The Greek-Catholic Church in the Orăştie county during the First World War
Autor: Marius Bârlianu
Cuvinte cheie: biserica greco-catolică, protopopiat, parohie, Orăştie, Primul Război Mondial
Keywords: the Greek-Catholoc church, rank, parish, Orăştie, the First World War
Între anii 1914-1916, protopopiatul Orăştie cuprindea 14 parohii deservite de 14 parohi. Pe măsură ce efectele nocive ale războiului s-au amplificat, se observă o scădere a natalităţii şi a nupţialităţii, precum şi o creştere a mortalităţii. Lucrarea face şi o analiză a relaţiei biserică – credincioşi, a situaţiei clericilor, prezentându-se totodată diverse aspecte din viaţa cotidiană a acestor parohii.
For the Greek-Catholic Archpriestship of Orastie the beginning of the First World War coincided with the appointment of a new rector, namely Ioan Ienea. Throughout this conflict, Ioan Ienea wil distinguish himself through the activity carried out at a church, educational, administrative and political level. Despite the difficult situation of the parishes, some being very poor, the connection between the rector, priests and parishioners has remained strong, irrespective of the intensity of the First World War.
After the beginning of the First World War, despite the precarious material conditions amplified by the conflict the country was involved in, the priests around Orastie managed to ensure a good administrative and financial management of the parishes. Moreover, they kept the spiritual life of the believers at a high level, ignoring the hardships caused by the war. Risking stopping other local initiatives, the priests and parishioners around Orastie chose to approve requests of support coming from other parts of Transylvania for the help of those staying at home or for the Romanian soldiers taking part in the war.