A new beginning

After the Bartholomew’s Day service and commemoration in the Transylvanian Szék (be sure to check this post if you haven’t yet done so!) we climb up to Felszeg, “the Upper Quarter”, to see the houses that fell into ruin in last July, and then descend to the market place to see in person – although we have already saw in photo – how our friends proceed with the building of their new house.

A brief summary of what we wrote about several times here, here and here. The incessant rains in last June repeatedly flooded the streets of Szék laying in the valley. At the same time the water rushing down the hillside also loosened the soil of the slope, and started a landslide in Felszeg which resulted in the collapse of six houses. The local press reported in detail about the catastrophe, illustrating with some photos the situation.

The signs of the landslide in Felszeg a few days ago. After demolishing the house the sight is not as frightening as one year ago, with the walls in ruins

Our friends with two school-girls who remained without shelter could not hope for help from anywhere. The great deputy mayor of the town tried to gain some support through his contacts, but in the midst of the round-the-clock saving operations he got a heart attack and died. On receiving news of the disaster we announced a collection for the rebuilding here at Río Wang, and during the following months our readers gave together 2056 euros in all. This sum made it possible to our friends to buy a building site in the town – because on the plots slid it is forbidden to build any more, but they receive no compensation instead – and to start a new house. Meanwhile, someone managed to obtain some state support in the form of a limited amount of brick, cement and timber, but it would not have been enough for the building of a new house without the help of our readers, even if the material of the collapsed house was gradually demolished and built into the new one, and the stonemason head of the family, János was building it all alone while the rest of the family were earning for the rest of the materials: the wife, Rózsi undertaking housecleaning in Budapest, and the two girls, living with the grandparents, serving after school as auxiliary waiters in the local restaurant.


Until the winter they could pull up the walls and the top ring, and in March, after the thaw to set up the roof which is now covered with a plastic foil in lack of tiles. One of the two small rooms have already been made habitable, and even cozy, and they painted the walls of the other. The gas stove already works in the kitchen, but electricity, water and heating are not yet in the house. The work is suspended now: János is trying to earn the money for the additional materials as a mason in Cluj.

A watch-house there is already, even if no real house to watch

The future place of the entrance door and the kitchen

To welcome the guests there is always place in Transylvania

The pride of the house: the room which is already furnished with the furniture of the old house. The father of Rózsi, at whom the girls live now

The bathroom has yet to be equipped

The loft…

…and the roof

By clicking here you can send via PayPal or from bank card any amount to the flood victims of Szék. We will send a receipt of each donation. Thank you for your help. • e-mail to us

Rózsi and János estimate that at least a thousand and five hundred euros would be necessary to make the house habitable also for the winter – which in Szék arrives in October – so that they should not spend also this winter scattered at relatives. And we, trusting in the already experienced generosity of our readers, ask you to help, no matter how little you can give. With the included PayPal button you can send money from a credit card to the account opened for them, but we also send an account number for bank transfer on request. We thank for any help in advance.

Paganos vinieron, oh Señor, a tu heredad

Ya hemos escrito que el 24 de agosto, día de San Bartolomé, es un día de luto no sólo para los calvinistas de Francia, también para los de Szék (Sic, en Rumania). En 1717 los tártaros que asolaban todo el norte de Transilvania, al haber encontrado infranqueables las puertas de la rica ciudad armenia vecina de Szamosújvár / Gherla, se resarcieron entrando en la ciudad de Szék. La saquearon a conciencia y asesinaron o secuestraron a la mayor parte de sus habitantes. Solo sobrevivió un centenar de personas. Sus descendientes desde entonces llevan luto y cumplen el voto que hicieron de recordar la tragedia con tres celebraciones penitenciales en este día.




El segundo servicio, a mediodía, se dedica a la memoria. El pastor lee el relato contenido en la crónica de 1759 y los testimonios de la investigación realizada en 1771.

Tamás István, de 57 años, dice. Yo también fui secuestrado junto con otras personas de Szék, en el pantano de Kaján. Mi padre fue asesinado. Muchos todavía están allí, en manos de los paganos.

Balog György dice que 700 personas fueron hechas prisioneras en Szék. Él lo oyó de su padre y del viejo Miklós Pószás, de origen ruso.

Sipos István, de 70 años, dice. Mi padre fue secuestrado junto con los demás.

Mihály Molnár, de 68 años, dice. Una gran parte de los de Szék fueron secuestrados. Apenas un centenar quedaron, niños incluidos.

Nemes Kis Erzsébet, viuda de Havadi András, de 76 años, dice. Yo también fui secuestrada junto con otros por los paganos, recuerdo haber sido secuestrada junto con otros ciento cuarenta, de los cuales sólo sé de cuatro que fueran puestos en libertad más tarde.

Havadi András, de 43 años, dice. Sé muy bien que un gran número de personas fueron secuestradas, porque aún guardo la lista de una parte de ellos, 86 en número, que nunca han regresado. Havadi Klára fue secuestrada a la edad de 2 años y la trajeron de vuelta a Szék a la edad de 3 años y 6 meses. Murió en 1768.

Csorba Benedek, de 65 años, dice. Hacia finales de agosto de 1717 los tártaros, después de haber penetrado por el valle de Beszterce / Bistriţa, también me hirieron y me llevaron a Máramaros / Maramureş. Fui rescatado dos semanas más tarde, pero a mi hermana se la llevaron para siempre junto con otras personas de las cuales sólo unas pocas fueron puestas luego en libertad.

Faragó o István Balásfi: Sé que muchos fueron secuestrados. Yo fui rescatado de la mano del tártaro por mi padre cerca de la frontera de Szék.

Árkosi Borbála, de 73 años. Siendo una niña pequeña, estaba sentada en la cuesta de la iglesia y vi cómo los estatutos fueron destruidos. El pastor quedó vivo, pero en calzoncillos. Faragó György fue asesinado y yo fui secuestrada también. Me rescataron once días más tarde.

Kovács Márton: Contemplé desde la colina cómo la iglesia era devastada y los estatutos destruidos por los tártaros. Derribaron la puerta de la iglesia, la gente corría hacia Kaján, pero en el pantano les alcanzaron y secuestraron a un gran número de ellos.

Sós Pál, de 78 años. Mi esposa, Bardos Erzsébet, también fue secuestrada, y más de 600 junto con ella.

Después del servicio sugerimos que dentro de seis años, cuando se cumpla el tricentenario de estos hechos, sería bueno invitar a los representantes de los tártaros para una reconciliación oficial. Conocemos a gente que la podría propiciar sin duda. Nuestros anfitriones agitan la cabeza. «Todavía es demasiado pronto», dicen.




El textus es el primer versículo del Salmo 79: ¡Oh Señor!, han entrado las gentes en tu heredad, han profanado tu santo recinto y han reducido Jerusalén a un montón de escombros. La congregación canta una antigua paráfrasis local del salmo.

öröködbe uram pogányok jöttek meggyalázták kövét szent küszöbödnek kezük a várost halálra vetették orcáink sorát siralommá tették szolgáidnak testek akik megölettek temetetlen maradtak vagy akik megölték ételül vetették a mezei vadaknak hogy folyt a vér ottan a szent a drága kövér patakokban mint a víz árja kővé dermedtünk a nagy öldöklésre s nem maradt szívünk méltó temetésre

Paganos vinieron, oh Señor, a tu heredad, a profanar la piedra de tu santo umbral sus manos han dado muerte a la ciudad, se transforman nuestros rostros en lamento, los cuerpos de tus siervos que fueron asesinados quedaron insepultos, o quienes los mataron los arrojaron como alimento a las bestias del campo, cómo corría la sangre, santa, preciosa en gruesas corrientes, como fluye el agua, nos quedamos petrificados a la vista de la matanza no teníamos fuerzas para un entierro digno.

Estamos, en Szék, al final de diez días de viaje por Galitzia, ya de camino a casa. Hemos visto mucha destrucción causada entre sí, una vez y otra, por los pueblos que viven en esta región. Este salmo bien podría servir de lema a nuestro recorrido.

Pagans came, o Lord, in thy inheritance

We have already written, that 24 August, St. Bartholomew’s Day is a day of mourning not only for the Calvinists of France, but also for those of Szék (Sic, in Romania). In 1717 the Tatars devastating all northern Transylvania, after having found the gates of the rich neighboring Armenian town Szamosújvár/Gherla closed, compensated themselves with the town of Szék. They sacked the town and killed or deported the bulk of its inhabitants, leaving only a hundred survivors. Their offspring have ever since worn black, and made a vow to remember the tragedy with three penitential services on this day.




The second service at noon is for the remembrance. The pastor reads the report of the chronicle of 1759 and the testimonies of the investigation of 1771.

Tamás István, 57 year old, says. I was also abducted, along with other people from Szék, at the dam of Kaján. My father was slain. Many of them are still over there, in pagan hands.

Balog György says that 700 people were abducted from Szék. He heard it from his father and from the old Pószás Miklós of Russian origins.

Sipos István, 70 year old, says. My father was abducted together with others.

Molnár Mihály, 68 year old, says. A great many of those of Szék were abducted. Hardly a hundred were left, children included.

Nemes Kis Erzsébet, widow of Havadi András, 76 year old, says. I was also abducted along with others by the pagans, I remember of having been abducted together with a hundred and forty, of whom I only know four who were later set free.

Havadi András, 43 year old, says. I know very well that a large number of persons were abducted, for I still have a list of a part of them, 86 in number, who have never returned. Havadi Klára was abducted at the age of 2, and brought back to Szék at the age of 3 years and 6 months. She died in 1768.

Csorba Benedek, 65 year old, says. Towards the end of August 1717 the Tatars, having broken in through the valley of Beszterce/Bistriţa, have also wounded me and brought me to Máramaros/Maramureş. I was ransomed two weeks later, but my sister was taken away forever together with other persons of whom only a very few were set free.

Faragó or Balásfi István: I know that many were abducted. I was got back from the Tatar’s hand by my father around the border of Szék.

Árkosi Borbála, 73 year old. As a little girl I was sitting on the hillside of the church, and I saw how the charters were destroyed. The pastor was left alive, but in underpants only. Faragó György was slain, and I was abducted, too. I was ransomed eleven days later.

Kovács Márton: I watched from the hill how the church was ravaged and the charters destroyed by the Tatars. They broke in the door of the church, the people was running towards Káján, but at the Dam they reached them and abducted a great many of them.

Sós Pál, 78 year old. My wife, Bárdos Erzsébet was also abducted, and more than 600 together with her.

After the service I suggest that six years later, for the three hundredth anniversary it would be good to invite the representatives of the Tatars for reconciliation, we have the contacts for that. My hosts just shake their heads. “It’s too early yet”, they say.


(…read further…)

Royal doors

veni o Jesse virgula
ex hostis tuos ungula
de specu tuos tartari
deduc et antro barathri

The royal doors of the former Greek Catholic wooden church of Kurimka (in Rusyn Havryanets) in Bardejov, in the Šariš Icon Museum. A sign of life from our journey in the Rusyn land, having a momentary access to internet. A few days later we’ll be back online again.