in 1590.

The Byzantine Art, as well as its source of inspiration which was the Eastern Church Theology, remained faithful to itself although it allowed the free manifestation of the local creative talent.

The artistic creation of Byzantine Tradition can show the conciliating balance between the symbols of eternity or perpetuation “between the celestial and the earthy”, between the eternal spirit and human instability into a whole.

Due to the interior and exterior frescoes the Humor Monastery, together with the monasteries of Voronet, Arbore, Moldovita and Sucevita bring the fame of the 15 th and 16 th century Romanian art.

The painted scenes represent some main religious themes and are part of a great ensemble of decorative value.

Inside the monastery the painting covering the walls and the vaults contains different scenes established by iconography to which the portraits of the founders dressed in the clothes of their epoch are added. There is also the votive picture of Petru Rares carrying the model of the church with his wife, Elena, and his children next to him and the remarkable portraits of Anastasia and of the chancellor Toader Bubuiog.

The Monastery of Humor arouses admiration and stirs up wonderful feelings due to its outside wall frescoes which render it the status of historical monument. They are equally responsible for the entrance of the Monastery of Humor in the UNESCO list of old heritage.

The outside wall fresco is the oldest decoration of this kind in the country. Its peculiarity resides in the clearly stated intention of preserving the ancient orthodox faith and contributing to stimulate the believers to achieve the political goals of the ruler.

The multicolored walls of the church, highlighted by the vivid green shade of the lawn, make up such a complete harmony of colors that make you think of the lines written half a century ago by a well-renown foreign specialist, J. Strzykowski: “There s no chance to see a similar view in any other country in the world.”

There is written sources f the time which prove that the Monastery of humor was meant to be an establishment for monks since its beginnings. Life would be very troubled so far; in 1653, the Cossacks of Timus Hmelnitki plundered and set fire to the settlement of humor, in 1641, Vasile Lupu strengthened the monastery by erecting surrounding walls and a defense tower. All these are undeniable proofs speaking of the dark days and internal uprisings occurred in Moldavia during the 17 th century and which affected the monastic life, too.

One of the hardest ordeals which brought to an end the monastic settlement of humor took place in the 18 th century, precisely in 17774, when the region of Bukovina was occupied y the Austrians. Within less than a decade, most of the monasteries were closed and the Monastery of Humor was turned in 1785 into a school for the local children. In 1850, it was turned into a storage house for the local authorities and later it became the village parochial church. Much later it became a historical monument and was entered the painting restoration programs under the aegis of UNESCO, between 1972 and 1974.

“The church was constructed on a firm rock which is Jesus Christ, the soon of God, The Living One, and the gates of Hell will never conquer it.”The unseen hand of our Good Lord prevented again the dark enemy as the proof of his truth. On 1991, the establishment f humor was turned again into a monastery- a nunnery at this time. It was the effect to the evangelist voice uttering:” If you aspire to perfection, leave everything behind and follow Me”.

The nuns answered the divine call offering themselves to God.

Today, for the nuns in the Monastery of Humor life means to mingle prayers with work, either in the monastery’s workshop, where they paint icons, decorate eggs following the local traditions, manufacture and embroider vestments, or work the land during the warm seasons.Deeply impressed with the contemplation of the frescoes showing scenes from the history of redemption, the visitor feels an irresistible attraction towards the achievements of Christian completeness which allows the propitious union and agreements between the divine and human elements, so that man could achieve redemption.