Downtown Marosvasarhely Church on Boyai Square
View of Boyayi Square,
Unitarian Church is on the right, below.
Marosvasarhely is one of the larger cities in Transylvania. During the 60s and 70s the Communists
had an industrialization program the forced many people to leave the villages and move to the cities
to work in the factories. This accelerated growth of cities and the Unitarian Churches in cities grew as the population migrated. After the Revolution of 1989, with the overthrough of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, the Unitarian Church was again able to decide it's own fate and this congregation, bulging from urbanizarion, decided to build a satelite Unitarian Church on the outskirts of the city. Note SUUS Pilgrims gathering below on the way to the church approaching Boyayi Square.
L-R, Csilla Kolcsar-Dale, guide; Jere Armen; Pat Abraham, Margaret and Erol Fikrig.
Laszlo Nagy, Minister at Boyai Church describing church interior. Note Hungarian flag behind him, traditional raised pulpit, and distinctive white on white embroidery work of this congregation. Hymnals in forground covered on more common red on white fabric. Mary Strief, front, listening.
Symbol of Transylvanian Unitarian Church, the dove and the serpent, in stained glass.
Csilla answers questions, Jere and Jan.
Csilla's father, Sandor Kolcsar, was Minister of this church from 1969-1997, through much of the communist time, the 1989 Revolution and following. His photo is on this wall of former ministers, lower right. Csilla spent much of her childhood under communist rule here.
There have been Unitarian congregations in this area since 1701. Locations have varied in response to political and cultural popuation shifts.
This church was built in this location in 1929.
The Bolyai Church has several partner congregations:
The Winchester Unitarian Society in Winchester, Massachusetts
The North Parish of North Andover , Massachusetts
The Remonstrance Church in Groningen, Holland, a liberal church which grew out of the
Polish Brethern (Unitarian) who fled persecution during the counter reformation
Zsambek Unitarian Mission Church, Hungary
Boyai Church linen, date in embroidery is 1700.
Detail of Bolyai embroidery style.
Elizabeth views photo exhibit in social hall.
The Kovesdomb Church, the new church begun in 1999.
Csaba Kececs, Minister, describes the new sanctuary, pews are still being completed.
Right, Jere Armen and Jan Van Heurck.
The two churches share religious education responsiilities with a combined youth group and shared Unitarian religious education in the schools.
Sanctuary and bell tower. The Kovesdomb Church is
partnered with the Albany, NY UU Church.
Courtyard, outside sanctuary.
The office wing of the church includes a second floor guest house.
Seven of us stayed here for two nights under the friendly hosting of Matilde Kiss, office manager and guest house coordinator.
Note unusual roof supports.
Meeting Room
Minister's study, note classic print of Francis David at the Diet of Torda
behind desk.
The Teleki-Bolyai Library
One of the first public libraries in Hungary/Transylvania, this library was founded in 1802. It is just a block away from the
downtown Bolyai Unitarian Church.
Entrance, cameras were not allowed inside. We learned later that when the communists raided the Unitarian High School library at Szekeleykeresztur,
some of the book were brought to this library.
Elaborate iron door, amazing metal work abounds.
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