The Church and national issues in the context of Italian-Romanian relations (19th century). Some considerations

Abstract

Abstract: The article resumes the most important moments of the relations between Italian and Romanian religious authorities. Beginning from the end of the 18th century, it underlines the importance of Holy Congregation “De Propaganda Fide” in order to start religious and cultural relations between Italy and Romania. Congregation missionary effort in the Romanian room and Greek-Catholic Transilvanian “élites peregrinatio” to Rome had as a result a strong religious and cultural connection that would determine the birth of powerful “topoi” in Romanian imagery: Ancient Rome and Popish Rome images, together with ecclesiastical Romanian élites debut as national élites. Romanian Churches and Romanian political ruling class, the last one affirmed in the middle of the 19th century, led the process of national unity till the end of World War I.