A new bright chapter in the flourishing history of the Solca Monastery was written today, June 29, 2022, on the day of the patron saints, Saints Apostles Peter and Paul, on the anniversary - the 400th anniversary of the consecration of the monastery, foundation of Stephen Tomșa II Voievod.
The special event is part of the Jubilee Year „The heritage of Muscat - faith, culture, history”, events also organized on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the consecration of the Church „St. Great Martyr Gheorghe” of the Monastery „St. John the New of Suceava”, foundation of Bogdan IIIrd Voievod and Ștefăniță Voievod, and the 500th anniversary of the consecration of the Church „All Saints” Sunday" - Părhăuți, foundation of the boyar Gavriil Trotușan.
The two hierarchs of the diocese, His Eminence Calinic, Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuților, and His Eminence Damaschin Dorneanul, Bishop-Vicar, were present among the monastic order and the faithful present at the dedication of the Solca Monastery.
After the greeting of the hierarchs with flowers, but also with bread and salt, according to custom, by children dressed in folk costumes specific to the place, the Holy and Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was celebrated under the patronage of His Most Reverend Father Archbishop Calinic, on a specially arranged podium in the monastery complex. From the priests and deacons of the assembly were the Most Rev. Paraschiv Dabija, administrative vicar, arch. Melchizedec Velnic, exarch of the monasteries of the diocese and abbot of Putna Monastery, arch. Nectarie Clinci, exarch of the area and abbot of the monastery of Sihăstria Putnei, protos. Dosoftei Dijmărescu, cultural exarch, servants of the Monastery „St. John the New of Suceava”, led by Arch. Serafim Grigoraș, abbot of the monastery, Fr. Ionel Constantin Maloș, protoireu (Rădăuți), ministers of the holy altars of the churches and monasteries in the surrounding area, as well as Fr. Nicolai Buga, a worthy minister who was responsible for the last major restoration of the monastery.
The liturgical responses were given by a choir of young theologians and monks of Putna Monastery. Together with numerous faithful and representatives of local officials, the event was attended by monks, nuns, abbots and abbesses from monasteries throughout the archdiocese.
At the appointed time, protos. Dosoftei Dijmărescu, cultural exarch of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților, delivered a teaching speech in which he brought to attention the most important aspects related to the history of Solca Monastery, presenting the anniversary booklet of the monastery, published by the Archdiocese's Crimca Publishing House, which summarizes the 400 years of Moldovan history and Christian spirituality, a preliminary to a more elaborate work on the voivode's foundation. Last but not least, the close connection between Putna Monastery, the foundation of the Most Holy Stephen the Great and Holy, and Solca Monastery was evoked,
„Stephen Tomșa II founded this holy monastery, but he also helped many others. (...) But he especially loved this place he called God's revealed place. We do not know what was his inner calling, but in collaboration with Metropolitan Anastasie Crimca, who perhaps was among the closest collaborators in the two reigns, he laid the foundation stone, consecrated the church and then with him, in the second reign, he continued the work and sanctified the entire monastery. (...) After the election and enthronement of His Eminence Archbishop Calinic, one of the first things he announced that he wanted to put into practice was the reopening of all the monasteries closed by the Habsburg Empire. The first of them was Solca, and on November 18, 2020, the Permanence of the Eparchial Council approved the reopening of the monastery. (...) We are surrounded by ruins, but these ruins are the result and witness of this history. They contain within them the meaning and the creed desired by the voivode founder and the metropolitan who blessed and sanctified the monastery and the first community, and since then all the generations of monks who have lived here have had them in their hearts, namely to make here a place of prayer, a place of obedience, a place of need, a place of longing and of the work of the love of God. This is the call of these walls awaiting restoration, but also their material voice to the future monks of the community and to the future helpers and worshippers of this holy place. As those of old felt that this place was shown to them by God, so some of us today are called to support this monastery and will have the joy of sharing in a great, troubled history, but we also hope for a future that will match its greatness.”
Mass was then celebrated The Last Mass for the souls of the monastery's founders and egumens who have passed on to the eternal, then His Eminence the Most Reverend Father Damaschin Dorneanul read prayers for the disentailment.
Then followed the moment to highlight the people who were involved in the flourishing and reopening of the monastery, not before the exhortation of His Eminence Calinic to read the booklet on the history of Solca Monastery, considered one of the most important monasteries built in the 17th century and one of the great monasteries of Moldavia.
Fr. Paraschiv Dabija read the texts of the eparchial distinctions, and His Most Reverend Father Archbishop Calinic presented the benefactors and supporters of the Church's work with eparchial orders and jubilee medals, a sign of appreciation and gratitude for their outstanding merits in promoting and supporting Romanian Christian Orthodox values, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the consecration of the Monastery „Saints Apostles Peter and Paul” Solca.
Of those who received Order „St. Mucenic St. John the New from Suceava” we remember protos. Elefterie Ionesie, the abbot of Solca Monastery, as he followed the example set by „the young man, wise of God, who devotedly fulfilled his ministry and based his Orthodox faith on the understanding The Gospel, testifying it courageously to his fellow men by deed and word” - Father Abbot was a resident of Putna Monastery from the period of his university studies until his appointment to Solca, 1998-2021. .
Diplomas of merit were also awarded to representatives of local authorities, with the mayor of Solca, Cornel-Trifan Tehaniuc, receiving the distinction Order of the Muscatines„, offered by His Eminence the Most Reverend Father Calinic for his efforts in serving his fellow men, „following (thus) the lords of Moldavia and other worthy founders of country and nation”.
Jubile Medal 400 years since the consecration of Solca Monastery was offered to support renovation work of the monastery representatives of central and county institutions, clergy who have shown their dedication and love for the Solca Monastery, as well as families who have been directly involved in supporting the monastic community since the reopening of the place of worship.
The mayor of the town of Solca thanked the hierarchs for their service and blessing and presented His Eminence Calinic, the initiator of the reopening of the monastery, Archimandrite Melchisedec Velnic, abbot of Putna Monastery, who was entrusted with the task of reorganizing the monastic life, and Protosinghel Elefterie Ionesie with a gift of appreciation „for his contribution to the improvement of spiritual life in the town of Solca”. At the same time, Father Nicolai Buga was awarded the title of honorary citizen of Solca.
At the end, the 25th abbot of Solca Monastery, the first after 236 years, thanked the Good Lord for this special day, when 400 years since the consecration of the monastery and 410 years since the laying of the foundation stone. The word of thanks was also addressed to His Eminence the Most Reverend Father Calinic, who blessed the reopening of this holy place, as well as to the faithful, supporters and benefactors, local and county authorities for their support in organizing the events of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților under the aegis of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților Muscat heritage - faith, culture, history.
On behalf of the monastery community, the abbot gave the hierarchs an icon with the faces of Saints Peter and Paul, the patron saints of the place of worship.
Short history
Founded four centuries ago, Solca Monastery, a foundation of Mr. Stefan Tomșa, was built between 1612 and 1622, being placed under the patronage of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. In 1785, after the Habsburg Empire occupied Bukovina, the monastery was closed and the monastery church was transformed into a parish church.
The permanent Eparchial Council of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților decided on November 18, 2020, with the blessing of His All-His Eminence Calinic, Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuților, to reopen the Solca Monastery, with the feast Saints Peter and Paul, as well as the restoration of the historical heritage that belonged to this holy place.
The reorganization and reinvigoration of monastic life at Solca Monastery was a priority of His Eminence Calinic, announced shortly after his enthronement as Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuților.
