The Department of Theology & Religious Studies, Villanova University; the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas,  and the Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church in Philadelphia,
present, with RCINY support:

The Symposium
500 YEARS OF ORTHODOX PRINTING IN ROMANIA:
Macarius’ Slouzhebnik (Târgovişte, 1508)


In 1508, the 'Slouzhebnik' (Missal) of Macarius ('Liturghierul lui Macarie') was published in the city of Targoviste – the first book ever printed on Romanian territories, and the first Missal printed in an Orthodox country. The first Romanian version of the New Testament was printed 360 years ago (in Alba Iulia / Bălgrad, 1648), followed in 1688 by the Bucharest Bible.

The Symposium aims to mark this triple celebration and to explore the role of printed books in spreading the Gospel to the Romanians and the Slavs in the Balkan area;  to recognize the importance of Macarius’ Missal - the first printed in an Orthodox country - in enhancing the Orthodox solidarity among Romanians, Serbs and Bulgarians; to acknowledge the contribution of the first Romanian translation of the Holy Scriptures in serving to preserve Christian faith, language and identity.

Featured Speakers Include:

Dr. Christopher Haas, VIllanova University
Dr. Theodosius Petrescu, Archbishop of Tomis, Dean of the Theological Faculty, Constanta, Romania
Dr. Predrag Matejic, The Hilandar Research Library, Ohio State University
Rev. Dr. Theodor Damian, The Romanian Institute of Theology and Spirituality, NY & Metropolitan College of New York
V. Rev. Fr. Mark Shinn, St. Andrew’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Nicolae Roddy, Creighton University, Omaha, NE
Rev. Fr. Nicolai Buga, St. Gregory Orthodox Theological Seminary, Bucharest, Romania


Explore also the Catalogue of the Old Romanian Books (Romanian only, with a short introduction in English).

[Images: Fragments from Macarius's Missal. Courtesy of the Romanian Academy Library]