Who Alexei Mateevici was
Alexei Mateevici was born on 27 March 1888 in Căinari, in Bessarabia. His father, Mihail, was a priest. His mother, Nadejda, was the daughter of a Căușeni protopriest.
He studied at the theological school and seminary in Chișinău, then at the Kiev Theological Academy, graduating in 1914. He was a poet, priest and translator. From 1915 he served as a military priest.
He died of typhus in Chișinău on 24 August 1917, aged 29.
The years he spent in Zaim
The family moved to Zaim, on the road between Căușeni and Cimișlia. Mateevici lived here from 1893 to 1897 and went to the village primary school. He heard local folk tales and ballads.
After 1897 his parents enrolled him in the theological school in Chișinău.
What you see inside the house-museum
The museum opened on 26 March 1988, a hundred years after the poet's birth. His father built the house, next to the village church.
The exhibition fills six rooms. Three are memorial rooms, three are exhibition rooms. In the courtyard stands a bronze monument to the poet.
The collection includes original photographs, documents, ethnographic objects, paintings and sculpture, and a set of old books.
- Memorial rooms: the parents' room, the children's room, the Mateevici family library.
- Address: Pietre Vechi street, Zaim. Phone: +373 243 72 337. Call before you go: sources give different opening hours.
Why “Limba noastră” matters
“Limba noastră” has 12 stanzas of four lines. It is an ode to the Romanian language and urges readers to value it. The music is by Alexandru Cristea.
On 22 July 1995 the Moldovan parliament approved stanzas 1, 2, 5, 8 and 12 as the national anthem.
On 31 August Moldova marks Romanian Language Day, a holiday first named “Limba noastră”.
How to fit it into a day trip
Zaim is 6 km from the centre of Căușeni, so it makes a short stop on the way. You can combine it with the Dormition Church in Căușeni or the monastery at Hagimus.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is the Alexei Mateevici House-Museum?
- In the village of Zaim, Căușeni district, 6 km from the town. Do not confuse it with the house-museum in Căinari, the poet's birthplace.
- Who wrote “Limba noastră”?
- The poet and priest Alexei Mateevici (1888–1917). The music is by Alexandru Cristea.
- Is “Limba noastră” the anthem of Moldova?
- Yes. Parliament approved stanzas 1, 2, 5, 8 and 12 as the national anthem on 22 July 1995.
- When did the Zaim house-museum open?
- On 26 March 1988, a hundred years after the poet's birth.
