{:ro}BISERICA ROMANO-CATOLICĂ ÎN SĂTMAR
După veacul reformei biserica catolică reapare în Sătmar prin intermediul ordinului iezuit. Numărul enoriaşilor catolici a crescut o dată cu recatolizarea familiilor nobiliare şi prin colonizarea etnicilor şvabi în prima jumătate a secolului al XVIII-lea. Totuşi, numărul parohiilor catolice din judeţ era de numai 25 la debutul secolului al XIX-lea.
Anul 1804 a fost un punct de turnură în istoria catolicismului sătmărean. Prin divizarea diocezei de Agria a fost întemeiată episcopia cu sediul la Satu Mare. Noua dioceză cuprindea comitatele Satu Mare, Maramureş, Ugocea, Bereg şi Ung. Beneficiile acestui act au fost simţite nu numai de enoriaşii cultului, dar şi de întreaga populaţie a regiunii. Pe lângă rolul spiritual, episcopia avea un rol cultural şi educativ însemnat, coordonând totodată multiple activităţi caritabile şi sociale. Personalitatea mai multor episcopi, ca János Hám, Gyula Meszlényi, precum şi martirul János Schefler, a rămas vie în amintirea sătmărenilor.
Continuând tradiţia şcolii iezuite, a fost redeschisă la Satu Mare şcoala gimnazială şi liceală, iar pe lângă episcopie a fost întemeiat un seminar teologic. Începând cu anul 1847 a fost deschisă şi o şcoală normală de băieţi. Şcolile bisericii, prin sistemul burselor şi fundaţiilor au fost accesibile şi păturilor cele mai sărace. Prin fundaţiile episcopului János Hám a fost întemeiat un azil de bătrâni, lărgit ulterior cu un orfelinat şi un spital.
ORTODOXISMUL ÎN JUDEŢULSATU MARE
Datând din timpuri imemoriale, ortodoxia din ţinuturile Sătmarului intră în reflux o dată cu ofensiva Contrareformei, dar fără să dispară niciodată cu desăvârşire. Dovadă stau numărul mare de cărţi de cult provenind din Moldova şi Ţara Românească, chiar şi după apariţia tipografiei de la Blaj. La fel, amintim numărul mare de preoţi sătmăreni hirotoniţi de episcopi ortodocşi, nu mai puţin de 26 de preoţi în anul 1751. Şi nu în ultimul rând trebuie menţionate mişcările de revenire la ortodoxie de sub conducerea călugărului Sofronie, când doar puterile reunite ale episcopului rutean de la Mukacevo şi ale comitelui suprem al comitatului Sătmar, Antoniu Károlyi, au reuşit să stăpânească extinderea celei mai grave primejdii care a ameninţat Unirea religioasă.
GRECO-CATOLICISM ÎN SĂTMAR
Românii din Sătmar, Ugocea, Szabolcs şi Maramureş au trecut la greco-catolicism în mai multe etape, începând cu Sinodul de la Ujgorod (1656) şi culminând cu Sinodul de la Sătmar (30 aprilie 1690), unde 60 de preoţi locali „au confirmat că sunt uniţi”, sub jurisdicţia episcopului unit de la Mukacevo.
Cu sprijinul autorităţilor vremii, greco-catolicismul cunoaşte o evoluţie spectaculoasă, astfel că la 1786, dintr-o populaţie totală de 148.573 de locuitori, 74.102 sunt greco-catolici, 20.108 romano-catolici, 54.133 calvini, 225 luterani şi 5 ortodocşi. În preajma primului război mondial, din totalul de 396.508 locuitori ai comitatului Sătmar, 168.870 sunt greco-catolici (din care aproape 30 000 de suflete erau greco-catolici maghiari). În 1930, din totalul locuitorilor judeţului Satu Mare, 58% erau greco-catolici.
Dintre personalităţile greco-catolice, rămase în conştiinţa urmaşilor, amintim pe episcopul Mihai Pavel, preoţii şi profesorii: dr. Vasile Lucaciu, Petru Bran, Iustin Popfiu, Ioan Silviu Sălăgeanu, dr. Augustin Lauran, dr. Aloisie Tăutu şi alţii.
PROTESTANTISMUL ÎN JUDEŢUL SATU MARE
Ideile Reformei şi-au găsit un teren fertil în judeţul nostru încă din anii 1530. Primul mare sinod reformat din Regatul Ungar a avut loc chiar în Ardud (1545), iar Satu Mare a găzduit un alt sinod general (1646). Din Sătmar şi-au tras rădăcinile spirituale vestiţi reformatori şi cărturari ca János Sylveszter şi Gáspár Károli. Ultimul a tradus integral Biblia (1590), devenind astfel fondatorul limbii literare maghiare.
Între timp reformaţii maghiari au aderat la calvinism. Ei au pus bazele a numeroase şcoli, cea mai cunoscută fiind Colegiul Reformat din Satu Mare, fondat în 1586. Desfăşurând o intensă activitate culturală, publică şi caritabilă, cultul reformat a patronat azile de bătrâni şi orfelinate. Populaţia de religie calvină a fost majoritară de-a lungul secolelor XVI–XVII. O dată cu declanşarea contrareformei catolice proporţia reformaţilor din judeţ s-a diminuat treptat. Totuşi, acest cult deţine majoritatea în rândul etniei maghiare.
EVREII DIN SATU MARE
Evreii sătmăreni au constituit până la Holocaust una din cele mai importante comunităţi mozaice din spaţiul intracarpatic. Prima sinagogă în oraş se va construi între anii 1852–1858 pe strada Decebal, iar actuala Sinagogă Mare cu peste 850 de locuri s-a construit în jurul anului 1890. În anul 1850, Satu Mare avea 128 de evrei, în 1880 avea 2.396, în 1910 avea 7.194, pentru ca în anul 1941 să figureze 12.960 dintr-un total de 52.048 de locuitori adică 24,9%, fiind al patrulea oraş din Transilvania ca număr de evrei, în Baia Mare existând 3.623 reprezentând 16,9% din populaţia oraşului, iar la Carei 2.255, reprezentând 14,2 % din populaţia oraşului. Evreii aveau în Satu Mare două sinagogi, 25 de case de rugăciune şi două cimitire, existau două comunităţi evreieşti: cea ortodoxă şi cea status quo ante.{:}{:hu}A RÓMAI KATOLIKUS EGYHÁZ SZATMÁRBAN
A reformáció évszázada után a katolikus egyház a jezsuita rend révén jelenik meg újra Szatmárban. II. Ferdinánd 1636-os meghatalmazásának megfelelően a jezsuita szerzetesek nem csupán a várvédők lelki gondozását látják el, hanem fenntartanak egy iskolát is. A nemesi családok rekatolizálása folytán a katolikus hívek száma növekszik, de nagyobb növekedést a svábok 18. századi betelepítése hoz. Mégis, a 19. század elején, mindössze 25-re rúg a vármegyei plébániák száma.
Az 1804-es év fordulópontot jelent a megyei katolikusság életében. Az egri egyházmegyéből két új püspökséget alapítanak, egyiket Szatmárnémeti székhellyel. Az új egyházmegye Szatmár, Máramaros, Ugocsa, Bereg és Ung vármegyéket foglalta magába. Az esemény jótéteményeit a katolikusokon kívül az egész lakosság élvezhette. A püspökség nemcsak lelki szerepet játszott, hanem jelentős művelődési és oktatási szerepet is vállalt, sokféle segélyező tevékenységet fogott össze.
A Székesegyház, akár a Püspöki Palota, máig Szatmárnémeti városképének meghatározó épületei. Számos püspök, így Hám János, Meszlényi Gyula, vagy a mártíromságot is vállaló Scheffler János működése ma is elevenen él a szatmáriak emlékezetében.
A szatmárnémeti jezsuita iskola hagyományainak folytatásaképpen újraindult a katolikus felekezeti általános- és középiskolai oktatás, s a püspökség mellett létrehoztak egy teológiai szemináriumot is. 1847-től felekezeti tanítóképzőt működtettek. Nagykároly továbbra is megőrizte második helyét a vármegye katolikus életében. Ott 1725-től működött a piarista rend általános iskolája. Az egyházi iskolák, hála az alapítványi és ösztöndíjrendszernek, kitárták kapuikat a legszegényebbek előtt is. Hám János adományaiból öregotthont alapítottak, később árvaházzal, ispotállyal bővítették.
AZ ORTODOXIA SZATMÁRBAN
A bizánci rítusú kereszténység emberemlékezet óta jelen van Szatmárban. Noha az ellenreformáció idején visszaszorult, soha nem tűnt el egészen. Jelenlétét bizonyítják a Moldvából és Havasalföldről érkező felekezeti kiadványok, amelyek még a balázsfalvi nyomda felállítása után is rendre kimutathatóak. Sok szatmári papot szentelt fel ortodox püspök, csak 1751-ben nem kevesebb, mint 26-ot. Említendő Sofronie szerzetes mozgalma, melynek során a munkácsi görög katolikus püspök és a Szatmár megyei főispán együttes erejére volt szükség ahhoz, hogy az uniót fenyegető, az ortodoxiához való visszatérést szorgalmazó eszméket semlegesítsék.
GÖRÖG KATOLICIZMUS SZATMÁRBAN
A Szatmár megyei románság több lépésben tért át a görög katolikus vallásra. A kezdetet az 1656-os ungvári zsinat képezte, a befejezést pedig az 1690-es szatmári zsinat, melynek során 60 térségbeli pap „igazolta, hogy egyesült” a munkácsi püspök jogara alatt.
Az erőteljes hatósági támogatás következtében a görög katolikusság látványosan fejlődött: 1786-ban a megye 148.573 lakosából 74.102 volt görög katolikus, 20.108 római katolikus, 54.133 kálvinista református, 225 evangélikus és csupán 5 vallotta magát ortodoxnak. Az első világháború előestéjén 396.508 lakosa volt Szatmár vármegyének, ebből 168.870 volt görög katolikus felekezetű (közülük csaknem 30.000 magyar ajkú). 1930-ban a megye lakosságának 58 százalékát tették ki a görög katolikusok.
A legjelentősebb felekezeti személyiségek közé tartozott Mihai Pavel püspök, illetve olyan papok és oktatók, mint dr. Vasile Lucaciu, Petru Bran, Iustin Popfiu, Ioan Silviu Sălăgeanu, dr. Augustin Lauran, dr. Aloisie Tăutu és mások.
PROTESTANTIZMUS SZATMÁRBAN
A reformáció tanai már 1530-tól igen gyorsan terjedtek a szatmári tájakon. Magyarország első országos református zsinatát Erdődön tartották 1545-ben, egy másik zsinatra pedig Szatmárnémetiben került sor 1646-ban. A szatmári református közösségekből származott Sylveszter János, az első magyar nyelvtankönyv szerkesztője és az Új Testamentum fordítója. Károli Gáspár 1590-ben jelentkezett teljes Biblia-fordításával, amivel a magyar irodalmi nyelv megalapozójává vált. A felekezet számos iskolát tartott fenn, a leghíresebb közülük az 1568-ban alapított szatmári református kollégium. A köznevelési feladatok mellett jelentős kultúra fenntartó szerepet vállalt a református egyház, ugyanakkor szociális támogatásokat nyújtott, öregotthonokat és árvaházakat tartott fenn. A 16–17. század során mindvégig többségi felekezet, számaránya később fokozatosan csökkent, főként az ellenreformáció térnyerése miatt. Mégis, mindmáig Szatmár magyar ajkú lakosságának többségi felekezete.
A SZATMÁRNÉMETI ZSIDÓSÁG
A szatmárnémeti zsidóság, egészen a holokausztig, a Kárpát-medence egyik jelentős izraelita közössége volt. Az első zsinagógát 1852–1858 között építették a Várdomb utcán. A mai, 850 férőhelyes nagy zsinagógát pedig 1890 körül emelték, a nagyváradi mintájára. 1850-ben még 128 zsidó lakosa volt Szatmárnémetinek, 1880-ban már 2396, 1910-ben pedig 7194. 1941-ben a város 50.048 lakosából 12.960 volt a zsidók száma, azaz az összlakosság 24,9 százaléka. Szatmárnémeti akkor, a zsidó lakosság számarányát tekintve, a negyedik erdélyi városnak számított. Összehasonlításként: Nagybányán 3.623 zsidó élt (a lakosság 16,9%), Nagykárolyban 2.255 (14,2%). A szatmárnémeti zsidók 2 zsinagógával, 25 imaházzal, 2 temetővel (ortodox és status quo ante) rendelkeztek.{:}{:en}THE ROMAN-CATHOLIC CHURCH IN SATU MARE
After the Reform, the Catholic Church reappears in Satu Mare through the Jesuit Order. According to the mandate of Ferdinand the II in 1636, the monks who were attending the spiritual life of the soldiers in the castle, maintained a school. The number of the catholic flock increased when the aristocratic families rejoined the Catholic Church and when the Schwabs were settled here in the first half of the 18th century. Still, there were only 25 parishes in the county at the beginning of the 19th century.
The year 1804 brought a major change in the history of the Catholicism in Satu Mare. By the separation of the diocese of Agria, was founded the Bishopric of Satu Mare. The newly founded diocese included the Satu Mare, Maramures, Ugocea, Bereg and Ung counties. This act favored not only the Catholics, but also the entire population of the region. Beside its spiritual role, the bishops had an important cultural and educational function, as it had administrated many social activities and charity. Even today, the cathedral and the Episcopal palace are major reference points of Satu Mare. Personalities like the bishops János Hám, Gyula Meszlényi and the martyr János Schefler are still alive today in the memory of the inhabitants of Satu Mare.
Carrying on the tradition of the Jesuit school, a secondary school and a high-school was reopened in Satu Mare, and a theological seminary was founded for the diocese. A school for teachers was opened at the beginning of the year 1847. Carei was still the second centre of Catholicism in the county and since 1725 there was a gymnasium of the Piarist order. The schools of the church were accessible even for the poorer social classes through the system of stipends and foundations. The foundations made by the bishop János Hám helped to create an asylum for old, later enlarged with an orphanage and a hospital. SzP, PV
ORTHODOXISM IN SATU MARE
Dating from early times, the Orthodoxy of Satu Mare withdraws with the attack of the Counter-reformation, but never disappears utterly. As a significant evidence for this fact stands the large number of creed books originating from Moldavia and Walachia, even after the foundation of the printing press at Blaj. To prove the same information, we mention the ordainment of a great number of priests (not less than 26) in the county of Satu Mare, by Orthodox bishops in 1751. Not at last, it must be notified the struggle under the leadership of the monk Sofronie to rejoin Orthodoxy, because only the cumulated power of the bishop of Munkács and the supreme comes of the County of Satu Mare, Antal Károlyi, succeeded to suppress this danger which threatened the religious Union. PV
GREEK-CATHOLICISM IN SATU MARE
Romanians of Satu Mare, Ugocea, Szabolcs and Maramures joined Greek-Catholicism in several stages, beginning with the Synod of Ujgorod (1656) and closing with the Synod of Satmar (30th of April 1690). Sixty local priests „confirmed to be united” under the jurisdiction of the united episcopacy of Munkacs. With the help of the authorities at that time, Greek-Catholicism knows a spectacular development, therefore, in 1786, out of a population of 148.573 inhabitants, 74.102 were Greek-Catholics, 20.108 Roman Catholics, 54.133 Calvinists, 225 Lutherans and 5 Orthodocs. Around the first World War, out of 396.508 inhabitants of the County, 168.870 were Greek-Catholics (of which almost 30.000 were Hungarians). In 1930, out of the inhabitants of Satu Mare County, 58% were Greek-Catholics.
Among the Greek-Catholic personalities left in the memory of the successors we mention the bishop Mihai Pavel, and several priests and professors: Dr. Vasile Lucaciu, Petru Bran, Iustin Popfiu, Ioan Silviu Sălăgeanu, Dr. Augustin Lauran, Dr. Aloisie Tăutu, and others. PV
PROTESTANTISM IN SATU MARE
The ideas of the reform molded to our county since the 1530s. The first major reformed synod of the Hungarian Kingdom was held in Ardud (1545), and another general synod was in Satu Mare, in 1646. János Szilveszter and Gáspár Károlyi came from the spiritual milieu of Satu Mare. The first was a famous reformer and scholar, the latter made the complete translation of the Bible (1590), becoming therefore the founder of the Hungarian literary language.
In the mean time, the Hungarians joined the Calvinist branch of the Reform. They established several schools in the county, the most influent becoming the Reformed College of Satu Mare, founded in 1586. Performing an intense cultural, public and charity activities, the reformed cult sponsored houses for the old and orphans. The Calvinist flock held the majority during the 16th and 17th centuries. With the outset of the Catholic Counter-reformation, the number of the Calvinists of Satu Mare decreased gradually. Still, this cult holds the majority within the Hungarian community. SzL
THE JEWS OF SATU MARE
Until the Holocaust, the Jews of Satu Mare used to be one of the most important Mosaic communities of the Carpathian Basin. The first synagogue in the town was built in 1852–1858, on Decebal Street, while the present Great Synagogue, with over 850 places, was built around 1890. In 1850, in Satu Mare lived 128 Jews, in 1880 they were 2.396, in 1910 were 7.194, and in 1941 were 12.960 out of 52.048 inhabitants, representing 24% of the population. Therefore, Satu Mare was the fourth town in Transylvania regarding the number of Jewish inhabitants. In Baia Mare there were 3.623, representing 16,9% of the population, and in Carei they represented 14,2% of the town population. Jews had in Satu Mare two synagogues, 25 houses of prayer and two cemeteries. There were two Jewish communities: the Orthodox and the status quo ante. MLP{:}