ÉGLISE ST ARCHANGE MICHEL

The church of the Holy Archangel Michael is quite old and is said to be nearly three centuries old. It is noticeable by its pink colour and its magnificent bell towers with coloured bulbs. It was originally built in wood and was partially destroyed twice. It was finally built in stone with a Byzantine style dome. The bell tower was erected in 1865 in Gothic style but was later destroyed. During the Soviet period, the church was used as a warehouse for stocks of fertilizers and pesticides. In 1991, the church regained its spiritual function on the initiative of the priest Valeriu Galaida, but the building was in a state of ruins. The dome and the roof were restored in 1991-1992, and the bell tower and the portal in 1993-1996. A well was dug in 1997-1998 and on that occasion a cave was discovered which served as a crypt. The walls were built in red bricks from Tiraspol. The restoration of the frescoes began in 2000 and the iconostasis was installed in 2007-2009. The iconostasis is magnificent, all gilded with paintings representing Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Last Supper and various saints. Close to the church are accommodations for the religious and the kitchen. In 2011-2012, a gate topped by a 37 m high tower with a gilded bulbous bell tower was built at the entrance. It has ten bells. A baptistery chapel was added to the complex in 2014. There are plans to build pilgrim accommodation.