Religious persecution during the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina
Encyclopedia
During the Soviet occupation, the religious life in Bessarabia
and Northern Bukovina
underwent a persecution similar to the one in Russia
between the two World War
s. In the first days of occupation, certain population groups welcomed the Soviet power and some of them joined the newly established Soviet nomenklatura, including NKVD
, the Soviet political police. The latter has used these locals to find and arrest numerous priest
s. Other priests were arrested and interrogated by the Soviet NKVD itself, then deported to the interior of the USSR, and killed. Research on this subject is still at an early stage. As of 2007, the Christian Orthodox church has granted the martyrdom to ca. 50 clergy
men who died in the first year of Soviet occupation (1940–1941)
In 1940–1941, many churches were sacked, looted, transformed into public or utility buildings, or closed. Tax
es were set, which the believers were obliged to pay if they wanted to pray and be allowed to hold the mass
. When Romania
n authorities have returned after June 1941, churches and monasteries
were rebuilt and opened again, but persecution resumed in 1944, when Soviet forces reconquered the territory.
The (incomplete) list below contains clergymen of any denomination
. Like the majority of the population of the region, most of the people named below were Romanian
Christian Orthodox
. A person is listed below only if the church has officially used the term martyr in reference to the individual. In doing so, Christian Churches
have to follow a three step rule: martyrium materialiter (violent death), martyrium formaliter ex parte tyranni (hate for the faith on the part of the persecutors), martyrium formaliter ex parte victimae (conscious acceptance of God's will).
Bessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
and Northern Bukovina
Bukovina
Bukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains.-Name:The name Bukovina came into official use in 1775 with the region's annexation from the Principality of Moldavia to the possessions of the Habsburg Monarchy, which became...
underwent a persecution similar to the one in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
between the two World War
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s. In the first days of occupation, certain population groups welcomed the Soviet power and some of them joined the newly established Soviet nomenklatura, including NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
, the Soviet political police. The latter has used these locals to find and arrest numerous priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s. Other priests were arrested and interrogated by the Soviet NKVD itself, then deported to the interior of the USSR, and killed. Research on this subject is still at an early stage. As of 2007, the Christian Orthodox church has granted the martyrdom to ca. 50 clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
men who died in the first year of Soviet occupation (1940–1941)
In 1940–1941, many churches were sacked, looted, transformed into public or utility buildings, or closed. Tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
es were set, which the believers were obliged to pay if they wanted to pray and be allowed to hold the mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
. When Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n authorities have returned after June 1941, churches and monasteries
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
were rebuilt and opened again, but persecution resumed in 1944, when Soviet forces reconquered the territory.
The (incomplete) list below contains clergymen of any denomination
Religious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
. Like the majority of the population of the region, most of the people named below were Romanian
Romanian Orthodox Church
The Romanian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. It is in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox churches, and is ranked seventh in order of precedence. The Primate of the church has the title of Patriarch...
Christian Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
. A person is listed below only if the church has officially used the term martyr in reference to the individual. In doing so, Christian Churches
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
have to follow a three step rule: martyrium materialiter (violent death), martyrium formaliter ex parte tyranni (hate for the faith on the part of the persecutors), martyrium formaliter ex parte victimae (conscious acceptance of God's will).
- Alexandru BaltagăAlexandru BaltagaAlexandru Baltagă was a Bessarabian Romanian Orthodox priest, a founder of the Bessarabian religious press in the Romanian language, a member of Sfatul Ţării , a Soviet political prisoner, and, according to the Orthodox Church, a martyr for the faith.- In Russia...
, founder of Bessarabian religious press in Romanian languageRomanian languageRomanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
, member of the Sfatul ŢăriiSfatul TariiSfatul Țării was, in 1917-1918, the National Assembly of the Governorate of Bessarabia of the disintegrating Russian Empire, which proclaimed the independent Moldavian Democratic Republic in December 1917, and then union with Romania in April 1918.-Russian participation in World War I:In August...
(1917–1918) - Alexandru Motescu, a Bessarabian Romanian Orthodox priest in the city of TighinaTighinaBender or Bendery, also known as Tighina is a city within the internationally recognized borders of Moldova under de facto control of the unrecognized Transnistria Republic since 1992...
. According to the deposition of several witnesses in face of the Comisia de triere in BuzăuBuzauThe city of Buzău is the county seat of Buzău County, Romania, in the historical region of Wallachia. It lies near the right bank of the Buzău River, between the south-eastern curvature of the Carpathian Mountains and the lowlands of Bărăgan Plain.The city's name dates back to 376 AD when the name...
in 1941, at the onset of the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia, he was caught by a group of Communist supporters and violently mocked. His tongueTongueThe tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste , as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly...
and earEarThe ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....
s were cut, then he was taken to the altarAltarAn altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
, where he was set on fire, and died in horrible pain. - Artemie MunteanuArtemie MunteanuArtemie Munteanu was a Bessarabian Romanian Christian Orthodox hieromonk. In 1914, he joined the Noul Neamţ Monastery. In 1921, he took the monkhood. In 1926, Artemie Munteanu was ordained hierodeacon, in 1934 hieromonk, and on August 1, 1936, he became the abbot of the Noul-Neamţ Monastery...
, abbotAbbotThe word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of the Noul Neamţ Monastery - Gheorghe Munteanu (b. April 22, 1909, d. 1940), a Bessarabian Romanian Orthodox priest. In 1931, he graduated from the Faculty of Theology of the University of Iaşi, and was ordained a priest in December 1931, being assigned to the Neruşai parish, Ismail County. On July 1, 1935, he became parish priest of the Regina Maria Church in a suburb of the city of Ismail. He was arrested in the summer of 1940 his hair was cut and his beard was shaved amidst demands that he renounce his faith. When he repeatedly refused, his NKVD tormentors smashed his head on the steps of the Cathedral in Ismail. The people of the city buried him secretly.