BUCHAREST, 2 sept — Sputnik. A distinctive phenomenon that pertains to the Romanian identity is the exterior mural paintings of the Romanian monasteries and the Moldavian architectural style, Father Luca Diaconu, the abbot of Bistrita Monastery, said in an interview for Doxologia.ro.
The Father believes it is a „unique phenomenon on the Globe" as these frescoes on very large surfaces of the monasteries' exterior walls exist only in Moldavia. He added that, although this is a defining aspect of the Romanian identity, unfortunately it is not sufficiently brought into attention.
„This painting should make the Romanians famous in the world. It is indeed a unique phenomenon in Orthodoxy, as no Orthodox country has such a thing (…). Nowhere do we encounter a church entirely painted on its outer mural surfaces except in Moldavia since the 16th century," the Father said.
The abbot of Bistrita Monastery says that the church of Sucevita Monastery represents "the testament of the Byzantine art" given the fact that, in the painting of this monastery, the Orthodox dogma is transposed "more prominently than in any other church".
