Romania’s Acting Prime Minister, Ilie Bolojan, visited the Heroes’ Monastery of the Ascension in the village of Stoianovca, Republic of Moldova, over the weekend.
The Romanian official was welcomed Saturday by Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia and the monastic community of the monastery, which was built near the Romanian Military Cemetery of Honour at Țiganca, where hundreds of soldiers who fell in the battles to liberate Bessarabia in the summer of 1941 are buried.
Bishop Veniamin celebrated a memorial service for the nation’s heroes, after which wreaths were laid at the graves of those who sacrificed their lives for faith, freedom and the defence of Romanian identity in the region.
Romania’s acting prime minister highlighted the importance of the Romanian Cemetery of Honour at Țiganca for the country’s cultural memory, describing it as “a place of gratitude, where we bow our heads before the sacrifice of those who fought for their country and for the ideals of their generation.”
“It is our duty to keep alive the memory of our heroes, to honour their sacrifice and to pass on to future generations respect for history, truth and national dignity. Eternal gratitude to Romania’s heroes!” Ilie Bolojan wrote on his official Facebook page.
Preserving the Memory of the Heroes
The visit continued with a presentation of the monastic complex and its ongoing projects.
The Bishop of Southern Bessarabia emphasised the importance of the Heroes’ Monastery at Țiganca for historical memory and cultural formation, noting that the monastery seeks to become a landmark of Romanian spirituality and culture in southern Moldova.
The hierarch also expressed gratitude to the Romanian state and to the institutions that have supported the restoration and development of the memorial and monastic complex, stressing that preserving the memory of the heroes is a moral and historical duty toward the generations whose sacrifice ensured the survival of Romanian values in Bessarabia.
Photo: Facebook / Diocese of Southern Bessarabia
