ORTHODOX PRIESTS OF DOBROGEA DURING THEWORLD WAR I

摘要

IT IS 100 YEARS SINCE ROMANIA JOINED THE WORLD WAR I BESIDE THE ENTENTE. IF IN FIRST PHASEOF THE FIGHTS, THE ROMANIAN ARMY GOT A SERIES OF VICTORIES, IN THE AUTUMN OF 1916, THEROMANIAN SOLDIERS WERE WITHDRAWING FROM ALL FRONTS. IN DECEMBER, BUCHAREST WASACCUPIED BY THE GERMAN SOLDIERS AND BY A FEW BULGARIAN, AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN ANDTURKISH UNITS. DOBROGEA, WHERE THW ROMANIANS WERE CRUSHER BY THE GERMAN ANDBULGARIAN TROOPS, ENTERED UNDER THE BULGARIAN CONTRAL. THE CITIES AND VILLAGES OFDOBROGEA WERE LOOTED AND THE MAJORITIY THE ASSETS PASSED IN THE SOUTH OF THEDANUBE. AFRAID OF WAR, MANY INHABITANTS OF DOBROGEA TOOK REFUGE TO MOLDOVA ANDMUNTENIA. SOME OF THEM WERE A SERIES OF PRIESTS WHO, UNFORTUNATELY, LEFT THEIRFAITHFUL AND CHURCHES. THOSE WHO REMAINED IN THEIR PARISHES HAD TO SUFFER THEHARDSHIPS OF THE WAR OR THE TORMENTS OF THE PRISONS AND CAMPS OF BULGARIA, WHERETHEY WERE DEPORTED. THE BULGARIANS IMPOSED THE PRIESTS TO CELEBRATE UN THEBULGARIAN LANGUAGE, AND THOSE WHO REFUSED WERE DISMISSED AND IMPRISONED. MANY OFTHE CHURCHES OF DOBROGEA WERE DEVASTATED AND DESECRATED, AND THE PRECIOUS THINGSSTOLEN. WHEN THEY CAME BACK TO THEIR PARISHES, THE ROMANIAN PRIESTS FOUND THEIR OWNHOUSES RUINED AND ALL THEIR EARNINGS DISAPPEARED. THESE EVENTS PROVED THAT INDOBROGEA A NEW CHURCH ADMINISTRATION WAS NEEDED. THIS IS WHY THE DIOCESE OF TOMISWAS SET UP.