The village was first recorded in 1770. The wooden church is dedicated to “Saint John the Evangelist”, a patron saint rarely met in Maramures. The church was transferred from Fantanele, near Rohia in 1926, where it had been built 280 years before.
The oak construction has a small porch and square disconnected apse. Its side walls are inwardly sloping. On the southern wall there are traces of paintings and a window that had replaced the former entrance door.
The roof is covered with beech shingles. The bell-tower is shingled at its bottom. The parapet of the watch-tower is made up of boards that are bordered by laths» in the shape of wreaths. The balcony is double arched on its sides and holds a s very curvaceous conical steeple. This has a wrought iron cross with a half-moon on top, unlike the crosses at the coping where the half-moon is placed at the end of the arms of the cross.
The interior paintings were all painted in 1998 by an amateur painter, in neo-Byzantine style without a clear iconographic plan. On the ceiling vault we see the Evangelists. The middle row in the Sanctuary contains the portraits of the Fathers of the Christian Church, in circular medallions with red frames and yellow background.
The Iconostasis has only one tier painted directly on the wall, presenting Jesus the Judge sitting on a high-backed armchair, above the nave, surrounded by the Apostles painted in circular medallions. The spaces between the medallions are covered by t ree-armed crosses; together with little hearts on a blue background.
The Ark or Tabernacle on the Altar is remarkable for its simplicity. Its only decoration is a golden cross in a red oval; the candlestick is inscribed with the names of the donors Pinte Nutu and Maria, man and wife.
An interesting painted wooden statue with crucified Jesus and an item used for filtering gold out of the water are kept in the attic of the church.
Bloaja wooden church, general view
BLOAJA (Izvoare 1) wooden church, NEAR CERNESTI The village was first recorded in 1770. The wooden church is dedicated to "Saint John the Evangelist", a patron saint rarely met in Maramures.
