Romania has given us Dracula (or at least the background for the story), the origin of the Unitarian religion which started in 16th century Transylvania, and my personal favorite, the first perfect 10 gymnast, Nadia Comaneci.
Romania first originated as part of the Roman province of Dacia from about A.D. 100 to 271. The real Count Dracula was Vlad the Impaler who lived in Transylvania, and who did have a liking to blood. Unitarianism, also started in Transylvania not long after Dracula, branched off from Christianity in their belief that there is no Trinity, Jesus is not the Son of God, and they like to encourage rational thought and individual freedom. Except when that thought is that Jesus is who He said He was, and then they will be quick to disagree. The gymnast Nadia showed us on tv what living in oppressive Communism was like during the 1970’s, and she later defected to the US in 1989.
Romania certainly has a colorful history. Today, Romania is officially a secular state, but is dominated by the Orthodox Church. It struggles to regain employment after Communism and many emigrate to work elsewhere in Europe and the rural farms are being abandoned. Evangelicals are growing, the fourth largest in Europe, and Romania is considered one of the more spiritually receptive European nations. Pray that they will continue to be receptive to the true freedom that can only be found in the grace that Jesus Christ provides to all.
