Family Road Trip – Prayer and Meditation (I)

I invite you to continue your walk with me on the same road, through Suceava country, with a spiritual tour. For those who don’t know, in Romania there are approximately 81% orthodox people. On the Romanian territory there are many cult and pilgrimage places that are marked on the map below. Of course also in Suceava you can see that there are many such places. We had just a one day tour, no rush and we got to see six of them.

00 - Map_ChiqueRomania_site

Maybe your religion is different or maybe you are orthodox. This is not that important. This trip I want to share with those who are interested in spirituality. These are unique and very beautiful places, with stunning surroundings, that can welcome you to sink in oneself, to pray or to meditate.

I like to visit the interiors also but what impresses me the most is the garden itself. Nothing compares with the silence in the garden of a Monastery. I could stay there all day, until I can feel that silence inside of me too.

I want to mention here that those who visit these places just as a touristic point to keep in mind that these are holy places and there are people that really go there to meditate. I noticed in different places noisy groups that looked like that they didn’t even want to be there, but they insisted on bothering others.

The entire day was about to be moody because of the weather. When we left, it was pretty cloudy but, somehow, the rain avoided us.

We left from Vatra Dornei to Mestecaniș. There are two monasteries there, the titular saint of one church being“Inălțarea Domnului” (“The Ascension of the Lord”) and the other one “Sfântul Pantelimon” (“St. Pantelimon”). At “Inălțarea Domnului” we found the gate locked and we couldn’t find someone to open it. I got to meet the doggies out there and took just some few photos. This Monastery is placed at 1096m altitude, it was built for Romanian heroes who lost their lives on the battlefields and it was consecrated in 1999. Even if we couldn’t enter, I was surprised by the simplicity of this architectural ensemble starting from the gates. I walked on the pathway for a few minutes until the cold really stared to enter into my bones.

01 - Inaltarea Domnului_ChiqueRomania (1)-site

01 - Inaltarea Domnului_ChiqueRomania (3)-site

01 - Inaltarea Domnului_ChiqueRomania (2) -site

We stopped then at “Sfantul Pantelimon” where the gates were open. The gates and the large courtyard made me think that is a big ensemble but I was surprised this time also. We reached in a precinct totally unusual comparing with what I saw before. On the sides were the monk’s cells and in front you could enter the church. I liked so much this little patio that was paved with stone. There I could really feel how silence was supposed to feel; just a monk that was fulfill his chores in silence and a kitty who came to visit (for food, I’m sure), besides that, nothing.

02 - Sfantul Pantelimon_ChiqueRomania (2)-site

02 - Sfantul Pantelimon_ChiqueRomania (4)-site

02 - Sfantul Pantelimon_ChiqueRomania (1)-site

manastirea mestecanis_ChiqueaRomania -site

02 - Sfantul Pantelimon_ChiqueRomania (3)-site

04 - Mestecanis_ChiqueRomania (3)-site

04 - Mestecanis_ChiqueRomania (1)-site

04 - Mestecanis_ChiqueRomania (2)-site

Love, Andreea

 

[to be continued]

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