Clerul de mir orăşenesc din Ţara Românească în secolele XV-XVII

Abstract

The secular clergies from urban area were formed of priests and deacons. Also, depending in wich church they served, the secular clergies from urban area were princely clerics and fair clerics. The clergies from towns and fairs lived close to churches where they served, and all urban parishes had parish houses. At the town church or fair served at least two priests and deacons, and at the princely churches at least three or four priests and deacons. The princely clerics were selected only between priests and deacons who had particular moral and intellectual qualities. The priests from the princely court prayed for the victory of the lord in wars, officiated the holy liturgy and other church services, as well as the holy mysteries and riots for members of the princely family. They were confessors of the lord and the members of his family. The princely priests drove the princes on their last way through the passage in the eternal life. At the princely churches also had access ordinary town people, and at the princely chapels only members of the princely family. From the ranks of the secular clergies from urban area also took part those who served at metropolitan, as well as those who served at the diocesan centers from Buzău and Râmnic. The princely churches were endowed with many properties, and the princely clerics had a lot of privileges, being exempted from tributes. The churches from towns were endowed with differents properties such as: arable lands, gardens, vines, orchards, mill fords etc. The secular clergies from towns were witnessed differents transactions such as: donations, sale-purchase operations, the preparation of wills and dowry sheets etc.