The funiculars of Bergamo

 March 22, 2026

The regional express to Iaşi

 March 21, 2026

Officially, Suceava train station is in Burdujeni

Arrival at Iaşi

Iaşi Railway station

Walking in Iaşi

Xkhx

The audience sings along

The Painted Monasteries of Southern Bukovina

 March 20, 2026

On the road to Moldavita

At Moldavita Monastery:

Moldavita Monastery Grounds

Note the patch of icy snow to the right of the well; it is still late winter here. 

View from the north, where the frescoes have been damaged by winter storms

The siege of Constantinople, exterior south wall

A series of panels on the exterior south wall tells a story:

Three wise men traveling to Bethlehem

The wise men/magi paying homage to Jesus

An angel warns the magi to return home by a different route to avoid Herod

Jesus and the Holy Family flee to Egypt. You can feel the movement in the Fresco.

The presentation of Jesus at the Temple

The interior has a large number of frescoes depicting the beheadings of martyrs

Pasul Ciumârna, between Moldavita & Sucevita on a late winter's day

At Sucevita:

Sucevita Monastery Grounds

Sucevita is known for its Green colors

Mary (carrying Jesus) greets her cousin Elizabeth (carrying John the Baptist), south wall fresco

Opposite the Altar at Sucevita, the Story of the Passion:

Jesus carrying the cross on the Via Dolorosa with the two thieves also crucified that day

Jesus put on the cross. 

The location of the cruxifiction is Golgotha, also known as the place of the skull

Jesus Crucified. 

The bent portrayal was different, but probably more consistent with a crucifixion.

Down from the cross

Judas receives thirty pieces of silver for betraying Jesus

Jesus entombed

At Humor Monastery:

Ruşita (Rusty) the cat

Humor Monastery grounds

Jesus arrested at Gethsemane

On the cross

Red is the predominant color at Humor

At Voronet:

The wall and grounds

The roof overhanging the east side

The Final Judgement Fresco on the West Wall,  

 The Sistine Chapel of the East

Top level: The Ancient of Day, with the signs of the Zodiac to the sides

Next level down: Jesus, flanked by Mary and St. St. John Prodromos. 

The 12 Apostles complete this level

Middle level center: 

The Bible on the throne of Hetoimasia with the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. 

Ancient Adam and Eve are to the sides

Middle level left: Paul with those saved: the Old Testament prophets and kings, the Church Fathers, believers and saints

Middle level right: those condemned: Jews, Turks, Latins, Armenians and Arabs. Moses is toward the center pointing our their iniquities. The Monasteries were commissioned at a time of Turkish incursions into Moldavia.

Second to the bottom, left: The trumpet sounds (tuba mirum sprangen sonum) and the dead arise. Wild animals spit out human bones they have consumed so they may rejoin their bodies