There were tribal peoples living in what is now Romania thousands of years ago. Finally they were unified under the Dacian Kingdom in the first century BC. That kingdom ended in 106AD when it was conquered by the Roman Empire, one of their eastern outposts. That is why Romanian is one of the Romance languages. The Romans retreated in the 270s under pressure from the Goths. The Roman control of the area was short-lived and Romania was isolated from other Romance languages. Many Slavic words crept into their vocabulary.
Romanians have struggled to maintain independence for centuries. They gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1977. The 20th century was especially difficult. They unified as a nation in 1918 as a kingdom. That kingdom was abolished in 1947. After WWII, the Soviet Union took advantage of the weakened state of Romania and other Eastern European countries that were destroyed by war. Romania was a Soviet satellite country until 1990.
Romanians live mainly in Romania, but they also live in 39 other countries, mostly in Europe. Many Romanians moved to the United States between the 1890s and 1920s. Even before that time, Romanian military personnel fought for the North in the American Civil War. Early Romanian settlers in the United States came to work in industrial centers. The biggest wave came after 1989 when the communist regime fell in Romania, and people were allowed to leave.
Romanians in the U.S. are largely integrated into American society, but they retain aspects of their old culture. There are Romanian language newspapers and Romanian churches, both Orthodox and Catholic.
Romanian women take on jobs like home improvement and auto repair that are usually for men. Romanians respect their women and often give them their seat on a bus.
Bragging is a taboo; they value humility.
Romanians commonly smoke and drink, though they frown upon drunkenness. Their national drink is Tuica, made from fermented plums. Romanian cuisine is greasy and rich in meats, but they also make sure bread is on the menu.
Though Romanians are Orthodox Christians, they have maintained a number of superstitions regarding black cats, etc. In this worldview, events are determined by something other than God. There are also small populations of Roman Catholics and Evangelicals.
Romanians need a country with a strong economy. When parents have to migrate elsewhere to find work, the children suffer.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to move powerfully in Romanian churches and in their families, leading thousands to put all their faith in Jesus Christ.
Pray for Romanians in the United States to be reached with the gospel by local Christians.
Pray that soon Romanian disciples will be making more disciples.
Scripture Prayers for the Romanian in United States.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanians
https://nomadnotmad.com/romanian-culture/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_Americans
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
