Alexei Mateevici

Alexei Mateevici
Born(1888-03-27)March 27, 1888
Căinari, Bessarabia, Russian Empire
DiedAugust 24, 1917(1917-08-24) (aged 29)
Chișinău, Bessarabia, Russian Empire
Resting placeChișinău Central Cemetery
OccupationGreek language teacher
LanguageRomanian
CitizenshipRussian Empire
Alma materTheological Academy of Kyiv
Notable worksLimba noastră (Our Language)
SpouseTeodora Borisovna Novitski

Alexei (or Alexie) Mateevici (Romanian pronunciation: [alekˈsej mateˈevitʃʲ, aˈlekse -]; 27 March 1888 – 24 August 1917) was one of the most prominent Romanian[1] poets in Bessarabia.

Biography

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He was born in the town Căinari, in Eastern Bessarabia, which was part of the Russian Empire, now in the Republic of Moldova. He grew up in Zaim, Căușeni.[2] He studied at the theological school of Chișinău, and published his first poems (Țăranii (Peasants), Eu cânt (I sing), Țara (The Country)) in the newspaper Basarabia, where he also published two articles on Moldavian folklore. Mateevici later published several articles on religion in Moldavia.

Mateevici went on to study at the Theological Academy of Kyiv, from which he graduated in 1914. In that year he married Teodora Borisovna Novitski. He returned to Chișinău, and became a Greek language teacher at the theological school. In the summer of 1917 he wrote the lyrics for Limba noastră (Our Language),[3] which has been the national anthem of Moldova since 1994. He also volunteered as a World War One Romanian front priest, at the battle of Mărășești.

Mateevici on a 1998 stamp from Moldova; in the background are written quatrains from Limba noastră

He died a month later of epidemic typhus, and was buried at the Chișinău Central Cemetery. The street leading to the cemetery now bears his name.

Bust of Mateevici in the Alley of Classics, in Chișinău

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ "De ce Alexei Mateevici, autorul imnului "Limba noastră", spunea că vorbim LIMBA ROMÂNĂ?". 31 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Moldova Pitoreasca Picturesque Moldavia" (PDF). natura2000oltenita-chiciu.ro (in Romanian). May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  3. ^ "De Ziua Limbii Române, "Limba noastră" va răsuna din turnul Primăriei Cluj". Ziua de Cluj (in Romanian). 2017-08-30. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  4. ^ "Declaraţie privind restabilirea monumentului înălţat în grădina Catedralei în memoria eroilor naţionali: Simion Murafa, Alexei Mateevici şi Andrei Hodorogea / partide.md". www.e-democracy.md. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  5. ^ Mario-Ovidiu Oprea, Parliamentary Debates Archived 2018-01-31 at the Wayback Machine
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