- Why is Plumbuita Monastery important?
- Legend of the name
- The legend of the underground tunnels
- The Legend of Mother of God Icon
- The legend of the golden bell
- The legend regarding the foundation of the monastery
- Legend of the “Gate of Light”
- The Legend of the Miraculous Spring
- The legend of the self-building wall
Why is Plumbuita Monastery important?
Plumbuita Monastery is a magnificent Romanian Orthodox monastery located in the Colentina neighborhood of Bucharest. It is dedicated to the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist and is on a small hill on the right bank of the Colentina River.
Legend of the name
According to a legend, the name of the monastery, “Plumbuita“, comes from the original roof of the church, which was made of lead (Ro: plumb). It is said that this lead roof was given by a rich merchant who wanted to contribute to the building of the place of worship. The lead used for the roof would have been brought precisely from Italy, that’s why the monastery was called “Plumbuita”.
According to another legend, Petru the Younger was 8 or 12 years old when he took over the throne of Wallachia, this means that his parents, Mrs. Chiajna and father, Mircea Ciobanul. After her son, Petru the Younger, was removed from the throne, Mrs Chiajna sealed everything that had been built until then with lead (Ro: plumb).
It is also said that Matei Basarab, when he ran out of cannonballs, had the lead roof of the monastery melted down, to make the necessary ammunition from them.
The legend of the underground tunnels
It is said that there is a complex network of underground tunnels under Plumbuita Monastery, which were used in the past for defensive purposes or to hide treasures and valuables during invasions and dungeons. These tunnels would be the remains of ancient structures or fortifications and would have been kept secret for centuries.
Legend has it that there are three tunnels connected to the Plumbuita Monastery in Bucharest. One tunnel leads to the Old Royal Court (Curtea Domnească), another to the Andronache Forest, and the third to the nearby Fundenii Doamnei Church.
The Legend of Mother of God Icon
There is a legend that says that the icon of the Mother of God in Plumbuita Monastery wept tears of blood during a period of calamity or persecution. This miraculous manifestation would have brought relief and hope to the faithful who prayed to the icon of the Mother of God for protection and help.
The legend of the golden bell
It is said that in ancient times, during the construction of the monastery, a bell of pure gold was cast. The bell would have been made with the help of a secret passed down from master to apprentice, but it was lost in time and no one could reproduce the process. The golden bell is said to have been hidden somewhere within the monastery, and legends say that whoever finds it will be blessed with wealth and happiness. Others say that this bell has been stolen by the Germans.
Another version of the legend says that “the bell throws tongues of fire” and is the guardian of the treasures buried under the church. A witch who lived in the area tried for a long time to break the curse of the bell so that she could unearth the treasures. We don’t know if he succeeded.
The legend regarding the foundation of the monastery
According to another legend, the Plumbuita Monastery would have been built on the place where an icon of the Mother of God was found buried in the ground. The discovery of this icon would have been considered a divine sign, and it would have been decided to build the monastery on that spot.
Legend of the “Gate of Light”
It is said that at the Plumbuita Monastery, there is a gate called the “Gate of Light”. The legend claims that this gate would have been the place where a miracle or a special divine manifestation took place, giving it the name “Gate of Light”.
The Legend of the Miraculous Spring
According to legend, there is a miraculous spring located in the monastery’s courtyard. The water from this spring is believed to have healing powers that can cure various ailments. People who have faith in this legend come here to pray and drink from the spring, hoping to obtain relief from their afflictions.
The legend of the self-building wall
According to another legend, the walls of the church at the monastery were built by themselves overnight during the construction. The craftsmen and monks who were involved in the construction observed that the walls grew day by day without any manual intervention. This supernatural occurrence was considered to be a sign of divine blessing on the holy place.
