CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SOFRONIE MICLESCU AND TEOFAN CRISTEA (1859-1861)

The theme proposed in this material is obviously related to the reforms, painful for some segments of society that Romanian society was going through in the modernization process initiated by the ruler AL. I. Cuza. The temporary setting is also not accidental, having as limits on the one hand, the beginning of the secularization process of monastery properties, and on the other hand, obviously the death of Metropolitan Sofronie Miclescu, an adept of the union of the Danubian Principalities, but also an ardent defender of the Institution of the Orthodox Church. As an objective, we propose an analysis of the already known letters of these historical figures on the one hand, and on the other hand, bringing new pieces of their correspondence into the scientific circuit. At the same time, we propose to analyse, based on this correspondence, the climate and tendencies of the monastic community in Romania, under the pressure of the reforms, the radiography of the real and supposed feelings of the Orthodox Church hierarchy at that time and the resistance that appeared on the Church-State axis or vice versa. Not without interest is the issue related to the place given to Bessarabia, in this opposition of the clergy and the construct they were building in order to restore the old status also enjoyed by the Church, but also its properties. Last but not least, it is interesting to note the place that the Russian Empire had, led by its Tsar, who even in the second half of the 19th century was seen as the "main protector" of the Orthodox world by a part of society.