The Saint Andrew’s Church (Biserica Sfântul Andrei) is a historic Orthodox church in central Iași, a short distance southeast of the Palace of Culture. Built in 1794 on the site of an older wooden church, it originally served a neighborhood inhabited by craftsmen, officials, and workers from the nearby Princely Court.
The church was founded by priest Ioan Buciumaș with the help of a merchant named Neculai. At the time, the surrounding area was known as Fânăria Domnească, and many of the people living here worked for the nearby Princely Court or belonged to local craft guilds. The parish grew with that neighborhood as Iași expanded beyond the immediate court area.
A second dedication to Saint Mina became important after a revered icon of the saint was transferred here in 1886 from the Princely Church of Saint Nicholas. The icon had already attracted pilgrims before the move and continued to be an important focus of devotion at Saint Andrew’s, giving the church a second feast day alongside that of Saint Andrew.
The building seen today is the result of major alterations carried out between 1989 and 1996. The church was raised by more than two meters and extended by over six meters, while a Moldavian-style roof, new fresco painting, furniture, and a separate bell tower were added. It was reconsecrated in October 1996, when relics of Saint Andrew were brought to Iași for the occasion.
