CHEIA  Monastery
 
Maneciu commune, Cheia village, Prahova county. Convent for monks.
Dedication days: “The Holy Trinity”, the second day after Whitsuntide and “Assumption of the Virgin”, 15 August.
 

The monastic establishment was founded in 1770, constructed by wood and destroyed by Turks in 1777; it was remake in 1790 and destroyed by fire in 1832.
The actual church was constructed in 1835 by two brothers from Transilvania (Father Damaschin and Justin Barsan of Salistea Sibiului, coming from Caldarusani monastery), on a piece of land that had been donated by Mihai Ghica, the highest magistrate at the princely court of the time.

The two brother’s tombs are inside the church. The church was constructed within the pattern of the Walachia architectural style, whose defining feature is the open porch. The paintings inside the church were executed by Master Naum (of the Buzau school for Painters) in 1837, and were reconditioned again a century later (in 1986).
The holy establishment shelters a limited number of liturgical objects which are exhibited in the pronaos. The iconostasis is very nice and was painted by Nicolae Tatarascu and covered in silver by Lazar from Ploiesti. Ito the church there are four big icons made by Constantin in 1799.

Just as many other monasteries which had been affiliated to the Archdiocese of Bucharest, the Cheia Monastery underwent extensive repairs and restoration works in the sixties, under the earnest care of Patriarch Justinian.
Now the holy establishment is no longer subordinated to the Patriarchy, being a self-supporting community. It also provides religious assistance for the faithful of the Cheia Resort.


 

 

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