Sândominic
Encyclopedia
Sândominic is a commune in Harghita County
, Romania
. It lies in the Székely Land
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
. It is composed of a single village, Sândominic.
Hungarian majority of 6,297 or (98.38%). There are also small minorities of Roma, ethnic Romanians
and Germans
.
Sândominic is religiously homogeneous, with 98.6% of the population professing Roman Catholicism. Unitarian, Romanian Orthodox, and Hungarian Reformed communities also exist.
The name Sândominic is used for most official purposes, but the population usually uses the shortened form Domokos.
valley, 29 kilometres north of Miercurea Ciuc. The mountain pass to the northwest, leading to the village of Izvorul Mureşului and on to the large town of Gheorgheni
, marks the northern boundary of the traditional region of Felcsík.
The northern reaches of the village follow the descent of the river Olt to the village centre. Within the village limits, the Lok and Szádakút brooks meet the river, which then flows south to the village of Tomeşti
. In 1967, the northern village of Bălan
, long a part of the commune but by then more populous than the central village, gained official town status and was separated from Sândominic; however, the two settlements still share important economic and transport links.
The village is served by the Izvorul Olt station of Romanian State Railways
, on the Războieni
-Târgu Mureş-Deda-Miercurea Ciuc-Sfântu Gheorghe
-Braşov
line.
. The murderers were Mihály András Kristály and Balázs Nagy (later nicknamed Balázs Ördög - 'Balázs the Devil') and they were executed for their deed. Pope Clement VIII
responded by placing the whole village under interdict
. A Memorial Cross was erected in 1816. Its location is at a distance of 5.5 km north of town, on south-eastern slope of the hill Fagul Ciobanului (1108 m)
The village administratively belonged to Csíkszék, then, from 1876 until 1918 to the Csík County of the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1920, Sândominic, like the rest of Transylvania, formally passed with the Treaty of Trianon
from Hungarian to Romanian control. The region passed again to Hungary with the 1940 Treaty of the Belvedere (also known as the Second Vienna Award
). In 1944, the village was the site of particularly bloody reprisals by Romanian irregulars participating in the recapture of Transylvania from this Hungarian control; a small monument in the village's central square bears witness to the 14 victims, among them an 86-year-old woman. After WWII, it came under Romanian administration and became part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, it formed part of the Hungarian Autonomous Province, then, of the Mureş-Hungarian Autonomous Province until it was abolished in 1968. Since then, the commune is part of Harghita County.
A small village museum, containing historic farm equipment, costumes and weaponry, has been installed in the upper floor of the former House of Culture. The lower floor retains its function as a meeting-hall and often hosts musical and theatrical events.
Examples of the famous "Székely gates," richly carved wooden gates often several metres in height, can be seen throughout the village. For this and other reasons, Sândominic has long attracted the attention of ethnologists and anthropologists.
Harghita County
Harghita is a county in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea-Ciuc.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 326,222 and a population density of 52/km².*Hungarians- 85%...
, 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...
. It lies in the Székely Land
Székely Land
The Székely Land or Szekler Land refers to the territories inhabited mainly by the Székely, a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group from eastern Transylvania...
, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
. It is composed of a single village, Sândominic.
Demographics
According to the 2002 census, the commune has a population of 6,401, with an absolute SzékelySzékely
The Székelys or Székely , sometimes also referred to as Szeklers , are a subgroup of the Hungarian people living mostly in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania, Romania...
Hungarian majority of 6,297 or (98.38%). There are also small minorities of Roma, ethnic Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
and Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
.
Sândominic is religiously homogeneous, with 98.6% of the population professing Roman Catholicism. Unitarian, Romanian Orthodox, and Hungarian Reformed communities also exist.
The name Sândominic is used for most official purposes, but the population usually uses the shortened form Domokos.
Location
Sândominic is located in the upper reaches of the OltOlt River
The Olt River is a river in Romania. It is the longest river flowing exclusively through Romania. Its source is in the Hăşmaş Mountains of the eastern Carpathian Mountains, near the village Bălan. It flows through the Romanian counties Harghita, Covasna, Braşov, Sibiu, Vâlcea and Olt...
valley, 29 kilometres north of Miercurea Ciuc. The mountain pass to the northwest, leading to the village of Izvorul Mureşului and on to the large town of Gheorgheni
Gheorgheni
Gheorgheni is a city in Harghita County, Romania.It lies in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania. The city administers four villages:*Covacipeter / Kovácspéter*Lacu Roşu / Gyilkostó*Vargatac / Vargatag*Visafolio / Visszafolyó...
, marks the northern boundary of the traditional region of Felcsík.
The northern reaches of the village follow the descent of the river Olt to the village centre. Within the village limits, the Lok and Szádakút brooks meet the river, which then flows south to the village of Tomeşti
Tomesti, Harghita
Tomeşti is a commune in Harghita County, Romania. It lies in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania. It is named after Saint Thomas. The commune is composed of a single village, Tomeşti.- History :...
. In 1967, the northern village of Bălan
Balan
-Places:* Bălan, a city in Romania* Bălan, Sălaj, a commune in Sălaj County, Romania* Balan, Ain, a French commune* Balan, Ardennes, a French commune-People:* Balan K...
, long a part of the commune but by then more populous than the central village, gained official town status and was separated from Sândominic; however, the two settlements still share important economic and transport links.
The village is served by the Izvorul Olt station of Romanian State Railways
Caile Ferate Române
Căile Ferate Române is the official designation of the state railway carrier of Romania. Romania has a railway network of of which are electrified and the total track length is . The network is significantly interconnected with other European railway networks, providing pan-European passenger...
, on the Războieni
Razboieni
Războieni may refer to the following places in Romania:* Războieni, a village in Ion Neculce Commune, Iaşi County* Războieni, a commune in Neamţ County, and its village Războienii de Jos* Războieni, a village in Casimcea Commune, Tulcea County...
-Târgu Mureş-Deda-Miercurea Ciuc-Sfântu Gheorghe
Sfântu Gheorghe
Sfântu Gheorghe is the capital city of Covasna County, Romania. Located in the central part of the country and in the historical region of Transylvania, it lies on the Olt River in a valley between the Baraolt Mountains and Bodoc Mountains...
-Braşov
Brasov
Brașov is a city in Romania and the capital of Brașov County.According to the last Romanian census, from 2002, there were 284,596 people living within the city of Brașov, making it the 8th most populated city in Romania....
line.
History
There is evidence of Székely settlement on the site of Sândominic in the 14th century. In the Middle Ages, the village was the site of iron and copper mining (a tradition carried on until very recently in Bălan.) The name Zent Damokos appears in a document from 1567. The village gained notoriety for an incident of 3 November 1599 at the field of Pásztorbükk. On this day, Székely irregulars, allied in the Long War with Michael the Brave against the Hungarian nobility, killed the Cardinal András Báthory, Prince of Transylvania, who was retreating to Poland after being defeated in the Battle of ŞelimbărBattle of Selimbar
The Battle of Şelimbăr is one of the great events of medieval Romanian history. It took place on 18 October 1599 between the Wallachian army of Michael the Brave and the Transylvanian-Hungarian army of Andrew Bathory...
. The murderers were Mihály András Kristály and Balázs Nagy (later nicknamed Balázs Ördög - 'Balázs the Devil') and they were executed for their deed. Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...
responded by placing the whole village under interdict
Interdict
The term Interdict may refer to:* Court order enforcing or prohibiting a certain action* Injunction, such as a restraining order...
. A Memorial Cross was erected in 1816. Its location is at a distance of 5.5 km north of town, on south-eastern slope of the hill Fagul Ciobanului (1108 m)
The village administratively belonged to Csíkszék, then, from 1876 until 1918 to the Csík County of the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1920, Sândominic, like the rest of Transylvania, formally passed with the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
from Hungarian to Romanian control. The region passed again to Hungary with the 1940 Treaty of the Belvedere (also known as the Second Vienna Award
Second Vienna Award
The Second Vienna Award was the second of two Vienna Awards arbitrated by the Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Rendered on August 30, 1940, it re-assigned the territory of Northern Transylvania from Romania to Hungary.-Prelude and historical background :After the World War I, the multi-ethnic...
). In 1944, the village was the site of particularly bloody reprisals by Romanian irregulars participating in the recapture of Transylvania from this Hungarian control; a small monument in the village's central square bears witness to the 14 victims, among them an 86-year-old woman. After WWII, it came under Romanian administration and became part of Romania in 1947. Between 1952 and 1960, it formed part of the Hungarian Autonomous Province, then, of the Mureş-Hungarian Autonomous Province until it was abolished in 1968. Since then, the commune is part of Harghita County.
Religious sites and buildings
Sândominic's Roman Catholic church was constructed between 1787 and 1802, and still preserves numerous relics and treasures from the Middle Ages. A Greek Catholic church was completed in 1787, and there is also a small Romanian Orthodox church. Numerous chapels are scattered around the village, including the chapel at Pásztorbükk.A small village museum, containing historic farm equipment, costumes and weaponry, has been installed in the upper floor of the former House of Culture. The lower floor retains its function as a meeting-hall and often hosts musical and theatrical events.
Examples of the famous "Székely gates," richly carved wooden gates often several metres in height, can be seen throughout the village. For this and other reasons, Sândominic has long attracted the attention of ethnologists and anthropologists.
People
- Áron MártonÁron MártonÁron Márton was the bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in Transylvania during World War II and the communist dictatorship in Romania.-Early life:...
(1896–1980), longstanding Roman Catholic bishop of Alba IuliaRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Alba IuliaThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Alba Iulia is an archdiocese in Transylvania, Romania. It was established as the Diocese of Transylvania in 1009 by Stephen I of Hungary and was renamed as the Diocese of Alba Iulia on 22 March 1932...
and tireless crusader against Romanian Communism. His house in the centre of the village is marked with a commemorative plaque. - Gyárfás Kurkó (1909–1983), political writer and politician.