The Black Church

Yesterday, we took a train from Bucharest to Brasov and were greeted by the Rev. Dr. Sorin Trifa who is heading up the establishing of mission congregations throughout Romania and the Baltic region.  His youngest son Matthias was also there to welcome us as well.  In recent years, five confessional Lutheran congregations have been started in this country and several in surrounding countries such as Bulgaria and Greece. The Trifa family has been so kind and generous to open their home to us and are treating us as family during our stay here in Brasov. Over-the-top hospitality for which we are extremely appreciative.  We plan to stay with them for a week.  

After dropping our luggage off at their house, Pastor Trifa right away took us on a tour of Brasov. He showed us another Lutheran Reformer who was important to the people of Brasov as much as Luther. I was surprised to learn that the Lutheran reformation movement came to this city. Pastor Trifa also told us that this city was influenced and ruled over the centuries by the Romans, the Hungarians, the Ottoman empire, the Russians and the Germans. The reformation ideas of Martin Luther reached as far south as Brasov, Romania.  When Luther's teachings reached the Transylvania region, those on the town council in Brasov fully embraced them.  In October of 1542, the first Lutheran liturgy was conducted at the city church which had been of course Catholic up to this point.  How were they able as a congregatoin to make this great change?

A humanist scholar by the name of Johannes Honterus sumarized the theological and organizational foundations of this decision take by the town council and formulated his own booklet of reform. The ideas and work of Johannes Honterus in Brasov included the founding of a printing press, establishing a local library and the reorganizing the school system.  He grew as a theological scholar who wrote and published numerous booklets which helped the city church to reform.  The most impacting publication he wrote was the one entitled, "The Church Ordinance of all the Germans in Transylvania."  Of course, as usual, there is a tremendous amout of history surrounding this reformer which I do not have time to go into here.  

The church building in Brasov is considered to be the oldest and largest Gothic church in Romania.  It was built in 1336.  The church building has had major challenges over the years.  Between 1550 and 1600 for example, the church experienced over 30 earthquakes.  Other calamities included the huge bell falling through the tower floor in 1605 and a major fire that swept through Brasov completely destroying the inside of the church with the exception of the outer walls. This is how the church got its nickname the "Black Church."

Enjoy pictures of the Black Church, which is a church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church not in fellowship with our Lutheran Church body.  Also, I've attached other pictures of Brasov for you to  enjoy as well.

Oh, and by the way, the two people in the picture I included as a bonus question yesterday are Dr. Trifa's youngest son Matthias and one of Matthias's favorite football (soccer) player.  He loves wearing his soccer favorite team shirt and believe it or not we actually ran into the professional player who was posing for the picture as we were walking the streets.  It is a picture to cherish and great to see that he took the time to pose for a picture with our friend Matt.

"Where's Pastor?!"

Luther Quote of the Day

"Pray and let God worry."