Between the curse of heavens and the blessings of hell

(story to be published in tomorrow’s issue, March 8)

There once was a young priest called Ioanichie, who lived at the beginning of the 18th century. No one knows why but one day he left the church in Greece where he served the Good Lord and went wandering throughout the world. The legend goes that he had taken the priest’s cassock because of a love that wasn’t shared. However, the legend does not say why he could not find peace of mind inside the walls of the church. We assume that the beauty of the young man, increased by pain, somehow “attracted” his fellow priests in an unbecoming manner. He would have preferred the hell outside to such a shame and perhaps this is how he came to be in Bucharest where with the help of his extended knowledge he soon made his fortune. In 1722 he had already become a bishop and he bought 20 acres of land on Stavropoleos Street. Instead of building a church, he erected an inn, then a beautiful abode, then a wine cellar and a pub. Because he still had a little space left he decided to buy, a few more acres “for the altar” from his neighbour, the cavalry commander Grecianu. In 1724, the church was finished and two years later Ioanichie had risen to the rank of archbishop of Stavropoleos, in the memory of the church where he had served. The Stavropoleos church suffered the fate of all churches in Bucharest. The earthquakes in 1790, 1794 and the big quake of 1802 bring important damages. The tower falls and in 1858 the church nearly crumbled. The restoration was no less than 4000 guilders and thus it was postponed for another 40 years. In 1912 the renowned architect Ion Mincu began restoration works. After his death, his students continued the works. The building slowly recovers. The small and fragile church in an enclosed space, now entered a world with better chances of survival. The big quakes that shook Bucharest spared it, and so did the two wars. Even the Communists let it be because it was partially hidden by other buildings and because they wanted to avoid a conflict with the Greek authorities. The Stavropoleos church is like a jewel in a crown that we seldom fail to notice. The church survived along with its legend, hanging between earthly and divine love.