Abstract:
This report aims to approach a page in Romanian history about the situation of the national treasury
sent to Moscow during the First World War, but also of the heritage objects of the monasteries in the Neamț
area. The Romanian Orthodox Church was an active participant, within its competences, in the War of
National Unification. The events happened in September 1916, in the southern part of the country, made all
public and private institutions pack their valuable goods to ship them to Iasi. The political situation, in which
our country was at that time, endangered the country's patrimony, and it was decided that for the good
preservation of the church odors to gather them all. AlexandruTzigara-Samurcaș, director of the Carol I
National Art Museum, was delegated to fulfill this order.
Regarding the patrimony objects collected from the monasteries from the Neamț region, goods that
became part of the treasury, we can mention some episodes spent at the monasteries.
On October 14, 1916, he arrived at the Văratic Monastery, where all the odors and adornments had
been put in two hiding places built in the church tower. He arrived at the Neamț Monastery on the same day.
At that time Archimandrite MitroforMeletieNicuță was abbot, who refused to comply with the order, under
the pretext that he needed a release from the Metropolitan Church of Moldova. Samurcaș then went toSecu
Monastery, where he had a new surprise. Here, the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite IlarionBălăiță,
had alredysent the patrimony objects in three boxes to the Metropolitan Church, but without a receipt, which
made AlexandruTzigara-Samurcaș suspicious.
AlexandruTzigara-Samurcaș returns to Bucharest on October 17 and reports to the sovereign that
the mission was accomplished. He had been to the monasteries of Slatina, Agapia, Văratic, Neamț and Secu.
Three days later, he went to Oltenia.
All the patrimony objects taken from the monasteries were placed in seven boxes, the textile objects
from the religious patrimony were deposited in a special box, being taken on November 3, 1916 to the
Metropolitan Church of Iași. Two boxes contained the goods from the monasteries of Moldova, four those
from Oltenia, and one contained the vestments and the liturgical embroidery.
