The books “Japca Monastic Complex: history and spirituality” by Ion Valer Xenofontov and “Library of Japca Monastery” by Igor Cereteu and Octavian Moșin were launched at the National Library of the Republic of Moldova. The works are intended for scientific researchers, teachers, theologians, all the readers interested in the history of the spiritual life of Moldova and in the Japca monastic complex, which is the only one in the Prut-Nistrean area that has worked uninterruptedly since its founding, IPN reports.
National Library director Elena Pintilei said this is a great event to launch two books that supplement each other. One of the books is about monastic life, architecture, places and people, while the other one focuses on a subject that is very close to librarians, namely the book collection of the Japca Monastery. “I would recommend these books to be included in the Old and Rare Books Section of the National Library due to their editorial aspect and content,” she stated.
One of the authors, priest Octavian Moșin said that ten years ago he discovered researcher Ion Valer Xenofontov, who said that he does not have access to the Japca Monastery, which is also called the monastery of existence. After he discussed with nuns and got their permission, they could enter the library, discuss with priests and gather the books kept in that Monastery. “In one of our last spiritual meetings, I said Japca should be renamed our Jerusalem, the Bessarabian Jerusalem as Japca should be indeed known and visited by more people. Evidently, Japca has always generated special spiritual life,” stated Octavian Moșin.
Attending the event, nun Ariadna, the representative of the monastic community, noted that these books are a treasure. When she came to the monastery, she dreamt of such publications, with systematized information. These books will pass on the ancestors’ faith and the monastery’s history to the next generations.
Historian Anatol Petrencu said the book “Japca Monastic Complex: history and spirituality” is the visiting card of the Japca Monastery, a monograph based on a historiographical study. It is a successful scientific and editorial work.
Doctor habilitate Ion Gumenyi said this is hard work as all the elements that are so well arranged in the two books were collected in different places. At the Japca Monastery, the authors had to examine every book so as to find those historical sources that we lack.
Doctor Valentina Eșanu noted that the “Library of Japca Monastery” is an album book, while its pictures were taken by priest Octavian Moșin. It is a book catalogue with 119 titles and 146 volumes. The readers will find useful information about the Japca Monastery in this book.
