Rocky Zhapsky Ascension monastery

Distance from Chisinau: 160 km
Trip to the excursion place: 2-2,5 hours
Duration of excursion: 6 hours

Village Zhapka is located in Floresti area some 160 km from Chisinau. Around village there are such sights as: geo-paleontological monument «Rock of Zhapka», spring with mineral water, landscape reserves Rascov and Valea Adinca, the antique defensive strengthening and paleontological sites in Socola and Racov. In village there is a female monastery which has been founded in XVII century.

The monastery has the stone Saint Ascension summer temple, winter Milkhail Arkhangel church and rocky the Exaltation of the Cross temple. According to the legend, the celibate priest Iezekiil from the monastery Deleni of Botosani district came here with the small group of monks. Impressed with the beauty place they based monastery, arranged a small church for the name of the Exaltation of the Cross which was carved in the rock, and some cells for the monks.

Further the life and monastery condition are hidden with the secret veil... But the celibate priest Feodosy came here from the same monastery Deleni which finds the monastery devastated and plundered, owing to the Tatar invasions.

The first mention of the monastery is referred to 1693. Then monks lived in cave cells and made the divine services in the church carved in the rock. In 1770 the monastery took its place on the present place. Then building of the household premises and the monastery accomplishment began, there was arranged the library. In XIX-th century the stone churches were erected. The main church of the monastery was reconstructed several times and now it has three altars — of the Holy Ascension , Transformation and the Sacred Cross. The monastery is opened for daily visiting. Feodosiy revives from ruins this monastery, equips new cells and erects the church for the name of the Exaltation of the Cross , gets the grounds on which he is planting the orchards and vineyards. The monastery obtains the appearance of the paradise beauty, and Metropolitan Gabriel (Banulescu-Bodoni) transforms the monastery of Zhapka to the monastery, and appoints the celibate priest Feodosiy to be the abbot.

Since April, 1916 the monastery is occupied by the nuns escaping from Russia. They have been transported here from the monastery Lesna by Chisinau-Hotinsky archbishop Anastas. And those monks who were earlier in Zhabke, have been moved in the Harjava monastery. The community starts living in the monastery under the control of hegumene Yekaterina who came from Romanov's tsar family.

The monastery is in prosperity during the rulement of the Balti bishop Vissarion Pui. The monastery receives 49 hectares of grounds, and the power station and mill were built here. In 1940, the community of the Zhabsky monastery has been turned out of the monastery, and all the property was confiscated. But in 1941 the nun returned to the monastery and received back the property. Today the Zhabsky monastery is governed by hegumene Taisia (Strainu) and amounts about 60 inhabitants (nuns and ryasophore monks). Divine services in the monastery are made by two clerics. The main church of the monastery was reconstructed several times and for today it has three altars – Ascension , Transformation and the Sacred Cross. It is a female monastery which was a unique operating monastery during the Soviet period. From the moment of the foundation in XVII century, the monastery building reminded a defensive construction. The strong impression on visitors is made by the conservatism of the monastic community. Now the Monastery is opened for daily visiting.

Recommendations for the tourist

• convenient footwear and clothes

• headdress against the sun

• camera

• for women it is required to have clothes covering shoulders and the skirt below knees

Services of the guide: Russian, Romanian, English, German languages

Transport services: Minivan, Minibus, Bus

Rocky Zhapsky Ascension monastery

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