Timeless stones whisper secrets. Stand before the Biserica Ortodoxă Apostol din Tabaci. Its history stretches back centuries. A wooden church once stood here. It was part of a nuns’ skete. A 1642 document hints at its existence. Leatherworkers the tabaci gave their name to the neighbourhood. Their original church was later demolished. The current Biserica Ortodoxă Apostol din Tabaci however dates to 1763-1765. A captain in Prince Constantine Mavrocordatos’ court funded its construction. The lost pisanie recorded this fact.
The Biserica Ortodoxă Apostol din Tabaci served the Apostol district. Millers and bakers lived there. Butchers joined later near a slaughterhouse. It became known as the “cutting church”. Its proximity to a tribunal earned it another name: “judgment church”. Earthquakes damaged the Biserica Ortodoxă Apostol din Tabaci. Repairs followed in 1810 and 1820-1830. Further restoration occurred in 1864. This fixed damage from the 1802 and 1838 earthquakes. The flagstone floor is from that time. The shingle roof was replaced with lead sheeting in 1894.
The Biserica Ortodoxă Apostol din Tabaci’s interior changed significantly. Columns and arches separating nave and narthex were removed. This enlarged the space. The masonry dome above the nave was replaced with a lighter wooden one coated in tin. The bell tower initially wooden was replaced with a metal one in 1910. A wooden choir area was added. It was later changed to reinforced concrete in 1956-1957. The 1940 and 1977 earthquakes caused serious damage. Repairs were carried out in 1979 with additional exterior work in 2002-2003.
The Biserica Ortodoxă Apostol din Tabaci’s initial frescoes were redone in oil in 1894. Gheorghe Tattarescu and another artist were responsible. Businessman Dumitru Mociorniță helped fund art restoration in 1924. Further repairs took place in 1983. The exterior painting of saints’ faces in medallions above windows was removed. This happened during the 1864 enlargement. One icon Paraskeva of the Balkans is original. Others date from 1864. The iconostasis is wooden.
During the Ceaușescu regime the Biserica Ortodoxă Apostol din Tabaci faced demolition. The threat of apartment blocks obscuring it loomed. Petitions and efforts delayed implementation. The danger persisted until 1991-1992. The parish priest’s efforts halted construction. The block foundations were covered in 1995-1996. The Biserica Ortodoxă Apostol din Tabaci stands as a testament to resilience. It’s a historic monument a place of worship a piece of Bucharest’s enduring soul.