The abuse on the domain of the Raciula skete, 1798–1959

Abstract

The Raciula Monastery is a monastic community in Calarasi, geographically located in Codrii Orheiului, and situated in the valley of the Ichel river. When founded, this monastic institution was at a time and a skete for men, therefore in 1810, because of the reduced number of monachs, it was transformed in a skete for women. At the beginning of its activity, this monastic institution was owned by the titulars of the Niscani estate with a part of the land. It was donated to the Raciula skete a significant part of the forest, arable land and an orchard. More than that, those who donated the land, became and founders of the church heritage, which at first was built from beams and shingle. Along of time, this heritage received and other donations thanks to it the church could provide for the monachs and develop economically further. But even if the heritage prospered thanks to the obtained field, at the same time it has encountered many challenges due to the fact that their owner rights of the land has been violated. At times, the neighbors or other badly intended people, were sneaking into the heritage and took a lot of goods or even arable land. We are aware that the elders of the monastery rationally managed the wealth, multiplying it, but there are and some of deviations from the rule. These aspects and the negative impact that it had upon the monachal community, we are presenting in this study.