The lost secrets and legends of the Church Saint Antony – Old Court in Bucharest

Old Court – Saint Anthony Church is the oldest church in Bucharest and one of the most important whose history is lost in the mists of time.

It is said that the Old Court Church was built on the site of an old monastery, founded by Vlad Țepeș, also known as Dracula. Other voices claim that the old monastery was built by Mircea the Elder.

A legend says that a devastating fire destroyed the church and was later rebuilt in its current form. This story highlights the resilience and perseverance of the community in rebuilding the place of worship. The miracle-working icon Saint Anthony the Great was rescued from the ruins on a Tuesday. Since then, every Tuesday, there have been services commemorating Saint Anthony and the recovery of the miraculous icon.

It is said that Saint Anthony, the church’s protector, would have defended it many times from dangers and invaders. Saint Anthony of Egypt, also known as Saint Anthony the Great or Saint Anthony of the Desert. He is considered one of the founding fathers of Christian monasticism. Born in Egypt around 251 AD, he lived an ascetic life in the desert, fighting temptations and demons.

It is said that the church had a very large and beautiful bell, but it was lost in one of the wells near the church. According to legend, the bell was sunk in the well to hide it from the Turkish invaders or to avoid its confiscation.

There is a legend that says that near the church there was a spring with miraculous water, which had healing powers. Many worshipers would gather to pray and drink from this water, and the tradition continues today, with many people coming to gather and drink from the spring near the church.

Another popular story is related to an old woman known as Baba Manu, who was said to have been a devout believer in the church. She is said to have been an enigma to the locals, often seen singing and dancing around the church in the middle of the night, and some people claim she was even a supernatural apparition.

According to another legend, during the construction of the church, a shepherd and a street singer would have worked together to raise its walls. They fell in love with the same woman when they finished the construction. To settle their dispute, they decided to see to their work and let fate decide who would be with the woman. The two each took one end of a ribbon and began to spin it around the church. At one point, the singer fell and was strangled by the ribbon, and the shepherd stayed with the woman.