The state will need to find another place for the special collections of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova if it offers the building of the former Theological Seminar in Chisinau, which is the Library’s Block No. 2, to the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia, IPN reports.
National Library director Elena Pintilei, in a program on TVR Moldova channel, said that together with the Ministry of Culture, they are considering the further developments. “We aim to ensure the integrity of the collections of the National Library, which are the nucleus of the written national heritage. An option is for the National Library to further use that building under the management of the new owner, the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia. We hope we will together improve the conditions as the roof of the building is in need of repair,” stated Elena Pintilei, noting that the National Library’s main block also needs to be revamped.
PAS MP Virgiliu Pîslariuc, history lecturer, said that this initiative is a gesture aimed at underlining the special relations between the Republic of Moldova and Romania. He reminded that a part of the books stored in the main block in 1987 were transferred to Block No. 2 of the National Library on a temporary basis. Block No. 2 is not yet suitable for storing rare books, maps or audio recordings. “We hope that in at most two years, we will identify a space for building a modem university scientific library. Until then, those collections will remain in the building of the former Theological Seminar. From another angle, we were concerned with the keeping of a historic building of special importance, such as the Theological Seminar,” noted Virgiliu Pîslariuc.
Archdeacon Constantin Olariu, communication adviser of the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia, said that justice was now done as in the Soviet times, the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia was subject to multiple abuses, being dispossessed of all its property. The Church is the promoter of culture and spirituality and keeps the historical identity of the nation. All the related actions of the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia come to support the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. “In this initiative, we enjoy the support of the Government of Romania that in time, at least in the recent past, in all the projects implemented in the Republic of Moldova with maximum responsibility, helped to renovate schools, kindergartens, museums, historic monuments, libraries. That’s why it is a partnership based on trust that, through the agency of the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia, will find and allocate funds for repairing this building,” stated Constantin Olariu.
Over 33,000 volumes are kept in the old and rare book store. The volumes include writings by Dimitrie Cantemir and books from the collection of the first governor of Bessarabia Scarlat Sturdza. The oldest books are over 500 years old.
