170 YEARS SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE PENTECOSTARION PRINTED IN 1854 BY BISHOP FILOTEI OF BUZĂU

Author(s): Marius-George Coșarcă / Language(s): English Issue: 39/2024

This study presents the biography of Bishop Filotei Pîrșoi of Buzău, who actively supported cultural endeavors by printing over 25 church books. Among these, only a portion is available in the collection of the "Ecclesia" Library at the "Justinian Patriarch" Orthodox Faculty of Theology in Bucharest, including the "Pentecostarion" published in Buzău in 1854. This book contains the Holy Services from Easter Sunday to All Saints' Sunday.

CHURCH LIFE DURING THE PHANARIOT PERIOD

Author(s): Nicolae Nucă / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 39/2024

The Phanariote period in the Romanian Principalities (1711-1821) was characterized by significant transformations in the religious landscape. The Phanariote rulers, appointed by the Ottoman Empire, exerted considerable influence over the Church, often intervening in its internal affairs. This intervention led to a series of reforms and regulations aimed at consolidating their control and generating revenue. The Phanariote period also witnessed efforts to reform and modernize the Church. Some rulers, recognizing the importance of the Church in society, implemented measures to improve its administration and financial management. These reforms included stricter control over the appointment of abbots, the regulation of monastic life, and the establishment of new administrative structures within monasteries. The Phanariote period left a lasting impact on the Romanian Orthodox Church. While some of the reforms introduced during this time contributed to the modernization of the Church, the interference of the Phanariote rulers in ecclesiastical matters and their exploitative practices led to a decline in the Church's autonomy and financial stability. The legacy of this period continued to influence the Church's relationship with the state and its internal organization even after the end of the Phanariote regime.

BETWEEN RELIGIOUS FAITH AND SCIENCE - WALKER PERCY

Author(s): George Costin Rusu / Language(s): English Issue: 39/2024

The combination of science and faith is a comprehensive view of both subjective and objective reality. Through the choices that the human being makes, he not only gives the measure of his freedom but can also build his self-destruction. In the modern world, where the material occupies an increasingly important place, this self-destruction can take various forms. Through the bad decisions that people make, they can weaken the self and fall into the abyss of depression. Faith offers a counterweight to this self-destructive capacity because understanding the belonging to a more comprehensive whole, creates a much stronger individual and responsible for his own decisions. If we understand that our decisions do not only concern us, but also bring the destiny of others into the equation, the human being becomes a responsible one.

Egy amerikai magyar véleménye Páskándi Géza Vendégség c. drámájáról (Szent-Iványi Sándor lancasteri [AEÁ] unitárius lelkész levélváltásai Páskándi Gézával)

Author(s): Tamás Kálnoki Kis / Language(s): Hungarian Issue: 3/2023

In 2012, a letter written by Szent-Iványi Sándor to Mikó Imre, dated July 11, 1975, was published on pages 276-282 of the 3rd issue of Keresztény Magvető. The editor, historian and theology professor Kovács Sándor, noted in a footnote that no biography has yet been written about Szent-Iványi Sándor's life. He believes that the letter, discovered in the Securitate archives, adds valuable insights to our understanding of this renowned church leader and politician, complementing both church and cultural history. We agree with Professor Kovács Sándor's observation. In our contribution, we hope to offer additional insight into the late renowned Unitarian pastor by publishing five letters written by Szent-Iványi Sándor to Páskándi Géza and two (reply) letters from Páskándi Géza to Szent-Iványi Sándor.

Mojžiš modliaci sa so zdvihnutými rukami (Ex 17,11) ako predobraz Ukrižovania v starokresťanskej exegéze

Author(s): Helena Panczová / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 1/2025

In Christian exegesis, Moses praying with uplifted hands (Ex 17:11) became a prefiguration of Christ on the cross. Although the ancient prayer gesture was raising hands, not stretching them out sideways, there are some exegetical texts based on this supposition. Origen, however, pointed out that such interpretation was semantically incorrect – though he preserves the Christological meaning of the gesture. Analysis of ancient texts confirms that the symbolic parallel between Moses’ prayer gesture and the crucifixion was precisely in the lifting, the upward motion. So, the polysemous verb ἐκτείνω used in this context should be translated as “raise, lift”.

VITI 1967 – HISTORIA E GODITJES SË ORGANIZUAR MBI FENË DHE INSTITUCIONET E SAJ

Author(s): Erjon Papagjoni / Language(s): Albanian Issue: 01/2023

The totalitarian system in Albania was completely dogmatic. From the optics of the philosophy of law, communism is considered a kind of messianic religion that has no God but has a Messia. Messianism as a savior mission or according to Marx “Prometheism”, in fact, it is proclaimed in the slogan: “By liberating itself, the proletariat liberates all mankind”. Thus the Marxist doctrine is transformed into a new Gospel, which is proclaimed by the New Savior. He is not selected, or sent by God. On the contrary, mostly he is self-elected by annihilating rivals, as the history of the political career of Enver Hoxha. A totalitarian system like the communist regime in Albania borrowed from religion the absolutism and incongruity with dogma, in our case the Marxist doctrine, which excluded from itself any other alternative thought by proclaiming to be “self-sufficient”. This in itself led fatally to dogmatism, where nothing can be opposed, but accepted, just like in religion, where everything is believed, not doubted or even discussed. Obedience to bigotry turned into an absolute principle of recruitment, and turned the communist militant into a religious fundamentalist.

Contemporary Family Attitudes and Values in Czech Society

Author(s): Mariusz G. Kuźniar / Language(s): English Issue: 40/2024

The article analyses family attitudes and values in Czech society through an interdisciplinary approach considering sociological, religious, and cultural perspectives. The author explores shifts in the perception of marriage and family life, taking into account both historical and contemporary contexts. It identifies the key trends influencing these attitudes and values, which are vital to the social structure. The analysis aims to enhance understanding of changes in family life and to identify factors influencing these values. A detailed examination of these trends will also reveal current challenges and possible development prospects for families. Studying changes in family attitudes and values is important for understanding social dynamics and for formulating effective socio-political strategies to help families adapt to evolving socio-cultural and economic conditions. Analyzing family values is crucial for comprehending these changes and developing effective pro-family policies that support socio-economic growth and the formation of cultural and spiritual identity. The aim of the article is to expand knowledge of family life and stimulate discussion on the family’s role and future in Czech society.

Capitalism and Catholicism: Comparing Democratic Capitalism and Social Market Economy in the Light of Catholic Social Teaching

Author(s): Peter Schallenberg,Maximilian Welticke / Language(s): English Issue: 40/2024

Michael Novak’s The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism (1982) is considered to be an irrefutable and foundational work for the ethics of economics in our time. In a unique and original approach, Novak presents the intellectual-historical genesis of capitalist systems, which he locates decisively in certain spiritual and moral principles. This hermeneutic opens up an insight into the interplay between economy, society, religion, and politics – it is in particular able to utilize Catholic Social Teaching for the development of economically just systems. By unfolding the connections between democracy and market economy, Novak is able to illuminate the individual’s responsibility for the social and economic challenges faced by society. From a German perspective, Novak’s work is especially relevant in comparison with the German Social Market Economy system. Both approaches are based heavily on Catholic Social Teaching, yet the differences in their historical and contextual origins offer the opportunity to mutually enrich each other.

The Ideal of a Good Ruler in the Political Thought of the Count of Chambord

Author(s): Adam Raszewski / Language(s): English Issue: 40/2024

This article is devoted to the person of Henry Bourbon, Count of Chambord (1820–1883), a representative of the idea of legitimism and a supporter of limited Catholic monarchy. The study presents the ideal of the monarch as found in the sources left by the Count and the accounts of his contemporaries. The text contains the religious basis of Henry’s politics: the concept of a messenger anointed by Providence and sent with the intention of saving the political and moral order in France. It presents the indispensability of religious sanction for the rightful heir to the crown – a representative of tradition and legitimacy, to whom all absolutism is alien. It characterizes Henry’s attempt to unite compatriots divided by the French Revolution, republican and anti-royal currents. The article discusses selected ideas of the new state: legal egalitarianism and meritocracy. It presents Henry’s concept of closeness between the monarch and the affairs of his subjects, the unity of the throne, and the fate of his compatriots. The article reports his ideas of the character traits that should characterize a king: mercy, honour, and duty. It records the positions of selected contemporaries, both expressing appreciation for Henry’s idealism and criticizing his political ineffectiveness. It shows that Henry’s method of action was to study signs, trust in God’s promises, and hope for unity with his compatriots. The summary takes into account the lack of political agency of the French monarch by law and, at the same time, the Count’s specific attitude – waiting for a convenient moment to act. This ultimately did not bring him political success. A comparison is made of Henry’s vision of politics with the classical school, which is similar due to its communal nature and search for the general good.

Honouring Ecclesiastical Dignitaries in Poetry – Jacob Masen and His Collection of Poems for the Nuncio Fabius Chigi

Author(s): Jarosław Nowaszczuk / Language(s): English Issue: 40/2024

The German Jesuit Jacob Masen published a treatise in 1650, “The Mirror of Images of Secret Truth” (Speculum imaginum veritatis occultae), to which he appended a collection of panegyric poems with the common title Jubilee Year of Symbols (Jubilaeus symbolicus). The poet dedicated 50 works to the Apostolic Nuncio Fabius Chigi, later Pope Alexander VII. The paper presents this particular collection of poems, which bear witness to the ancient custom of honouring ecclesiastical dignitaries in poetry to commemorate them. The paper discusses the circumstances in which the poems were written and the method used by the author to highlight the personal qualities and achievements of the nuncio, taking into account the formal and content means used by the writer.

Александър Наумов на 75 години

Author(s): Krassimir Stantchev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 49/2024

Muslime und Juden in Südosteuropa: Eine Verflechtungsgeschichte der Exklusion

Author(s): Christian Voss / Language(s): German Issue: 6/2024

The article examines the entangled history of Jews and Muslims in Southeast Europe, particularly in the context of religious intolerance and the exclusion processes that both groups experienced over the last two centuries. While Jews and Muslims were part of the urban elite during the Ottoman period, the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire led to their drastic marginalization. The Holocaust and ethnic cleansing in the 20th century resulted in a significant decline of both communities, when the vast majority of Balkan Jews had been killed. The author argues that despite shared experiences of exclusion, there were no conflicts over victim competition between Jews and Muslims, as the culminations of exclusion did not occur simultaneously. The study also highlights the role of solidarity and interreligious dialogue, as exemplified by the activities and narratives of the Sephardic NGO “La Benevolencija” in Sarajevo. Through a critical analysis of Balkan discourses, Voß refutes stereotypical notions and demonstrates that the region has exhibited remarkable religious coexistence over centuries, which has been threatened only by processes of nation-building and modernization.

Asymetria pomiędzy dobrem a złem z perspektywy filozoficznej i moralnoteologicznej

Author(s): Tadeusz Kuźmicki / Language(s): Polish Issue: 34/2024

In moral theology, the attainment of human activity assessment is based upon differentiation between what is good and what is evil. For this reason, the relationship between good and evil is so essential in moral theological reflection. Despite a preliminary impression that we might deal at this point with certain balance, the analysis of good from three perspectives, nonetheless, enables the obtainment of a different conclusion regarding evident asymmetry between good and evil. This asymmetry of good can be systematically analyzed three-dimensionally through the references to the thought of Thomas Aquinas, to the legacy of Neo-Thomist Josef Pieper, and to the reflections of an influential moralist Eberhard Schockenhoff. From a philosophical perspective, this asymmetry is observable in the analysis of a being, which, as created, is good in contradistinction to evil, which is nothing. From a moral-theological analysis of the genesis and purpose of human activity, good turns out to be the origin as well as the goal of human moral activity. Finally, from the third perspective, in exploration of aretology, good is considered, as early as by Aristotle, to be the highest rule in the dynamics of a virtue in general as well as in the realization of particular virtues.

Zerwanie konkordatu z dnia 10 lutego 1925 roku przez Tymczasowy Rząd Jedności Narodowej – wybrane aspekty

Author(s): Konrad Żurek / Language(s): Polish Issue: 34/2024

The regaining of independence by the Polish state in 1918, right from the very beginning, gave rise to many political and legal problems that had to be resolved immediately. On February 10, 1925, Poland and the Holy See signed a concordat that led to many social and legal changes in the country. The article presents the legal issue and the circumstances of the termination of the concordat by the Provisional Government of National Unity and its consequences for the relations between the Catholic Church and the then authorities. Therefore, legal acts and literature on the subject were used in this study. The dogmatic-legal and historical-legal methods were used due to the time frame of the presented issue. In addition, the position of both parties involved in the dispute was also presented.

L’église Saint-Georges de Mazraaet el-Chouf et son abside peinte. Un exemple de l’architecture religieuse chrétienne au Liban à l’époque ottomane

Author(s): Hany Kahwagi-Janho,Rita Kalindjian / Language(s): French Issue: 1/2024

With the advent of the Ottoman Empire in the Levant region and particularly in Mount Lebanon, we witnessed a sort of unification of the Christian religious architecture in the region, particularly for the typology of single-naved churches. This unified model, apart from a few variants, is based on a plan most often with two bays and a supporting structure formed by pilasters supporting edge vaults. The Saint George Church of Mazraaet elChouf, dating from the 18th century, forms a typical example of this architecture. With its apse covered by a multitude of layers of painted coatings, it forms one of the rare examples in Lebanon where several specimens of wall paintings, characteristic of this period, overlap and are still preserved while, in dozens of similar churches, these coatings have completely disappeared following the stripping of the monuments’ walls.

Music and Dance in the Scene the Mocking of Christ in the Mural Paintings of the Churches in Moldavia, Romania, During the First Half of the 16th Century

Author(s): Eduard Rusu / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

The period of time encompassed between the second half of the 15th century and the first half of the following one represented a stage in which the Byzantine culture flourished exponentially in the Romanian Principalities, as a consequence of its migration to the North of the Danube, after the shock caused by the Ottomans in the year 1453. One of the directions in which the Byzantine influence was very powerful, leaving a visible imprint until nowadays, was the art of church painting. The canon of Byzantine painting referred to a complex series of images largely inspired from the Biblical text, as well as from the hagiographic texts and even from daily life. One of the favourite succession of images in the Byzantine art, entitled by specialists The Passion Cycle, reunites sequences referring to the arrest, the trial and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Mocking of Christ represents one of the paintings which includes important contemporary aspects of the moment in which the scene was painted, in addition to the transposing in colours of the facts which took place in that context. Such aspects were music and dance, but also the ceremony in which these were included, thus offering a very important source of information about the way that period of time “looked like” in terms of sound and choreography. Not only South of the Danube, where the scene appears in the entire area of Byzantine culture and influence, but also later, North of the river, the Mocking of Christ reunites the same constituent elements, but still different in their essence, according to the time and the region where they appeared. These elements show the musical and choreographic specificity of each and every country or region, facilitating for us today a better understanding of this cultural branch. The ten scenes of the Mocking in the church frescoes in Moldavia, achieved in the first half of the 16th century, to which we shall be referring here, represent a certain proof of the existence of a solid artistic culture in Moldavia, comparable to the ones of the neighbouring countries, and in accordance with the model “dictated” by the West, especially in what regards the musical instruments used at the Court, around the sovereign, as it happened in our case.

The Complex Roots of the Figures Modellate in Stucco inside the Khirbat al-Mafjar - Some Observations

Author(s): Siyana Georgieva / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

The paper refers to the decorative art made in stucco sculptures in the Umayyad palace at Khirbat al-Mafjar, a significant example of early Islamic cultural heritage in Palestine and worldwide. Khirbat al-Mafjar represents the Early Islamic architecture and decorative art as distinctive identity of Umayyad arts and architecture and as cultural interaction. For this reason, it is recommended to highlight the uniqueness of the representation of humans and animals in Umayyad decorative art as well as the identity of this art resulting from the synthesis of native Islamic elements and imported ones: Coptic, Roman and Sassanid.

Two Churches on Anacopia Mountain (Abkhazia): An Attempt of Virtual Reconstruction

Author(s): Ekaterina Yu. Endoltseva,Nikolay I. Bystritskiy,Danila Olegovich Dryga,Alexander Dmitrievich Karnaushenko,Ella Nikolaevna Karnaushenko,Lyubov Konstantinovna Kazennova / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

The article is devoted to the experience of constructing three-dimensional models of two churches on Mount Anakopia (Abkhazia), which houses one of the richest lapidary collections with relief images (X-XI centuries) in Abkhazia. Two monographs by one of the authors of this study (E. Endoltseva) were devoted to a detailed study of this lapidary collection, the themes and plots presented on the reliefs, their classification and dating, as well as the architectural features of these buildings. This study continues these research efforts. The article describes in detail the additional research carried out and the principles of reconstruction of the two churches. The text is accompanied by drawings of reconstructed facades and altar barriers from these churches published for the first time. The reconstruction used fragments of stone plastic found on Mount Anakopia. The reconstructed images of churches are placed in the artistic context of the era (Middle Byzantine period, 9th – 11th centuries).

From East to West – the Image of Saint George in the Art of the Middle Ages

Author(s): Cristina Safta / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

Among the representative figures of the Middle Ages, symbolizing courage, verticality, spirit of sacrifice, the Saint and Great Martyr George stands out by far. Considered a hero and a protector, the saint was an example to all those who showed their virtue and bravery in the fight to defend faith. Impressive is the large number of countries that settled under his rule, starting with the Kingdom of England, Portugal, Spain; almost the whole of Europe invoked protection through the flags and blazons dedicated to the Holy Victor. In this context, it was natural for a large number of religious edifices to be dedicated to Saint George, and his representations in sculpture, painting, embroidery, were extremely valuable not only from a religious point of view in invoking divine help, but also from an artistic one.

The Church in Densuș. Between the Sacred and the Profane

Author(s): Petruța-Iulia Luchian (Tanana) / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

Temple of Zamolxe, pagan Roman temple of the god Mars, mausoleum of Trajan’s best friend, the general Longinus Maximus, church built by the Goths in the 4th century, “divine work stolen by nocturnal genies”1 , the first church in Haţeg and perhaps in the entire country, “unparalleled in all Romania”2 , foundation of Litovoi, a church similar to Sân-Nicoara in Curtea de Argeş, or a church with a triptych as valuable as that of the famous Rubliov, “St. Nicholas” Church is an Orthodox place of worship in Densuș, Hunedoara county; one of the oldest churches in Romania, apparently dating from the 12th13th centuries, built on the ruins of a building from the 4th century AD, it has a square plan, with the nave pierced by a tower, resting on a vault and equipped with a deep semicircular apse; the entire construction is covered with stone slabs, and most of its material (river boulders, marble slabs with Latin inscriptions, capitals, tombstones, sewer pipes) comes from Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, the capital of Roman Dacia (located nearby); the mural painting of the monument dates from the 15th century. The Densuş church, like any unclassifiable and imprecisely dated monument, becomes a mitigating argument for any demonstration about the descendants of the Dacians, the beginning of Christianity, the paths of migratory peoples, the existence of Romanians or about the creative and universal genius of our people.