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Ecumenism


What do we understand by ecumenism?

In Transylvania, religious freedom was enshrined in law for the first time in Europe by a provincial decree (the Provincial Diet of Turda/Thorenburg/Torda – 1557). Long before the ecumenical movement began, there was mutual respect between the various historical Christian denominations in this region – even if they weren't always in each other's arms. Proselytism was and remains a taboo subject and is considered a "signature" of the free churches or sects. Interdenominational cooperation between theological faculties was already possible under communism and was even encouraged by the state when it came to topics such as the "peace movement." At the parish level – including in Sighișoara – there has been fruitful cooperation for years: the Ecumenical Week of Prayer is celebrated with the participation of all historical churches, as is the World Day of Prayer. Since there are quite a few ethnically and religiously mixed families, celebratory services are often held with ecumenical participation. Ecumenical dialogue has several components, three of which are very important: the "empathic" component (getting to know each other better), the "open" component (common search for truth), and the "political" component (striving for social peace).

28. Ökumenischen Gebetswoche anlässlich des 1700-jährigen Jubiläums des Ersten Ökumenischen Konzils von Nicäa (325 n. Chr.) (19.5. bis 24.5. 2025)
Weltgebetstag der Frauen (7. 3. 2025)
Săptămâna de rugăciune pentru unitatea creștinilor 2025 (Sâmbătă, 25 ianuarie 2025, la Schitul de la Stânceni)
Ökumenischen Gebetswoche Blaj/Blasendorf/Balázsfalva (19. 1. 2025)
27. Ökumenischen Gebetswoche (27.5. bis 1.6. 2024)
Weltgebetstag der Frauen (1. 3. 2024)
Ökumenischen Gebetswoche Blaj/Blasendorf/Balázsfalva (25. 1. 2024)
26. Ökumenischen Gebetswoche (5. bis 10.6.2023)
Weltgebetstag der Frauen (3. 3. 2023)
25. Ökumenischen Gebetswoche (13. bis 18.6.2022)











About us ... :
The Evangelical Parish A. B. of Sighisoara is a German-speaking Church Community belonging to the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania (Legea 489/2006 privind libertatea religioasă şi regimul general al cultelor, publicata in Monitorul Oficial nr. 11 din 8.1.2007). It is primarily committed to its own parishioners – i.e. mainly German-speaking Lutherans – and therefore its “spiritual center” is the Sunday service, which takes place at 10 a.m.
Its existence has been shaped by the charter (Privilegium Adrianum of December 1224) and the ecumenical context (Edict of Tolerance of Thorenburg of January 13, 1568) as well as by its current minority status as Transylvanian Saxons. For this reason, the Evangelical Church Community A. B. Sighișoara participates openly in ecumenical events (Ecumenical Prayer Week, Women's World Day of Prayer, etc.), and does so in the trilingual form typical of the historical region of Transylvania: Romanian, Hungarian, and German.

As the owner of important architectural monuments in the old town of Sighișoara—which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO—it is committed to promoting dignified cultural tourism.