Bogdan Neaciu

Orthodox Christianity is a fundamental aspect of the Romanian culture. Christianity

is attested in Romania, or Dacia, the name of the province in the time of the Roman
Empire, from the first century A.D. The Romanian people take pride in the fact that their
national Church, which is the Romanian Orthodox Church, has its roots in the apostolic
preaching of Saint Andrew, the brother of Saint Peter. According to Hyppolitus, Saint
Andrew proclaimed the Gospel to the Scythians and the Thracians. Also, the famous
historian, Eusebius of Caesarea wrote that the same Apostle preached in Pontic Dacia, the
future roman province, Scythia Minor (the territory
from south eastern Romania which today is called
Dobrogea). As was the practice of the apostles, St.
Andrew, ordained priests and deacons in the places
where he preached, thus so happening in Scythia
(Scythia Minor)

Minor.

Saint Andrews mission in this part of Romania is based not only on historical facts,
but also by local tradition. Thus we have toponyms like the cave of Saint Andrew, or the
river of Saint Andrew. In recent years, the apostolic foundation of Christianity in Romania
is not based anymore only on the authority of Saint Andrew. A Latin writer from Gaulle,
named Abdias, in his book entitled Historia certaminis apostolici attests the fact that Saint
Philip also proclaimed the Gospel in this province for a period of 20 years.
After Dacia was conquered by the
Romans in 106 under the leadership of the
roman emperor Trajan, it became a roman
province. Colonists were brought here from
all parts of the Roman Empire, and there are
no doubts that among them were also
Christians. Wealthy colonists had slaves, some
of them being Christians.

(South-West Dacia under

the Roman Empire)

For the security of the new province, Emperor Trajan brought here military units
that had soldiers who were Christian. Another factor that contributed to the spread of
Christianity in Dacia during the Roman occupation was an economical one. In Dacia came
many merchants from various parts of the Roman Empire, like the Greek cities, especially
those from the Black Sea, Asia Minor and the Greek Islands. Some of them certainly knew
the Christian faith and taught it to those which they encountered in Dacia.
By the middle of the third century, the Goths, a Germanic tribe, come to Dacia.
During their expeditions in Asia Minor they took many Christian prisoners and brought

them here. From some of these expeditions they brought even priests who preached the
new faith to the Dacian people.
Besides these historical and logical arguments, there are several testimonies of
Christian writers of the first centuries about the spread of Christianity in Dacia. The Latin
writer Tertullian wrote in his work Liber adversus judaeos, that Christ rules over the lands
of the Sarmatians, Dacians, Germans and Scythians. Also, the great theologian Origen,
wrote that many Britains, Germans, Dacians, Sarmatians and Scythians, have not heard the
Gospel. Thus, some of them have heard it however.
Testimonies of early presence of Christianity in Dacia are also the martyrs who
suffered persecutions from the Roman emperors. Thus, the first known Dacian Christian
priest is Montanus, who did as a martyr toghether with his wife Maxima in Sirmium, under
the Emperor Diocletian. Many others were killed by the order of the same emperor: bishop
Ireneus and his deacon Dimitry, Pasicrat, Valentinian, Stratonic, Ermil, the soldiers Marcian
and Nicambrus etc. In 1971, archaeological excavations from Niculiel, Dobrogea, led to
the discovery of a crypt with the relics of four martirs: Zoticos, Attalos, Kamasis and
Philipos.
Starting with the first half of the fourth century, the territory occupied by Dacians
and Scythians reveals a significant ecclesiastical organization with many bishops who
conducted an extensive missionary activity. The oldest diocese known is the Diocese of
Tomis (today Constana). The first bishop of Tomis was Ephraim, who died as a martyr in
304. Martyr acts at that time also present bishops Evangelicus and Titus as martyrs.
Reliable evidence presents Bretanion as bishop of Tomis in 369. He was followed by
Gherontius, the bishop of Tomis who took part at the Second Ecumenical Council and was

declared an example for his faith by the Emperor Theodosius. At the third Ecumenical
Council took part another bishop of Tomis, Timothy, who signed the anathema against
Nestorius. The last known bishop of this diocese was Valentinian, mentioned during the
fifth Ecumenical Council from 553. Two lists of bishops from 650 and from 821 mention
Tomis as an autocephalous archdiocese. Scythia Minor is important for Romanian
Orthodoxy not only because of it was the starting point of Christianity, but also for its
contribution to the development of theological culture. Thus, Saint John Cassian, writer of
many theological treatises and author of a monastic rule for his monasteries in Marseille, is
originated from here, as is Dionysius Exiguus.
All of these arguments are proof that Christianity was known in Dacia since the
second century, and in Scythia Minor (Dobrogea) the Christian faith was proclaimed
starting with the second half of the first century. It replaced the old faith of the Dacians,
which had Zalmolxis as supreme god, a monotheistic faith similar to Christianity by means
of morality. The new teaching, the Gospel, was spread by the missionary zeal of the early
Christians, including priests, who planted it in the souls of others not merely by word, but
by the blood shed for it.
In conclusion, the Romanian ancestors did not receive their faith as an official
decision of a specific ruler as the later Slavic tribes. But as the Romanian historian Vasile
Prvan puts it, romanianism and Christianity are borne and developed naturally, slowly
and mysteriously in Dacia.

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