PréfaceThe brave sons of the Armenian people have lived for almost a millennium on this blessed Romanian land, where over the centuries they have shown their faith by building numerous churches and monasteries, and at the same time left as heritage for the coming times numerous accomplishments in various fields, such as culture, art, architecture, literature, history, etc. Armenians produced true masterpieces that are proof of their creative and hardworking spirit, fruit of their aspiration to leave behind, through their creation, a sign impossible to erase, evidence of their dedication to the benefit of the Armenian community in Romania, but also to the welcoming Romanian people, a guiding beacon toward a future of understanding and of the ancient friendship between the two peoples.
Proud and responsible for the wealthy heritage that was left to us by our ancestors, we are carrying out a natural duty through the permanent preoccupation not just for its restoration and conservation, but also for making the immense diversity of this treasure known. For this purpose, we have initiated the preparation of a richly illustrated album, entitled The Armenian Church in Romania - History and Heritage. In order to compile it we have called upon the renowned Canadian Armenian photographer Hrair Baze who patiently visited all the churches and monasteries in our diocese, thus gathering the pictures that can be seen in the final album. The album was prepared with much responsibility, realizing the importance such a visual inventory will have in terms of the preservation, conservation and transmission of a great spiritual and national wealth for the next generations. It is a true encyclopaedia of the Armenian churches and monasteries in Romania, of their fortune, collected throughout the centuries through the labour of our predecessors.
As Primate of this Diocese, I convey our thoughts by thanking all those who worked hard in order to prepare and edit this album, with fatherly appreciation and spiritual blessings for the fruit of their patient persistence. We have reserved special thanks and profound gratitude for the support offered by Secretary of State Victor Opaschi, for his willing agency, as we owe a great part of the accomplishment of this long-awaited project to His Excellency. We trust that we will find this album in the home of every Armenian family, in order to preserve the memories of the times long gone, but also as spiritual food for the future of our successors. May God bless you all and keep you in the safety of His love, with peace and joy in prayer, under the ancient domes of the churches of this Diocese. May God always be with us, keeping us strong in our faith and struggle to be in His favour, to the praise of our Holy Church!
With appreciation and blessing,
Datev Hagopian
Bishop
Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Romania,
Exarch of the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria
