Work

Romanian Orthodox Heritage in Italy: Blurring Lines Between Different Identities

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This research paper explores Romanian Orthodox religious places as vital centers for producing and promoting national identity as well as cultural and religious heritage in Italy. Through the application of a spatial perspective, it addresses the complexities of heritage recognition, questioning what constitutes “heritage” for the religious minorities in Italy and highlighting the inadequacies of the current legal frameworks in this context. The paper focuses on the interplay between history and memory, scrutinizing the dialectical relationships that shape polyphonic, collective, and public memories of the Romanian parishes’ national and religious heritage. Moreover, it analyzes how memories, traditions, and national identity influence the perception of religious communities by focusing on constructing a group memory that highlights ethnic identity rather than religious affiliation.

Source: Religions

DOI: 10.3390/rel16030375

Authors: Ioan Cozma, Maria Chiara Giorda

Institutions: Pontifical Gregorian University, Pontifical Oriental Institute, Roma Tre University

Language: English

Topic: Cultural Identity and Heritage

Subfield: Archeology

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172

OpenAlex ID: W4408504673

FWCI: 4.068

Cites: 11

Cited by: 1

Related to: 10