While in Romania the number of deaths is higher than the number of births, in the diaspora Romanians who left for a better life choose to stay in their adopted countries, and the trend is confirmed by the statistics of Orthodox parishes and the findings of priests.
Romanian children feel at home in their adopted country Photo: FB/Parish “Sf Ilie Tesviteanul” Verona
In “Romania from the diaspora”, the number of baptisms is more than six times higher than that of burials, according to the data made public by the Romanian Patriarchate in its latest report.
In 2023, the Romanian Patriarchate had four archbishoprics and nine bishoprics under its jurisdiction, outside Romania's borders. The number of Orthodox parishes outside the country's borders increased in 2023 to 1,578, compared to 1,483 the year before. And the number of monasteries increased by three, reaching 74 in 2023.
2023 was, despite the increase in the number of dioceses, one with fewer solemnized weddings and baptisms, but the good news is that the burials in Romanian communities were also fewer than the year before. However, the ratio between the number of baptisms and the number of burials is clearly in favor of Christians, which is almost no longer the case in parishes in the country.
“It should be noted that, in these Romanian Orthodox parishes and communities, during the year 2023, 22,975 baptisms were performed, compared to 25,282 baptisms in 2022; 4,759 weddings, compared to 5,758 weddings in 2022; 3,639 funerals, compared to 3,692 funerals in 2022; 610 receptions to Orthodoxy, compared to 721 receptions to Orthodoxy in 2022; 150 returns to Orthodoxy, compared to 34 returns to Orthodoxy in 2022″, it is stated in the synthesis report of the activities of the Romanian Orthodox Church, published by Basilica.ro, the press agency of the Romanian Patriarchate.
“It is very interesting to see that in Romania the situation is exactly the opposite. There are many more funerals in Romania than baptisms”, remarked the Patriarch of Romania, who presented the report on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at the meeting of the National Church Council, according to the Basilica.
“They bought houses with loans for 25 or 30 years, find jobs in northern Italy and stay here”
While in Romania the natural increase is negative (the number of deaths is higher than the number of births), in the community of Romanians in Italy (most Romanians are in Italy) the number of baptisms was seven times higher than that of burials , according to basilica.ro.
The Verona 1 parish is one of the communities in the European diaspora with the most baptisms, and the strong tendency is for the Romanians who initially left with the aim of earning money to build a decent living in Romania to settle in the adoptive countries. Foreign-born children, who integrate naturally and have almost no connection to their parents' native country, would be the real reason why parents no longer consider returning home.
“Sources from the Diocese of Italy, the European country with the largest Romanian diaspora, indicate the Verona 1 Parish as one of the communities with the most baptisms”writes Basilica.ro, the news agency of the Romanian Patriarchate.
Father Parish Gabor Codrea, who is also Protopope of Triveneto II, stated for Basilica.ro that the parish register contains approximately 4,800 such entries made in a decade of activity, but it is difficult to make a correct assessment, says the parish priest, because the diaspora is very fluid, and in the meantime many Romanians from the parish left for other countries or returned to Romania.
It is certain that we are talking about a large number of baptisms recorded in the parish records, and this can be explained, the father claimed, by the fact that the parish has an authentic Romanian church, and people come from outside Verona to baptize their children here.
“It is part of the community pride. It is known as the Romanian church, it has been in the center of Verona for over a decade and people come”, said the parish priest, quoted by Basilica.ro.
The parish priest also mentioned to the cited source that in the last five years he has noticed a stabilization of Romanian families that have children. “They bought houses with loans for 25 or 30 years, find jobs in northern Italy and stay here,” said Father Gabor Codrea, according to Basilica. Among the Romanians there are people who worked for 15-20-25 years in Italy, investing their money in Romania, but who now “they are seriously considering whether to return or not”.
In Verona alone, there are approximately 9,000 Romanians registered in the population records, their large number determining the establishment of two parishes.
Contrary to what happens in Romania, the families in the parish have more than two children, the priest told the quoted source, and this is because “people are accomplished and can afford it, and the social system is such that parents are helped to take care of children”. Help means enough nurseries and kindergartens, being neighborhood nurseries as well as factory nurseries and hospital nurseries.
As the years pass, it is increasingly difficult for Romanians to return home. Their children grow up and feel in their adopted country as in their own country, the priest noted.
“We live this immigrant drama, a drama that unites us. We live with love for the country, for the Church in which we were born and raised, but we are aware that our future and that of our children is here”, Father Gabor Codrea also said.
