The library includes many books on and by Eastern Christians , Lebanon, Egypt, Syria ... The incredible odyssey of an Institute on Eastern Christianity
63 years ago, 25,000 books on Eastern Christianity were narrowly saved, illegally transferred to France after closed by the Communists of the Institute of Byzantine Studies in Bucharest. The center reopens Monday in Romania.
"The institute, founded by Catholic religious Assumptionists, was among the world's leading experts of the Christian East. He always had a checkered history," explains Father French Michel Kubler, director of new center of Bucharest.
Founded in Istanbul in the late nineteenth century, the Institute of Byzantine Studies in Bucharest had to move after the arrival of Ataturk's secular regime. In the 1930s, Romania was both a country and calm the heart of Orthodox Christianity.
The Communists came to power in 1947 changed all that. The French religious
, internationally recognized researchers from the CNRS, were ordered to leave.
One of them, Jean Emile, managed to hide and organize with the help of some students the rescue of 25 000 books, a collection unique.
"The legend says they threw the books over the wall of the Institute, in the gardens of the Embassy of France. More likely, we think they drilled a hole in one wall of the sub ground to get the books quietly, "says Kubler. The valuable library
cross the Iron Curtain by train, in wagons sealed considered "diplomatic bag" and will be hosted in Paris, where she still is.
The neo-Gothic building of the Institute in the center of Bucharest was he transformed into Polyclinic, the chapel became a workshop of dentures.
Today, 21 years after the fall the regime of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in Romania, the congregation has recovered Assumptionist this building, like many owners of their property looted.
The few doctors who were still practicing in the building were compensated for up practice elsewhere.
Monday, opens again the Centre for Byzantine Studies, which wants to boost, thanks in part in debates and conferences, dialogue between Christians of the East, mostly Orthodox, and those of the West of the Latin rite.
A large library was reconstituted with 15 000 books from Athens and Rome which parts Rare as "euchologue" a huge Ukrainian prayer book of 1646, engraved and hand-written, which exist only three copies in the world
addition to philosophy shelves or iconography, an art where the Orthodox excellent library also includes many books on and by Eastern Christians, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria ... At a time when these Christians are threatened in some countries, "it is also important to know the liveliness of their heritage," says Kubler.
Specialist Fathers of the Church, common to Orthodox and Catholics, Father Lucian Dinca, 40, will be responsible for this rare library. Member of the Catholic minority in Romania, he explains that he "rediscovered its eastern side," while studying in France and Canada.
"Before, in my village were told Catholics to confess if they had danced at a party with an Orthodox," he recalls.
Today he has built bridges between his community and the Orthodox majority in Romania, breaking some stereotypes and prejudices.
"I love this picture of John Paul II said that Romania must breathe with two lungs, East and West," he concludes.
Source: L'Orient Le Jour
hilda.barhoum @ wanadoo.fr
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