Page 23 - Transylvania : The Wooden Church Reghin 1725

Orthodox Church is a place where
The the sky meets with the earth. It is a
figurative ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ where angels and saints are
able to descend towards earth and where people on earth
are able to ascend to the sky, animating a unique lexicon
in praise of the Lord. One of Triodyon’s songs to the
Blessed Virgin suggests this idea when it says, “Standing
in your Church’s celestial heights we are seen to be in
heaven, Blessed Virgin.” The architectural design of
the Orthodox Church, in the form of a cross and topped
by a Pantacratos cupola constructed in a configuration
that represents the shape of the sky above earth, creates
an encompassment that brings one nearer to heaven
and helps bring the bible alive in a way that empowers
Christians to visualize God and feel His presence. The
content and placement of the paintings on the walls of
the Churches accentuates the effect.

Churches are like flowers. They grow only in certain
places but their fragrance can be detected from long
distances away when someone is capable of identifying
the scent.

The mission of Jesus Christ takes many different
forms and approaches in concordance with the times in
which one lives. In this vein, we congratulate our good
friend Mr. Petru Russu on the initiative he has taken
in his endeavour to publish an album about the oldest
church in Reghin, the ‘Saints Archangel’s Church’,
formerly the parish of Petru Maior, Arch-episcopate of
Alab-Iulia. We hope that whoever explores Petru Russu’s
album will envision a connection to the Church of Jesus
Christ and, as well, recognize the Holytransformation in
Transylvania.
The Archpriest
Teodor Beldean

23
Reghin
The
Wooden
ChuRCh