Wooden Church of St. Mercurius and St. Catherine – Rădășeni

The wooden church of Rădășeni has been watching over the life of the village on the hill for hundreds of years. The place it occupies offers unsuspected joys to the eye. In this corner of paradise, full of faith and devotion, the old voivodal foundation, which has recently regained its splendor, awaits you with affection. It is said to have been built by Voivode Ștefan Tomșa in the years 1611 - 1622.

The iconography is specifically Byzantine, in shades of green and blue, with scenes full of local color. The appearance of the characters resembles folk painting, which brings the spirit of the church closer to the simple life of the village.

In addition to the iconostasis that separates the nave from the altar with a baroque form and structure, of Western influence, there are also other heritage objects here: a copy in the form of a gilded silver ladle of the spoon donated by the church's founder in 1621.

Mihail Sadoveanu mentions it in his novel "Nada Florilor" (1950), considering it a "religious monument, unique among the remnants of the past." The writer relates in his characteristic style his participation in the feast in honor of the old wooden church's patron saint in Rădășeni.

Perhaps you will be lucky and, when you arrive in Rădășeni, you will find the tables spread out and the villagers enjoying the feast, because the richness of this place has taste and flavor, and the fame of its fruits has spread for a long time.

The village of Rădășeni is documented for the first time in February 1424, in a deed of donation by the ruler Alexandru cel Bun. The wooden church of Rădășeni was built 200 years later, during the reign of Ștefan Tomșa the Second. However, it seems that the ruler only laid the foundation stone, and the wonderful wooden foundation arose from the labor of the villagers, being inaugurated during the second reign of the ruler.

Evidence is also provided by the golden spoon donated by the voivode for communion, "I donated it to her to pray for us in the Church of Rădășeni where the feast of the great martyr Mercurius is held. Io Ştefan V. V. Tomșovici," which later ended up in the Museum of Neamț Monastery. The priests and inhabitants of Rădășeni endeavored to create a copy in gilded silver in the form of a ladle with the inscription: "This spoon was donated by E. M. Naftanailă to the Church of Rădășeni, in the year 1866".

After 400 years, in 2012, a significant number of hierarchs and priests participated in the re-consecration service of the church, as well as an unexpectedly large number of faithful from the surroundings and from all over the region of Suceava. On this occasion, the church also received a second patron saint in honor of the Holy Emperors Constantine and Helena.

In Rădășeni, there are plenty of traditional things that impress with their beauty. Annually, social-cultural and religious events closely related to the church take place, such as: Egg Painting Camp, Easter for the Ancestors, Creation Camp "Mother of God, Joy of Children", Day of the Romanian Blouse, "Hora Rădășenilor" Festival, and more.

Near the objective, there are other tourist attractions worth visiting: Râșca and Slatina Monasteries, the Ion Irimescu Museum in Fălticeni, the Museum of Waters in Fălticeni, the Gallery of Distinguished People in Fălticeni, Mihail Sadoveanu's "Wonderful Grove".