Blestemul jupânesei Dragolea
The Curse of Mrs. Dragolea

Summary/Abstract: A pocket-size Greek Gospel Book, from the XIII-th century, belonging to the patrimony of Caracalu Monastery, from Mount Athos, has recently been remarked by the researcher Florin Marinescu, due to its having inscribed a notice from the XVII-th century. This notice makes some references to Precista Monastery, a medieval monument, today serving as a church in the town of Galați. The notice, written in Romanian, covers several pages of the manuscript and speaks abount the binding of the Gospel Book and its donation to Precista monastery, by Dragolea. Dragolea was the sister of Die and Șerbu, two brothers from Brăila, who founded Precista Monastery, in Galați. As a result of this notice, for the first time, the donor is identified in the documents of that age, as the wife of Iacomi, a trader and also the chef magistrate of Galați, at the middle of the XVII-th century. The notice also mentions several other donations, unknown upto present, offered by this family: several candles and a censer. As it was the custom during those days, at the end of the dedication, Dragolea placed a curse addressed to those who would have dared to give away her gift; she mainly had in view the superior of the monastery. The discovery is of utmost importance for the history of this church/monastery from Galați and also for the genealogy of the family which founded it.

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