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Romania's religious history is complicated by the fact that it appeaared as a nation only in the 19th century nd the boundaries if the country have changed substantially since its creation. The area of modern Romania was part of the Roman Empire and thus Christianity developed at that time. There is not as a result an official date of Christinization as is the case for much of central and Eastern Rurope. The country was alo affected by massive migrations of non-Christian peoples after the decline of the Roman Empire. The already Christianized Romanians played a role in the Christianization of the
Bulgars ans Slavs. Christianity in Romania was complicated by the split between Rome and Constaninople. Orthodox Christianity emerged as the dominant denomination. Most Romanians today are Orthodox Christians. The Orthodox Church played an important role in resistance to the Ottoman Turks which eventually led to the creation of the modern Romanian state. One estimate suggested as many as 87 percent (2002 census). The Romanian Communist Goverment promoted atheism, but did officially recognize several religions. The regime favored the Orthodox Church. The 1948 Law of Cults brought the Church under state control. There and controlled appointments of the Church hierarchy. There were dissenters, but the hierarchy and most priests accepted state control and the Church was largely submissive to the refime. The Eastern or Byzantine Rite Catholics (Uniate Church) was supressd by the Communist Government beginning in 1948 with the Law of Cults. The Uniates had in the late 17th and early 18th centuries the Uniates broke from the Orthodox Church and accepted Catholic Papal authority even though they retained the Orthodox ritual and canon. They also retained the Orthodox calendar and conducted the mass in Romanian. The Communist Government in 1948 decided to shift the affiliaion of the Uniates back to the Orthodox Church. This was in part because the Government had moe control over the Orthodox Church and was suspicious of Papal influence. It also served the general Communist desire for national unity. About 1.7 million Iniates were involved. When Uniates resisted, the Government arrested 14,000 priests and 5,000 vocal laymen. An unknown number were executed or dies from mistreatment while incarcerated. The Orthodox hierarchy cooperated in the supression of the Uniates, charching that they had been forcibly separated by the Roman Church and truly belonged in the Orthodox Church. There is a small Roman Catholic community, about 5 percent. Protestants (especially Baptists and Pentacostalists) have made inroads in recent years, amounting to about 5 pecent of the population. Most of Romania's historic Jewish popultion was murdered by the NAZIs and Romanian Fascists during the World War II Holocaust. There is a small number of Muslims.
Romania's religious history is complicated by the fact that it appeaared as a nation only in the 19th century and the boundaries if the country have changed substantially since its creation. The area of modern Romania was part of the Roman Empire and thus Christianity developed at that time. There is not as a result an official date of Christianization as is the case for much of Central and Eastern Rurope. The country was alo affected by massive migrations of non-Christian peoples after the decline of the Roman Empire. The already Christianized Romanians played a role in the Christianization of the
Bulgars ans Slavs. Christianity in Romania was complicated by the split between Rome and Constaninople. Orthodox Christianity emerged as the dominant denomination. Most Romanians today are Orthodox Christians. Germans (Saxons) added to the ethnic and religious fabric of Romania in the 12th century. They were at first Roman Catholic, but with the Remormation of the 16th century mostly converted to Protestantism (Lutherenism). The Orthodox Church played an important role in resistance to the Ottoman Turks which eventually led to the creation of the modern Romanian state.
The most important religious ceremoneues for Romanian children is baptism and first communion. All Christian children are baptised. Many subsequently do first communion. There are differences, depending on the denomination. The Orthodox Cgurch is the largest church in Romania, thus most children follow Orthodox rituals. While the Communists waged an active atheist campaign, the Orthodox Church was not totally supressed. We know that some children continued to do First Communions. We do not know, however, how common it was. Nor do we have details yet about the rituals of the different denominations. We have been unable to find information on First Communion rituals. Hopefully our Romanian readers will provide some insights.
One estimate suggested as many as 87 percent (2002 census). The Romanian Communist Goverment promoted atheism, but did officially recognize several religions. The regime favored the Orthodox Church. The 1948 Law of Cults brought the Church under state control. There and controlled appointments of the Church hierarchy. There were dissenters, but the hierarchy and most priests accepted state control and the Church was largely submissive to the refime. The Eastern or Byzantine Rite Catholics (Uniate Church) was supressd by the Communist Government beginning in 1948 with the Law of Cults. The Government converted the monasteries into craft centers and priests largely had to learn and persue 'worldly' occupations. The Uniates had in the late 17th and early 18th centuries the Uniates broke from the Orthodox Church and accepted Catholic Papal authority even though they retained the Orthodox ritual and canon. They also retained the Orthodox calendar and conducted the mass in Romanian. The Communist Government in 1948 decided to shift the affiliaion of the Uniates back to the Orthodox Church. This was in part because the Government had more control over the Orthodox Church and was suspicious of Papal influence. It also served the general Communist desire for national unity. About 1.7 million Uniates were involved. When Uniates resisted, the Government arrested 14,000 priests and 5,000 vocal laymen. An unknown number were executed or dies from mistreatment while incarcerated. The Orthodox hierarchy cooperated in the supression of the Uniates, charching that they had been forcibly separated by the Roman Church and truly belonged in the Orthodox Church. There is a small Roman Catholic community, about 5 percent. Protestants (especially Baptists and Pentacostalists) have made inroads in recent years, amounting to about 5 pecent of the population. The first Protestants were Germans who converted at the time of the Reformation. Most of Romania's historic Jewish popultion was murdered by the NAZIs and Romanian Fascists during the World War II Holocaust. There is a small number of Muslims.
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