Organizarea bisericească la Dunărea de Jos in perioada 971 - 1020
The Church Organization at the Lower Danube between 971 and 1020

Summary/Abstract: Several studies written in the last decades by W. Seibt, P. Georgiev, P. Diaconu and I. Barnea brought important contributions to this problem. However, there is still much to do in this respect. The present study tries to give a comprehensive view of the church organization established by the Byzantines in the regions conquered from Bulgaria. According to the last discovered lead seals, it seems to be clear that the frrst step of this new organization Was the creation of a metropolitan seat at Preslav in 971. We suppose that this seat wasnioved at Tomis (Constanta) after 976 or after 986 when Preslav was lost. One of the frrst metropolitan bishops was a certain Stephanos (before 976). Two recent published seals attest the existence of a metropolitan diocese at Tomis in the last decades of the lOth century and at the beginning of the next. The bishopric of Dristra was subordinated to this metropolitan seat and remained in this structure until 1020, when the metropolitan bishopric of Tomis was abolished. Dristra next became the main urban and religious centre in the province ofParadunavon, while Tomis/Constantia declined soon. [...]

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