REMEMBRANCE IN TIME - Index of

Ion XENOFONTOV: Monastery Closing Campaign Throughout Soviet Moldavia … 335
Moldavian SSR and the subsequent closure of all monasteries (s.n.)”. Consequently, on 5
June 1959, the Council of Ministers of SSRM took the decision to “gradually close nine
monasteries throughout the republic, during the years 1959–1960” [28]. In the light of the
indications set by the central Soviet authorities, only in the years 1959–1960, nine
monasteries and 173 churches were closed. During 1960, in SSRM, only five monasteries
were active: 3 of monks (HârbovăŃ, Căpriana and ChiŃcani) and 2 of nuns (Călărăşeuca
and Japca). In 1961, the monasteries HârbovăŃ and Călărăşeuca were abolished, with a
total number of 179 persons; and in 1962 Căpriana and ChiŃcani, with a total number of
171 persons. Liquidating the monastic complex HârbovăŃ, on 10 May 1961, was
motivated as executed “in compliance with the need to reduce the number of monasteries
in the republic” [29], being transformed into orphanage. Some monastic establishments
became social homes (Hâncu), hospitals for disabled children (Saharna), hospitals
(Cuşălăuca, Noul NeamŃ, Căpriana), schools for disabled children (Călărăşeuca), clubs
(Tabăra), insane asylums (Curchi) etc.
The only monastery not closed was the one from Japca, subsequently taken under the
direct administration of Moscow’s Patriarchate.
Forms and mechanisms for liquidating the monasteries and for intimidating the
monastic communities
As a result of creating the oppressive mechanisms of religious-life liquidation in
Moldavian SSR, categorical indications were given as regards compromising and
subsequently liquidating the monastic establishments. To this purpose, the Soviet
authorities applied several radical methods and tricks: from physical removal and
psychological intimidation to economic and social marginalization of the monastic
congregations.
In the profile of the war communism, the formula was applied Who is not with us is
against us. Using the respective principle, an ample campaign for “liquidating” the
elements declared by the Soviet-occupation authorities to be anti-Soviet, inclusively
within the monastic congregations, was initiated. This way, in a document from June
1946, among the anti-Soviet elements during the Second World War, the monks were
mentioned and qualified as “collaborators of the occupation regime”, being blamed of
having allegedly denounced the groups of Soviet partisans, as well as of other “anti-
Soviet” actions. Consequently, 28 monastery dwellers were arrested [30].
In the complex mechanism of monastic-establishment liquidation, the State Security’s
organs and collaborators were massively and permanently driven (NKVD). This way, in
the HârbovăŃ monastery-closing operation “a great part was incumbent on the agents and
trustees, who held management positions in the diocesan administrations, in the
monasteries or lived in the neighbouring villages”. So as to discreetly close the
monastery, avoiding the public-protest manifestations, the Soviet Security studied the
current situation of the monastery, monks, neighbouring localities. In order to pave the
field for liquidating the complex, the rumour first spread on closing the monastery: “On
our indications, the agents and trustees among the monks and believers first spread the
rumour on possibly closing the monastery. The rumour was also supported by our agent
… who was the abbot of the monastery. Therefore, a group appeared among the monks
who asked for the monastic wealth distribution. Using these circumstances, our agents…
convinced approximately 52 persons, whereof 94 monks, to leave the monastery…