Surely, how did a humble cross evolve into this revered church? We are standing before Biserica Sfinții Ioachim și Ana. It is also known as Biserica Sfinții Ioachim și Ana Oborul Vechi. This Orthodox church is part of the Archdiocese of Bucharest. Its dedication is to Saints Joachim and Anna.
The Biserica Sfinții Ioachim și Ana is on Strada Traian near Foișorul de Foc. Metropolitan Grigore al II-lea founded it in the 18th century. Inside, the altar holds a monumental stone cross. It stands 4.25 meters tall.
Dating the Biserica Sfinții Ioachim și Ana’s construction has proven difficult. The church lacks a dedication inscription. Older documents are missing too. Information relies on local tradition. Architecturally, the church presents a unique design. It was erected in three distinct phases. First came the altar to house the cross. Later, the nave was built. Finally, the pronaos was added in its current form.
Nearly 300 years ago, this land was on Bucharest’s outskirts. A large cattle and grain market called Obor thrived here. Historian Ionnescu-Gion recounts a harsh period between 1718 and 1719. Famine and plague ravaged the city. Serdar Matei Mogoș erected a beautiful cross to appease divine wrath. It stood 4.25 meters tall. Its width measured 1.08 meters. This act aimed to encourage prayer among passersby.
Priest Marin Dumitrecu described those times as sad but filled with Christian piety. Mogoș a nobleman had the cross made. He belonged to a prominent family that gave Mogoșoaia its name. A cupola of brick eventually sheltered the cross. People gathered at Obor sought refuge there during rain and heat. Farmers and merchants hung their clothes on the cross. Erecting this chapel marked the first step in building the sacred Biserica Sfinții Ioachim și Ana.
In 1768, Metropolitan Grigore al II-lea passed through. He was appalled by the disrespect shown to the cross. He ordered a church to be built around it. The cross and chapel were preserved as the Holy Altar. The nave was built as an extension without an apse. This marked the second phase of construction for the Biserica Sfinții Ioachim și Ana.
The church was small. It was known as Oborul Vechi or the Târgului de Afară. This name reflected the city’s expansion. The cattle market had moved to Bucharest’s outskirts. This is where Piața and Halele Obor are now located. During that time, Alexandru Ipsilanti ruled Wallachia. He donated an icon of Saints Joachim and Anna to the church. Tradition says it came from Constantinople. The icon is still the church’s patron icon. It bears the Greek inscription: “Pray to God for Alexandru Ipsilanti Voievod and Ecaterina Doamna.”
The stone cross of Serdar Mogoș remains in the Holy Altar behind the Holy Table. D. Papazoglu described it as a large marble cross like the one at Călugăreni. It reaches the church’s iconostasis. Adorned with beautiful sculptures and Byzantine arabesques, it features an inscription in Romanian. It asks those gathered to pray for Romania’s protection from evil.
Later, the initial church became too small. Parishioners extended the space by 5 meters. They built the pronaos in its current form. Two lateral apses were added next to the Holy Altar. This was the third construction phase. The pronaos stands where the old church porch once stood. Fragments of frescoes from the early 18th century remain. Two more pieces of the old painting are preserved in the nave. The current porch was added in 1938. It coincided with repairs to the holy place. Initially, it lacked murals. It only displayed several icons from the 18th century. Between 1999 and 2004 a restoration and consolidation took place. The porch was painted with Romanian saints.
The stone cross in the Holy Altar makes Biserica Sfinții Ioachim și Ana Oborul Vechi a historical monument. It is dated to 1780. The church preserves old icons from the 18th century. These icons are important for understanding Romanian church painting. The church inventory includes ritual books. However, these books are no older than 1830.
Biserica Sfinții Ioachim și Ana stands as a testament to faith. It also shows artistic evolution through centuries. Its history woven with prayers and donations, continues to inspire. Its unique architectural stages and the story of the cross make it a valuable monument.