Page 31 - Transylvania : The Wooden Church Reghin 1725

portico. The usual decorative archways, found in most eighteenth century ‘Brancovean’ style. The Brancovean
wooden churches, are left unembellished. The original style is especially apparent in the images of Jesus and
church did not have either a tower or a bell tower. Petru the Holy Blessed Virgin. On the triumphal arch there are
Maior added these. He had the tower built relatively low, twelve apostles with the Holy Blessed Virgin amoung them.
raising it only slightly over roof level. On the top of the Representation of the Crucifixion and of Saint John and the
tower he had a square pyramidal shape constructed, rather Angels are displayed in rectangular frames. The small door
than the typical octagonal design. The tower, as a whole, is of the altar has a sculpted top and a multiple accolade on
longer than it is tall and some would say that this diminishes the wings with a painting showing the Annunciation and the
the elegance and monumentality of the building but in fact Four Evangelists. The frames of the doors and the sanctuary
the unusual multifarious aspects of the roof and tower gives also have sculpted frames, depicting the Apostles and the
the church a very pleasant charm. The creator and decorator Primary Icons. Most of the window arches have carved
of this edifice remains unknown but judging from the high decorations. The psalm-reader’s lectern, which is ancient, is
quality of the renovations and decorating, this was indeed a painted with the faces of angels.
master designer and carver with obvious artistic skill.
The effort and skill put into the decorations of the ‘little
The creations of many artists who worked in the church wooden church’ show that the masters considered the church
have survived the centuries. There are several examples a perdurable accomplishment of great value and not simply
dating from 1857. The altar is now entirely decorated a building. Instead, Petru Maior’s little church has become
with traditional images, while the wall and the vault are an authentication of Romania’s aspirations and suffering
splendidly painted with depictions of religious subjects, throughout the centuries.
most often saints. One can see images of: Saint Metrophanes,
Athanasius, John Crysostom, Gregory The Theologist, A visitor is bound to notice, even from a distance, that
Nicetas, Saint Nicholas, and Pope Sylvester. Abraham’s the Romanian frescos in the Reghin church are a thing of
sacrifice, which is a common theme in churches, is found great beauty and value, akin to the magnificent carpets and
on the front of the altar, in the place usually designated rustic clothing of the region. There is the same balance of
for the un-blooded sacrifice. On the back of the altar, over monumental and delicate form; an image of power and purity,
the doors, there are small pictures of the prophets Gideon, almost like a silhouette or a blood-red sunset, equanimity
Moses, Ezekiel, Avacum, and Samuel. Between these doors so much in evidence in Romania’s poetic inheritance. One
is a painting of the Archdeacon Stefan, the first martyred can see that the ancient painters infused the entire Romanian
deacon of Roman nationality. On the altar’s eastern vault reality into their colours; amiable angels are shown with
one can see the face of the Holy Blessed Virgin and, as well, grave countenances, solemn but at the same time humorous;
the great friar hermits, Antonius and Teofan. The height inhabitants of heaven hold towels in their arms that display
of this painting extends nearly fourteen metres from floor local ethnographical motifs, the kind you can find in any
to ceiling. It is a very well composed and executed work ordinary house. And one can see also that the smoke of
of art from a technical point of view, in delineation and centuries of unfulfilled prayers has darkened the walls of the
colouring as well as composition. The painter followed the interior of the little wooden church and its tower.
Byzantine tradition in style and technique, a style evidenced
in both Balkan and Romanian churches of the sixteenth to Looking at the spire of the church one feels as if one is at
eighteenth centuries. But we cannot talk here about a ‘High- the bottom of a well whose running water sings the song of
Byzantine’, ‘High-Renaissance’, or ‘High-Baroque’ style in true believers. Like the water, Petru Maior’s sermons were
this context because Romanian painters were local people like a well of wisdom and as one drank from its waters, one
from the surrounding countryside who had not experienced became purer, more exuberant, and closer to the beatitude
a cosmopolitan art training. However, the church sanctuary, of bright stars. We miss Petru Maior as much as we miss the
as decorated in 1857, has two majestic icons typical of the spirit of old Dacia.
Aurel Alexe
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Reghin
The
Wooden
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