A poem entitled ‘We have a country’ which was performed in Romania’s recently inaugurated National Cathedral has no connection to fascist poet Radu Gyr, the Romanian Orthodox Church said.
The words of ‘We have a country ‘ have been “attributed completely erroneously to Radu Gyr ( ) in recent years,” the Romanian patriarchy said on Sunday. Radu Gyr wrote a poem with the same title and virtually identical to words the one performed in the National Cathedral n Oct. 30 by the Tronos Junior band. But the version sung appears to have been adapted by Orthodox nuns, who may be guilty of plagiarism.
Gyr was a Romanian poet, essayist, playwright, and journalist (1905-1975) who was also a prominent fascist activist and journalist. He was imprisoned during World War II and later by the communists.
The service on Thursday where ‘We have a country’ was to mark the Day of the Military Clergy an event attended by Romanian Army officers, defense ministry officials and Romania’s royal house.
„We specify that the text of the poem that was the basis of the artistic performance … does not promote in any way elements of any totalitarian political doctrine. …Attempts to associate the Romanian Orthodox Church with extremist ideologies is totally groundless as the Romanian Patriarchate has repeatedly distanced itself from any kind of movements that promote hatred and violence, xenophobia and racism, which are contrary to Christian teaching and faith,” a press release said.
“We consider that a twisting of the true intention – the use of a text with a patriotic and religious message – and a campaign to forcibly associate the image of the Romanian Orthodox Church with political doctrines that are alien to the faith that it preaches is ongoing. We also reiterate that the Romanian Orthodox Church publicly distances itself from any ideological or political party affiliation,” the release added.
“Cultivating in a commemorative moment in an ecclesiastical space the memory and texts of intellectuals who once fell into the temptation of ideological, legionary or communist demonism, does enormous harm to the Church,” Vasile Banescu, former Romanian Orthodox Church spokesman who is now a member of Romania’s National Broadcasting Authority.
This is the text of the poem performed, which has been attributed to a Christmas Carol written by nuns in 2007.
We have a country where the brave Dacians once ruled, immortal men
And where they have stood together for centuries
Springs, valleys and mountains with their foreheads held high,
We have holy altars, altars and icons
And lamps burn with thousands of flickers
We have so many tears and persecutions
Our earth is full of martyrs
We have at Putna (Monastery) Holy and alive in spirit
Who stood as the shield of Orthodoxy
And today we call him to defeat the west
He will overthrow five centuries of earth
We have Brâncoveanu (Romanian 17th prince martyred for the faith) as a strong example
For his children fell under the sword
To guard without change
The righteous faith in which they were born
We have Holy Transylvania, the land of the crucifixion
With cannons torn apart by the wicked one
We have the holy hierarchs, Iancu and the martyrs
Horia pulled on the wheel for the nation
Today again your enemies have put you on the cross
Transylvania with three colors adorned
Writing above your guilt with blood
That you loved Orthodoxy
We have a Paradise of saints in prisons, put to death
And thrown into the pit unknown
But today, putting the earth aside, holy relics come out in heavy prisoners’ hooves
It is their sacrifice of centuries the testimony That they cry out from the tombs to usLet us zealously defend Orthodoxy
And this land of Saints and heroes
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