Biserica Ortodoxă „Iancu Vechi”

Did the name “Iancu Vechi” ever spark your curiosity? Right here, before you, stands Biserica Ortodoxa “Iancu Vechi”. It’s a testament to Bucharest’s rich and layered past. The church and the surrounding area draw their name from Iancu, a Cossack captain documented in these parts around 1752. Biserica Ortodoxa “Iancu Vechi” itself first rose from the earth between 1774 and 1775. Dumitru Gheorghe Macelaru, his wife Ghita, and Priest Ivan from Silvestru Church spearheaded its construction. The land was a generous gift from Captain Nicolae Petre and his grandfather, Frangulea. This all transpired during the reign of Prince Alexandru Ipsilanti and Metropolitan Grigore II. Time marched on, and in 1836, Pascu Ulieru oversaw repairs to the burgeoning Biserica Ortodoxa “Iancu Vechi”. Then, in 1852, Misu Dragu took the reins, adding a roof and vibrant frescoes, even installing an ornate catapeteasma, a screen adorned with icons. The church continued to evolve, with two imposing towers gracing its silhouette in 1875. This addition came at the urging of Deacon Matei Protopopescu from Zlatari Church, who later became the parish priest of Biserica Ortodoxa “Iancu Vechi”. Further renovations breathed new life into the church in 1895 and again in 1926. Biserica Ortodoxa “Iancu Vechi” has stood as a silent witness to centuries of change. It holds within its walls not just the echoes of prayers, but also tangible pieces of history. It is the sole church in Bucharest to house relics of Saint Eustace, his wife Theopista, and their sons Agapius and Theopistus, a Christian family martyred for their faith in Rome around 122 AD. These relics, fragments of bone, arrived at Biserica Ortodoxa “Iancu Vechi” in 1840, carried from Baia, the first capital of Moldavia, by a devout Bucharest resident named Mihai Zidaru. The relics of these protectors of the Christian family are a treasured possession.