The Vulpe Church ( ro, Biserica Vulpe) is a Romanian Orthodox church located at 40 Sărăriei Street in

Iași Iași ( , , ; also known by other alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the second largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, it has traditionally ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

. It is dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God and to

Anthony the Great Anthony the Great ( grc-gre, Ἀντώνιος ''Antṓnios''; ar, القديس أنطونيوس الكبير; la, Antonius; ; c. 12 January 251 – 17 January 356), was a Christian monk from Egypt, revered since his death as a saint. He is d ...

. The first church on this site was made of wood. It burned down in summer 1644, was remade in wood, and devastated by the

1738 Vrancea earthquake The 1738 Vrancea earthquake occurred on , during the third rule of Constantin Mavrocordat. The seism aroused great panic and is mentioned in several sources. It occurred in the lower lithospheric block, at a depth of 130 km. Its effects were ...

and another in 1790. After it burned again in July 1844, it was rebuilt in stone later that year, with funds supplied by '' vornic'' Teodor Burada. However, other historians claim the church was built around 1760 by the '' bragă'' sellers' guild. According to an 1868 inscription on a cross placed on the altar table and donated by Prince Carol I of Romania, the church had also belonged to the blanket-makers' guild. Andi Emanuel Mihalache
History
at the Iași County Cultural Office site Three semi-legendary stories surround the foundation of the first church. One holds that it was established by a great ''

boyar A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the Feudalism, feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Kievan Rus', Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria, Russian nobility, Russia, Boyars of Moldavia and Wallachia, Wallachia and ...

'' named Vulpe. Another says that a hunter pursued a rare fox (''vulpe'' in Romanian) for a long time, promising he would build a church where he killed it, which he did. A third holds that the blanket-makers built the church, naming it after the material they used in their wares. There was formerly a cemetery in the churchyard, and two of its headstones, now gone, were still visible in the early 20th century. One was heart-shaped and mentioned the

Union of the Principalities The unification of Moldavia and Wallachia ( ro, Unirea Moldovei și Țării Românești), also known as the unification of the Romanian Principalities ( ro, Unirea Principatelor Române, link=no) or as the Little Union ( ro, Mica Unire, link=no) ...

. Another was square, with a torch in each corner, and commemorated a woman who participated in the Moldavian Revolution of 1848. The church is listed as a historic monument by Romania's Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs.Lista Monumentelor Istorice 2010: Județul Iași
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Notes

{{coord, 47.16935, 27.58799, format=dms, type:landmark_region:RO, display=title Historic monuments in Iași County Romanian Orthodox churches in Iași Churches completed in 1844