This is a great loss for everyone. With the death of such a personality, an entire era comes to an end. Spiridon Vangheli created one of the most beautiful pages of the culture of this era. The statements were made at the farewell ceremony held at “Nicolae Sulac” National Palace, which involved dozens of people of culture, officials and ordinary citizens. President Maia Sandu also paid a last tribute to the writer, IPN reports.
Minister of Culture Sergiu Prodan said that words are powerless in the face of pain, but also in the face of the greatness of this moment. Today a legend who created legends leaves - a man whose life coincided with the most important historical moments of the Republic of Moldova. Spiridon Vangheli was born in Greater Romania. His childhood was marked by World War II. He lived and created in the Soviet Empire and today he leaves an independent Moldova.
“It is difficult to estimate the value of the legacy he leaves us. I would like to emphasize only one thing - the books of Spiridon Vangheli, Guguță are not just books, they are a door to the childhood of each of us. By opening one of his books, we immerse ourselves in our own childhood and then it doesn’t matter how old each one is,” noted the minister.
Teo Chiriac, president of the Writers’ Union of Moldova, said that Spiridon Vangheli is a writer who dedicated his entire life to children’s literature, to hundreds, thousands of children in this world. Through his books, through his legendary heroes, he promoted the spirit of goodness, beauty and truth. “It is amazing how much love this personality, this man who lived with us, who greeted us, hugged us, encouraged us had,” stated Teo Chiriac.
Poet Ion Hadârcă noted that, when a great master of the word leaves, it is as if you are generally speechless. Only the reserve of the soul remains, the tear that could express the emotion, the feeling that overwhelms at this moment, naturally very painfully. “When I say the name Spiridon Vangheli, it seems that the second meaning comes by itself – the magical, metaphysical one, an angelic spirit. This is how I always saw him and this is how I will see him further - the one who defended the angelic spirit of the nation, the child, childhood, the ingenuity and freedom of play, of feelings related to the family, to those close to us. Everything that Spiridon Vangheli promoted is in this matrix. With this matrix he took us out into the wide world,” said Ion Hadârcă.
Academician and composer Gheorghe Mustea said that Spiridon Vangheli became one of the emblems of the soul of our nation, along with other emblems, such as Grigore Vieru, Dumitru Matcovschi, Nicolae Dabija and others who are part of the pantheon of great historical personalities of our people. “Spiridon Vangheli was a personality endowed not only with an unusual talent, but also with original and deep thinking. He was a sage, a philosopher, a thinker. Spiridon Vangheli was also a teacher of our children. His books were and remain the most valuable education and teaching books and not only for children, but indirectly for parents as well,” stated Gheorghe Mustea.
Spiridon Vangheli passed away on June 21 at the age of 92. By presidential decree, Monday was declared a day of national mourning. The state flag is flown at half-mast in all the localities in the country, as well as in the diplomatic and consular missions of the Republic of Moldova abroad.
The writer is buried at the Central Cemetery located on Armenească Street in the capital city.
