Church and State in communist Romania. Aspects of atheist persecution in Hunedoara county
Church and State in communist Romania. Aspects of atheist persecution in Hunedoara county

Summary/Abstract: The official establishment of communism between the years 1947-1948 led to major political, social, economic and cultural changes in Romania in the second half of the 20th century. From an ideological viewpoint, the communist regime acted decisively and cruelly with a view to creating “the new man”; those who did not comply with the new direction were labeled “enemies” of the people and “reactionaries”, liable to be marginalized, ostracized or even subjected to the diabolical process of “reeducation” (implemented, in its most dehumanizing form, in the Pitesti prison). Among the institutions that were deemed “enemies” of the state, a leading role was attributed to the Orthodox Church, forced to face unrelenting oppression. Officially excluded from the life of the state, it became a “tolerated” institution, devoid of its traditional cultural, philanthropic and missionary attributions. The parochial communities across Hunedoara County, together with their priests, were also confronted with the consequences of this baleful atheist persecution for more than four decades.

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