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We approached this topic in order to present a tab from the history of Romanian religious music, conditioned by a memorable event: the celebration of the centenary of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Mother of God, a community of nuns within which, among the activities specific to the Greek-Catholic cult, there is also a musical activity sustained, which on this occasion materialized in an album of religious songs dedicated to the Most Holy Mother. In this context, we presented a short history of the Congregation, some data about the musical activity within this community and the stages of work followed in the composition, recording and completion of the album of religious chants entitled Chants dedicated to the Most Holy Mother. In conclusion, the relevance of the musical and spiritual message of these chants is correlated with the activity and mission followed by the nuns within this Congregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study represents a continuation of a previous study about the musical activity of the nuns from the Congregation of the Mother of God in Cluj-Napoca. The special quality of this activity is also reflected in the collaboration with two of the young musicians from the Gheorghe Dima Academy of Music, who composed several religious songs specially dedicated to the Congregation's choir on the occasion of celebrating its centenary. In the present paper, we will present aspects of the biographies and creations of the two composers, testimonies of the conception, the way of working and the approach to certain problems that they faced during the process of completing these compositions created on request. From the album titled Chants dedicated to the Most Holy Mother totaling 14 songs, we focused our attention on two songs composed by two composers from Cluj: Fecioară, Stea entre fecioare (Virgo, Star among virgins) - music by Șerban Marcu, and Imnul ingerilor (Hymn of the angels)- music by Cristian Bence-Muk. In conclusion we will present the musical and spiritual purpose and significance of these songs in the current social context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a male-dominated world as it was the situation in Moldavia (but also in Wallachia) in Early Modern Age, the women had already same protection regarding their rights, according the codes of law, as well as the custom: they (the women) were able to inherit land, to sell it or buy it, to ask for divorce, or to become the head of the family (when their spouses died). However, a large number of documents shows that the relationship between man and woman (husband and wife) was one of subordination and inferiority. In most cases the husband dictated the course of actions and imposed his own terms. In this particular context, the present research intends to analyse some cases and situations in order to underline women social position, if and how their actions were or were not limited. Relying on some widows' testaments (Ani'a Ruset, Maria Capşa, Ilinca Palade), the purpose of the present research is to see the way women act in this masculine context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The confessional Roman-catholic education in interwar Romania was a prestigious brand for all graduates. This paper aims to point out, in the mirror, the type of instruction and education the girls were provided with, at two of the confessional schools in Romania. It involves the political, economical and social context these institutions functioned within and the school life of two girls. Margit Miko, a Hungarian girl from Călan, Hunedoara county, attended a small Franciscan school from Petroşani between 1932-1936. Cornelia Georgescu, a Romanian girl attended the elitist school of Notre Dame de Sion nun order from Galaţi a few years later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lives of the so-called transvestite nuns, though popular in Byzantine hagiography are very little known to the generic Romanian reader. This is also the case of Saint Mary, commemorated in the Orthodox Church on February 12th. Her story tells us that she followed her father into a monastery, changing her name to Marinos and wearing men's clothes and short hair. Her identity as a woman remained hidden until death. In this paper I present the editions of the Greek versions of St Maria's life, arguing that the version edited by Marcel Richard is not a new version, but rather a new edition of the BHG 615 version. I also offer the first Romanian translation of Marcel Richard's edition, considered by its editor Vita antiqua. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essay throws a critical and esthetical light on a manuscript dating from 1826, which was recently put into circulation, and which contains the poems of the nun Xenia Iordachi Hagiu. After a biographical overview and a brief panorama of the historical context, the essay underlines the proper qualities of Xenia's poems: their naivety and imaginative spontaneity, the fluency of versification, the candor of the dialectal language and its aphoristic standing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]