Calvin Synod Herald, 1977 (77. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1977-05-01 / 5-6. szám
6 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Dear Friends in Christ: I am compelled to write to you in behalf of our fellow Christians living in Transylvania (Erdély) of the Socialist Republic of Rumania, who suffer because they are Christians in a Communist country, Reformed in a predominantly Orthodox environment, and Hungarian in a chauvinistically Rumanian state. The latest illustration of this discrimination can be seen in the way the March 4, 1977 earthquake was handled. While the religious and non-religious news services, upon the information received from the government, reported the heavy damages suffered by the Orthodox, Lutheran, Baptist, Roman Catholic churches, NOT A WORD WAS SAID on the damages suffered by the Reformed Church of Rumania. This created the false impression that no support was needed in Transylvania, not even duty-free packages. .. Permits to visit these areas was denied by the government. However as FACTS slowly came to light, it became clear that only in Kovasna County 60 of the 75 Reformed church buildings were variously damaged: in 15 church buildings the congregations can no longer have worship services, 5 church buildings had to be demolished immediately, 6 bell towers were damaged beyond repair, fortress walls of 6 churches were totally demolished, and 2 parsonages suffered heavy damages. It is believed that the amount of damage inflicted on these churches may be as high as $2 million. (To prove these facts I have in my posession photographs recently taken in Páké, Egerpatak, Sepsiszentgyörgy, Réty, Ilyefalva, Tamásfalva, Cófalva, Zohola, and Hidvég. Other heavily damaged churches include: Csernaton, Lécfalva, Nagyborosnyó, etc.) The Calvin Synod Conference of the United Church of Christ designates Pentecost, May 29, 1977 as TRANSYLVANIAN EARTHQUAKE SUNDAY asking our constituent churches and all other interested churches and friends for generous, sacrificial support. We will see to it that every penny should reach its destination! Yours in His service, John Butosi, Bishop The Calvin Synod SOME OF THE EARTHQUAKE STRICKEN CHURCHES IN TRANSYLVANIA T amás falva Hidvég
