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„The Birth of Mother of God” Church of Rafaila Monastery, Rafaila Village, Rafaila Commune, Vaslui County (code LMI 2004: VS-II-m-B-06873)
It was built in 1834 at the initiative of the hieroschemamonk Iorest on the place of the old wooden church of the monastery (it was certificated in 1599 and 1636,it was initially built in the land of Oşeşti –the district of Vaslui district and it was moved in Rafaila before 1778).In 1838, the wooden church was moved from the interior of the monastery in the center of the village, being used even in our days as a parish.
According to the tradition the monastery Rafaila was established by Rafail ( Radu) Bălteanu (ex-monk of Neamţ Monastery) on the estate which he received as a gift from the ruler Stephan the Great after the battle from Podul Înalt-Vaslui from 1475.
Wasted in time, the monastery settlement was restored by Eeremia Băisanul, the uricar, in another place, during the first half of the 17th century. In 1809, it was rendered to the Mitropolis and in 1840 it was dedicated to the Socola Monastery from Iaşi. After the secularization of the dower from 1863 it continued it’s activity, being supported by the state. Before the secularization it had over 800 land parcels including 100 forest jaws. After the agrarian reform it only had 20 land parcels, 16 perches, and 32 land fathoms which consist in orchard, vineyard, lake and hay. During 1800 – 1841, within the enclosure of the settlement, there functioned a school of parish clerks and during 1860 – 1915 there functioned the school of Rafaila village,
In 1959, the settlement with monastery rank was abolished, being used as centre of C.A.P, maternity and stables. In 1993, the monastery was reactivated, the ensemble being filled with new cells and other household utilities which were necessary for the deployment of the monastery and touring activity.
The actual church has rectangular plan, with unhooked apse polygonal in five sides and a bell tower on the narthex, entrance on the west. Threshold initially open with four bound columns. It presents a semy-cylindrical vault on the nave, supported by jutties and embossed arches, dome on the altar. The facades are decorated with neoclassic elements (blind cassettes, cornices with moulds in retraction, rectangular windows surmounted by an arch bond).
The prism-shaped bell tower has roof in baroque style. At the entrance in the narthex, on top of the doorway, there is the inscription written in Chyrillic, with the date of the founding and the name of the founder. A part of the old dowry of the church is at the Diocesan Museum from Huşi.
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