Moise Nicoară and the Movement for a Romanian Bishop in Arad

Abstract

This study presents an episode in the movement for the organization of the Romanian national church, a major objective of the Banatian Romanians’ movement for the affirmation of national identity through the church, for hierarchical separation from the Metropolitan See of Karlowitz, and for the appointment of bishops of Romanian origin. After the Paul Iorgovici moment (1795–1807), the emancipation of the Banatian Romanians was led by Dimitrie Ţichindeal (1812–1814) and Moise Nicoară (1814–1819). The movement for the appointment of a Romanian to the episcopal seat in Arad rallied the efforts of the Romanian elites in the Banat, Arad, Bihor and Transylvania, and was the expression of unprecedented collaboration between them, prompting the assertion of an ideology that foreshadowed the spread of early liberalism among the Romanians in the Habsburg Empire.

Keywords

• Romanian national church
• identity
• emancipation