Church ,,Sfantul Martin'' -Faraoani

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The first wooden Church of the Catholic community of Valea Mare and Faraoani, located in the hearth page of the village, is still present today in the current cemetery of the village. We do not have information about the first documentary mention of the Church. From an interesting historical source I found out that the Church was built in the year 1435, on 26 of October, by Balint Marton. The interesting fact is that the patron saint of the Church is still Saint Martin.
“The Church has its walls, doors and beams made only by the heart of oak. On the front of the door is carved the name of the person who built the church, which is Balint Marton Csinalta. There was something else written below, maybe the year in which the Church was made, but it cannot be deciphered. At the beginning there were not used iron nails, screws or hinges made of metal; all of them being made from wood. The opinion of the carpenters is that in the process of building the Church there were not used saws, gealauri, they used only axes and drills. The nails and the iron hinges that exist today have been there in the past. It is unknown how many times the Church was repaired, but the last time it was repaired, probably covered, was in 1843 by Priest Anton Finta OMC, the vicar in Faraoani at the time. Still in that time period the altar was established ant the Ianus Cosa family gave it as a gift to the Church.” On a piece of wood taken from the altar there was found a note on which was written the following: “Ezen kus oltarnak felepulese volt a Tistelendo P. Vicarius Finta Antalnak szent viselese alatt 1843 esztendoben" (the altar was built in 1843 while Anton Finta was the Holiness Father Bishop of the Church). In the year 1893 the Church was set on new oak sole and in 1916 Priest Jacint Bock OMC started to cover it, but did not finish because of the war.”
Tradition says that the Church is from the time of Stephen the Great. In should also be stated that this Church is one of the oldest, if not the oldest in Moldavia.
Currently the Church dedicated to Saint Martin is situated outside the settlement, the cemetery being used by catholic residents in Faraoani and Valea Mare . The celebration of the Church takes place every year on 11 of November.

source: www.valeamare.ro .transalated by Ecouri din Vale Association