Stephan the Great’s flag to be exhibited at National Museum of Archeology

The Government will allocate almost 300,000 lei from its reserve fund to the Ministry of Culture for bringing Stephan the Great’s flag from Romania. The flag will be on display at the National Museum of Archeology and History of Moldova between August 24 and September 12, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a Government Decision. Stephan the Great’s flag represents one of the two relics donated by the great ruler to the Zografu Monastery situated on Mount Athos. It is a liturgical flag used in religious ceremonies and represents embroidery in Byzantine technique made on silk, doubled with linen. Saint George is depicted on the flag sitting on the throne. His feet rest on a winged three-headed dragon. During five centuries, Stephan the Great’s flag had been kept at the Zografu Monastery, while in 1917 it was recovered by Romania. On July 6, 2011, after a long restoration process, it was exhibited at the National Museum of History of Romania. The bringing of this relic to Moldova represents an exceptional cultural event in the context of the festivities that will be held to mark 20 years of the signing of Moldova’s Declaration of Independence and of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Moldova and Romania.