The story of a ruined church in Teleorman. Monk Justinian: Some have said that the place is cursed. Not by a long shot! / photo

The church is located in Ciuperceni commune, a few kilometers from Turnu Măgurele. For about 2 and a half years, the church has been in the care of the monk Justinian, who has built a cell next to it.

The father gave an interview to DC News about the challenges of his mission, and told us that he hopes that things will change and that he will be able to cover and restore the place of worship with the help of good people.

Why isn’t the church – a historical monument in the records?

‘Due to the fact that the Danube grew in the spring and flooded the households, the village of Ciuperceni was gradually displaced during the communist era, two kilometers away. In 1975, the last church service was held. Moreover, it was deleted from the map, deleted from the documents, but physically it remained. Basically, that’s why it’s not on the list of historical monuments. ‘, said the abbot Justinian.

Take the cross off the tower! – Ceausescu would have said

‘When Nicolae Ceausescu passed through the area to dry the ponds, he saw the procession of people on a holiday and asked where they were going. He was told I was going to church. ‘Well, they don’t have a church in the village? They are not allowed here, to finish their church in the village, and here to take down the cross from the tower!‘, Ceausescu would have said, reports the abbot according to the local stories.

Troubled history during the communist era. Vandalized, cow stable, fire

‘At one point, the priest of the village at that time also intervened on her. He opened the roof, took the wood and used it at the parish house. After that, some people stole the doors, others the windows. Then the church became a stable, a milking parlor for cows. They put the sheep here too. At one point, a fire broke out. Over time, when I came here, it was a jungle. I managed to cut the thorns, 4-5 meters, up to the top, only with a chainsaw. It was also a landfill, ‘said Father Justinian.

‘The church is guarded by God. Those who dared to destroy it have died. ‘

‘Those who dared to destroy the church or steal from it found their punishment, a sudden death: drowned, struck by lightning. The son of the priest who opened the roof fell on his head and died, the one who tore down the cross was wounded, the shepherd who put the sheep in the church was also punished, those who tore down the tower drowned in the Danube. After all these, people said the place was cursed. No way! The church is guarded by God so that it does not fall apart. It is said that in one year a priest performed exorcisms here and many were demonized. People chased the father away because they were afraid. ‘

‘It may have been a church before the present, from the time of Iancu Jianu’

‘When it was dug for the geo-technical study, a commission told me it had been a church before. Older crosses were found. On one was written 1801, then 1808. When Iancu Jianu drove the Turks from Turnu Măgurele, around 1820-1822, it is said that the Ottomans set fire to the church in Ciuperceni. When Iancu Jianu heard this, he went after them and beat them at Nicopolis. Basically, it is possible that it was a church before 1881 when the current one was built. ‘, Pointed out the monk Justinian.

‘We serve in the church when possible. I did not succeed in Saint Andrew ‘

‘We serve in the church when possible, depending on the weather conditions and when we find a singer. For example, I did not manage to serve Saint Andrew because the wind was blowing at 55 km / h. It was impossible. In order to obtain the permission to consolidate and renovate the church, the land must be introduced from the built-up area to the built-up area, including the agricultural part around the church. The Agricultural Directorate asks me to make a file. I was also asked to submit documentation to ANIF – the National Agency for Land Improvements, from where I am waiting for a technical estimate, but it still takes time. ‘, Said the monk Justinian.

Lots of bureaucracy. The construction of the church still stands …

‘After receiving the answers, some informative ones, from ISU Teleorman, Environment, Waters, Special Telecommunications, Culture, etc., I can go with the file to the County Council. Then we need to get our PUZ approved and get permission to consolidate and renovate the church. We barely managed to get electricity this year. It cost us 4 billion because it is a long distance from the communal road, from the electricity network, to the monastery, ” the abbot mentioned.

DC News: How do you feel when you serve in such a church with such a spiritual and historical charge?

‘First of all, it is wonderful to serve in such a church because obedience to the abbot who sent me here reassures and fulfills you. Moreover, you feel the presence of God and you think about the great sacrifices made by those who built the church in 1880. But their descendants, children and grandchildren, showed indifference. ‘ said the abbot.

‘Do not go! Take me back to the way I was. I’ll take care of the rest ‘

‘When I go to church, no matter how hard it is, I always remember when I got here. At first I didn’t want to sit down and see what he looked like. But I heard a humble voice in my heart, of a suffering woman, of an abandoned man, who said to me: Do not go! Take me back to the way I was. I’ll take care of the rest. That’s when I told the abbot I was staying here. When God calls you and gives you a work, you can’t refuse such a beauty. And since then, every morning I hope to move forward with the work. In the evening I see that I have not succeeded, but the only answer that strengthens me is: God knows why. ‘ Father Justinian pointed out.

‘God is getting people in my way’

‘I didn’t even dream of electricity, but God is getting people in my way. The director who executed the work, about 40 years ago, when he was going to take an exam to enter a high school in Turnu Măgurele to become an electrician, every time he passed this church he worshiped. It didn’t matter that it was a ruined church. He said: ‘God, my God, if you help me take the exam and I become a great man so I can have money, firm, I will return to help this church. ‘. And he says that out of 60-70 students, he was the only one who took the exam. ‘, Pointed out the monk Justinian.

‘It lived up to the promise made 40 years ago’

‘Moreover, he helped me a lot with a donation of 5,000 RON and with bringing the electricity from the communal road. He kept his promise 40 years ago. He came to me on Christmas day. Then I served and I was very cold. Then I came to my cell, I fell asleep, my head hurt a lot. I dreamed that a woman with two soldiers entered the gate. She was none other than the Mother of God, Saint George and Saint John the Valah. In a dream, I got out of bed and knocked on the window to see me. And I heard voices: We came to get to work and you stay? No more time! I woke up, but there was no one in the yard or in the church. However, after a while the director appeared and since then things have materialized regarding the electricity, ‘said the monk Justinian.

‘We hope to be helped’

“Times are tough, but we hope to be helped,” Father Justinian Oprina told DC News.

The 40-year-old ruined church, without a roof, has a great spiritual and historical load on its back for Romania.

At some point, it will regain its radiance, and people will return in large numbers to pray in it, as they once did. Until then, we need to help each other as much as possible or with the distribution of this article to as many people as possible.

St. John Valahul Monastery. Accounts:

For donations (Lei): RO96RNCB0247163508080001

For donations (Euro): RO69RNCB0247163508080002

VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqjVVTPEE6E

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