The tragedy of the clergy and the destruction of the Romanian churches during the revolution of Transylvania from 1848-1849
Autor: Ioachim Lazăr
During the revolution, the priests were the main targets of the Hungarian and Sekler terrorist gangs, because they opposed to the union of Transylvania with Hungary. Hundreds of priests were mistreated, beaten, and robbed of their goods. An important number of them paid their wish for freedom with their lives.
Amidst the killed priests from the Hunedoara and Zarand county we remember the priests from Spini, Ţărăţel, Mesteacăn, Ţebea, Brad, Strâmba, Brotuna.
Among the devastated churches by the Hungarians, we mention the episcopate residences from Blaj and Sibiu, the churches from Hălmăgel, Brotuna, Ţărăţel, Blăjeni, Brad, Valea Brad, Hunedoara, Zlatna, Abrud, Plosca, Geoagiu, Balşa, Feredeu, Almaşu Mic, Bârsău, Certej, etc.
After the revolution, the Hungarian historiography tried to put the crimes on behalf of the Romanians, publishing “fantasies” in the newspapers from France, Belgium and England. Two eyewitnesses of the revolution, Ioan Axente Sever and George Bariţiu replied, demonstrating the crimes of the Hungarian troops along Transylvania.