Kolosvar, 4:00 p.m.

We gathered early this morning (but after the church bells rang--from 6:30 to 6:40, Monday through Saturday) to say goodbye and board our bus for Kolosvar. One of the reasons we left so early was that seventy villagers were leaving at 7:30 for the World Unitarian Congress, held each summer a couple of hours from Szentgerice. Sandor was proud of their representation--very large for a small village. So traveling Unitarians from the village and from Fairfax converged on the village square before 7:00. We took a group picture and then our group sang "Come, Sing a Song With Me." I've sung it a million times--and it will never feel the same to me after this morning. There were tears all around. Real affection. What a privilege and a joy to share this time with our family in Szentgerice. Owen presented gifts to Sandor from our partners in Puriang. Often during the week I heard Sandor say he hopes we are able to help the Unitarians there.

Our bus ride this morning wasn't long--but, we took the long way. I'm sorry I don't know the details, but we stopped for a long look at a beautiful gorge. The bus ride was quiet--lots of sleepers, and not a small amount of reflectiveness. It is so much to have this experience of living with people who experience life so differently from us. And people, all the same, who share with us the things that really matter.

Now we are in Cluj Napoca (the Romanian name), or in Hungarian, Kolosvar. I heard someone say they were struggling with a little culture shock. The Unitarian Collegium is a large building, right next to the Unitarian Church in the center of the city. Our rooms are beautiful and luxurious. Several of us did not have any running water in the homes we stayed in in Szentgerice. The showers were a welcome sight. Tonight we will receive a tour of the Collegium and have dinner together. (Pizza, I think I heard. What a change that will be.)

On the way here we passed through Torda--a very important place in the history of Unitarianism and religious freedom more generally. (Thank goodness Emery woke me to see it!) In 1568, under the influence of his minister, Francis David, King John Sigismund issued a statement legalizing religious toleration. The language goes like this:

His majesty, our Lord, in what manner he - together with his realm - legislated in the matter of religion at the previous Diets, in the same matter now, in this Diet, reaffirms that in every place the preachers shall preach and explain the Gospel each according to his understanding of it, and if the congregation like it, well. If not, no one shall compel them for their souls would not be satisfied, but they shall be permitted to keep a preacher whose teaching they approve. Therefore none of the superintendents or others shall abuse the preachers, no one shall be reviled for his religion by anyone, according to the previous statutes, and it is not permitted that anyone should threaten anyone else by imprisonment or by removal from his post for his teaching. For faith is the gift of God and this comes from hearing, which hearings is by the word of God.

I've always loved that "don't abuse the preacher" part. In all seriousness, though, the persecutions of non-majority religious leaders was swift and harsh in those days. The Edict was a significant step forward for religious freedom--but it is important to remember that the King was magnanimous only to a point. The Edict did not include legal protections for Jews, Muslims, or the Romanians who were Orthodox.

Tomorrow we will attend church here and then have some more organized tours of the city. I saw the most recent pictures of the progress on our sanctuary expansion. I can't wait to see it in person!