In the middle of the Romanian capital, hidden from view behind high walls and far away from the noise and troubles of everyday life, Christians can discover the Darvari Hermitage (Schitul Darvari), on the street with the same name. Despite the fact that not long away the noise and crowds are suffocating, here there is a peace and serenity that make the Darvari Hermitage, this splendid monk monastery, a piece of heaven.
The Darvari Hermitage was founded in 1834 by Mihail Darvari and his wife, Elena, who bough a plot behind the Icoana Church. With the help and generous funding of Mihalache Darvari the first wooden church, a small and modest structure, was built here, for the Darvari family to gather and pray. The small courtyard was of course surrounded by tall walls, and some rooms for the priests were also built. In 1835 a few nuns were brought here, to look after the church and hold the religious services. So it is interesting to know that at first Darvari was actually a nuns monastery, which will soon change.
The first blow in the hermitage's long history was dealt in 1864, during the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, when like many other monasteries Darvari was also closed down, in 1865. The nuns had to move to other monasteries, and the small but beloved religious place seemed to have come to it's end. Yet, in 1869, due to the efforts of the monks from Mount Athos, Darvari began being used as lodging place for the monks who were passing through Bucharest, generally coming from Greece. For this, the monks used to hold the religious services, as a payment.
During this years, until the beginning of the 20th century, the monks at the Darvari Monastery also founded a small publishing house and even a bookshop for Christian printings and icons, which were surprisingly successful. Working hard, they even opened a very small candle factory. After several renovations and reconstructions, the old structure was finally demolished in 1933 - 1934 and a new hermitage began being built, with the help and funding provided by Mihail Darvari, the nephew of the original founder. It was now that the Darvari Hermitage church and ensemble was projected and built as it can be seen today, by the arhitect Gheorghe Simotta. On the inside the walls were painted by Iosif Keber.
The second drama in the life of the monk community at the Darvari Hermitage was in 1959, when the new regime finally closed down the place, moving the 14 monks elsewhere, while the former hermitage was only used as a church. It seemed to be the end, but after 1989 the place was restored and, in 1996, reopened. Great efforts and care had been put into redecorating and making the place a piece of heaven in the middle of Bucharest, but the church, the garden, the small bookstore, the rooms of the monks, everything is a splendid example of interest, imagination and talent. Officially opened, once again, on March 31 1996, it wasn't long for the Darvari Hermitage to once again become one of the most beloved places of worship in Bucharest.
But this hermitage, where monks, young and old, pray and work everyday, is not at all an out of fashion place. In fact, the Darvari Hermitage is very much in touch with the young, as it has a website and a forum, which do not lack visitors. As well as the church, for more and more young believers come here for support and religious services. A place which is loved and known by all.
Photo : crestinortodox.ro
2008-07-21
