"Dumitru Mărtinaş" Roman-Catholic Association representing Roman-Catholics of Moldavia (so called "Changos",
French - Tchangos, Hungarian - Csangok, German - Tschangos)
Moldavian Roman Catholics killed in fighting for the defense of the country
During the First World War, over 12,000 Roman Catholics from the Diocese of Iasi were called to arms. More than half of those enlisted were killed and did not return to their homes. In the memory of the Roman Catholic heroes from Moldavia, in the localities with Roman Catholic communities were builded monuments in the cemetery, near the churches or in public places, on these monuments the names of the Roman Catholic heroes who gave their lives for the country were inscribed, together with the names of other heroes of Orthodox or other religion. In some localities, where Roman Catholics live with Orthodox believers, these monuments built in the memory of heroes were builded through the care of the Orthodox churches and are placed in public places or in cemeteries belonging to the Orthodox communities. Heroes from Horgești commune - Bacău County, killed in the battles for the defense of the country. For the heroes of the two world wars, inhabitants of the village of Horgești, a monument cross was built which is in the Orthodox cemetery. On this monument cross are mentioned the names of 90 heroes (63 killed in World War I and 27 killed in World War II). Of the heroes whose name is mentioned on this monument cross, 49 are Roman Catholics. See source and details - http://www.ercis.ro/actualitate/viata.asp?id=201804020 Heroes from Mărgineni commune - Bacău County, killed in the battles for the defense of the country. In the village of Margineni, in 2009, a monument was builded in memory of the heroes of the first and second world war. On this monument are engraved, on three marble plates (placed next to each other), the names of 103 heroes of World War I and, on three other marble plates (applied one after the other, but on another side), the name of 99 of World War II heroes. See source and details - http://www.ercis.ro/actualitate/viata.asp?id=201808064 Heroes from Faraoani commune - Bacău County, killed in the battles for the defense of the country. In the village of Faraoani, in the immediate vicinity of the church, there is a monument of heroes built in 1927 and restored in 1985, in the form of a cross obelisk, seated on a pedestal that rests on a two-step post. On the back side of the monument are mentioned the name of a hero who fell in the war of 1877, the name of a hero who fell in the war of 1913, and the name of 14 heroes who fell in the war of 1916-1918. See source and details - http://www.ercis.ro/actualitate/viata.asp?id=201808025 Heroes from Chetriș village - Bacău County, killed in the battles for the defense of the country. Chetriș village is part of Tamași commune, Bacău county and in the middle of the village was built a monument in 1941-1942, which was rehabilitated in 2008. The monument has an obelisk shaped like black marble, at the top there is a white marble cross and at the top of the obelisk there is an eagle. On the obelisk are noted the names of 30 heroes, who killed in the wars of 1877-1878, 1916-1918 and 1941 1945. Of the heroes mentioned, 13 are Roman Catholics. See source and details - http://www.ercis.ro/actualitate/viata.asp?id=201805054 Heroes from Tămășeni commune - Neamț County, killed in the battles for the defense of the country. In the village of Tămășeni in Neamț county, near the Roman-Catholic church, there is a monument built in 1998, on which are mentioned the Roman-Catholic heroes from the locality, who killed on duty in the two world wars. See source and details - http://www.ercis.ro/actualitate/viata.asp?id=201810169 Heroes from Butea commune - Iași County, killed in the battles for the defense of the country. In the Butea locality of Iași county, in the courtyard of the Roman-Catholic church, there is a monument, mentioned by 92 Roman-Catholic heroes from the locality, who killed on duty in the First World War. See source and details - http://www.ercis.ro/actualitate/viata.asp?id=201804019 Heroes from Hălăucești commune - Iași County, killed in the battles for the defense of the country. In the locality of Hălăucești in Iași county, near the Roman Catholic church, there is a monument, consecrated in 1920, mentioned by 78 Roman-Catholic heroes from the locality, killed on duty in the first world war and one killed on duty in the year 1913. See source and details - http://www.ercis.ro/actualitate/viata.asp?id=201806091 Here are mentioned some of the localities in which there are Roman-Catholic communities and where monuments were built in memory of the heroes killed in the battles for the defense of the homeland, but the number of these localities is much higher.
The
history
of
Roman
Catholics
from
Moldavia
is
part
of
the
history
of
the
Romanian
people.
They,
the
Moldavian
Catholics,
identify
with
the
experiences
of
Romanians
throughout
the
centuries,
with
the
aspirations,
the
sufferings
and
the
achievements
of
the
Romanian
nation.
On
the
territory
of
the
historical
region
of
Moldavia,
Christians
have
existed
since
the
first
centuries
of
the
spread
of
Christianity,
when
the
communities that developed here were under the jurisdiction of the pope (bishop of Rome).
According
to
the
great
schism,
the
presence
of
Roman
Catholics
in
the
historical
region
of
Moldavia
is
attested
by
the
existence
and
functioning
in
this
territory
of
ecclesiastical
structures
as
follows:
Bishopric
of
Milcov
(1227-1241),
Bishopric
of
Siret
(1371-1434),
Bishopric
of
Baia
(1418-1523),
the
Bishopric
of
Bacău
(1391-1392)
and
(1607-1818),
the
Apostolic
Vicariate
of
Moldova
(1818-1884),
the
Bishopric
of
Iasi
(1884-present).
In
other
historical
periods,
the
Roman-Catholic
communities
existing
in
Moldova
were
under
the
jurisdiction
of
ecclesiastical
structures in Transylvania, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic or Hungary.
From
the
reports
of
the
Catholic
missionaries,
it
turns
out
that
besides
the
heavy
economic
burdens
(huge
taxes
and
burdens
paid
by
the
Transylvanian
Romanians),
which
caused
the
Romanian
peasants
to
take
refuge
in
Moldavia,
was
the
forced
military
service,
introduced
by
the
Austrian authorities that aimed at annexing Transylvania, Bukovina, aimed at increasing the number of the army.
Living
in
this
territory,
the
Moldovan
Roman
Catholics
were
the
victims
of
the
battles
between
the
great
empires,
they
fought
alongside
the Orthodox Romanians in wars for liberation, union and overthrow.
In
the
localities
with
exclusively
Roman
Catholic
population,
as
well
as
in
the
localities
where
Roman
Catholics
live
together
with
Orthodox
Romanians,
there
are
historical
monuments
built
in
the
memory
of
those
who
sacrificed
their
lives
for
the
defense
of
the
country,
among
those
who
fell
under
the
debt
whose
name
is
inscribed
on
these
monuments,
there
are
numerous
Romanians
of
Roman
Catholic
religion, which shows that they (the so-called Csangos) defended their country at the cost of life if necessary.
All these prove the attachment of the Moldavian Catholics to the ideals of the Romanian people with whom they identified.
Throughout
history
there
have
been
numerous
attempts
to
present
the
historical
reality
in
a
manner
convenient
to
forces
that
do
not
serve the national interest, these attempts receiving the reply of those who wish the truth to be known and made public.
Evidence
of
the
struggle
and
sacrifice
of
Moldavian
Catholics
is
presented
in
the
scientific
books
dedicated
to
the
history
of
the
Csangos
presented
on
the
site,
in
other
historical
books,
as
well
as
in
the
few
studies
below,
in
which
you
will
find
arguments
of
Roman
Catholic
origin,
evidence of their coexistence on these countries and their devotion to the country.
The
first
Romanian
hero
killed
in
the
War
of
Independence
from
1877-1878,
was
the
soldier
Andrei
Lupu
from
the
8th
Calarasi
Regiment,
a
Roman
Catholic
from
the
locality
Luizi
Călugăra,
Bacău
county.
He
was
shot
deadly
on
August
13,
1877,
while
patrolling
in
the
outpost,
south
of
the
Danube,
between
Riben
and
Calișova in Bulgaria (according to records from the Ministry of Defense archive).
Notes on the history of Roman Catholics in Moldova
•
• Dimitrie Cantemir noted about the Catholics of his time, that they declare themselves Catholics by race and religion.
•
In
the
Ad-hoc
Divan
(parliament)
of
Moldavia,
Mihail
Kogălniceanu
defended
the
rights
of
Moldovan
Roman
Catholics,
rejecting a draft law that would have left Moldavian Catholics without rights.
•
Costache
Negri
defended
the
rights
of
Moldavian
Catholics,
asserting
that
they
"...
with
us,
for
centuries,
in
all
our
days
of
pain
and
bitterness,
have
at
the
same
time
pulled
and
endured
all
the
sufferings
that
the
Lord
God
has
shown
us
to
bear,
to bring us to wisdom and justice today nine of us ... ”
.
•
From
1234,
in
a
papal
letter,
it
is
mentioned
that
in
the
territory
of
the
bishopric
of
Milcov,
the
Catholics
mingle
with
the
Wallachians, pass to their faith, becoming a people with them.
•
The
same
mention,
regarding
the
passage
of
Catholics
to
the
Orthodox
religion,
is
also
made
by
Archbishop
Marco
Bandini
in
his
report
to
Bacau,
on
March
2,
1648,
document
in
which
were
noted
the
findings
made
during
the
visit
made
by
the
high prelate in the Catholic localities in Moldova.
•
In
1763,
the
bishop
of
Bacau,
Stanislau
Jezierski
noted
that
"...
in
all
Moldavia
the
number
of
Catholics
increases
only
through
the
Catholics
who
come
from
Transylvania
..."
and
because
these
"Transylvanian
Catholics
belong
to
Hungarian
zone ... Moldavians do not call them Catholics but Hungarians ... "
.
•
Also
in
1763,
Iosif
Cambioli,
the
Prefect
of
the
Franciscan
Mission
of
Moldova,
noted
“...
for
seven
years
now,
the
number
of
our
Catholics
has
increased
and
increased
every
day,
not
because
non-Catholics
would
visit
us,
but
because
in
Hungary
and
more
elected
in
Transylvania
has
been
and
is
hungry
and
now,
since
the
peace
between
the
Austrians
and
the
Prussians
came
to
an
end,
they
have
seized
soldiers
and
that
is
why
in
this
province
they
came
and
come
to
whole
families and a large number of youth from 14 years upwards, because from that age he enlisted in the army ... ”
.
Excerpt from the book "The origin of the Csangos from Moldavia" - author Dumitru Mărtinaș
