Of all Bucovina monasteries, Vorone■ is the most famous, mainly because of the blue colour of its outer frescoes, which are unique in the world; the famous ôVorone■ blueö invites comparison with the Veronese green or the Titian red. Known as ôThe Sistine Chapel of the Orientö or the ôPearl of Bucovinaö, the Vorone■ Monastery has been included on the UNESCO world heritage list as a token of the appreciation of its remarkable artistic value. It was founded by Stephen the Great and it is an homage paid to Saint George. The church bells were donated by the great prince. The votive painting in the nave portrays the prince together with his wife, Lady Maria Voichi■a, and their son, Bogdan. There is also a burial chamber inside the church that contains the tomb of monk Daniil the Hermit, the first abbot of the monastery.
The monastery was decorated when it was restored in 1544 by Metropolitan Grigore Ro║ca. The outer frescoes were painted in the Byzantine style in 1547. The more grandiose scenes are: ôThe Last Judgment,ö on the western wall, with the protagonists dressed in the fashion of the Moldavian people at that time, ôThe Tree of Jesse,ö and ôThe Siege of Constantinopleö on the southern part, ôThe Heavenly Customsö and ôThe Genesisö on the northern faτade.
The oldest inside frescoes are ôThe Last Supperö, ôThe Washing of ChristÆs Feetö ôThe Eucharist of the Apostlesö (on the altar), ôThe Prayer on the Olive Mountain,ö and ôThe Transfigurationö.
The architectural style of the Vorone■ Monastery is a combination of Byzantine, Gothic and local elements. The triconch plane and the steeple on the nave show the Byzantine influence. The church porch, the cornice, and the ceramic disks are all elements of Moldavian art. The buttresses are of Gothic origin. The church furniture dates from the 16th century.
