St. Elias Orthodox Church in Timisoara, Romania
St. Elias Church Timisoara – Summary
The St. Elias Orthodox Church (Biserica Ortodoxă Sf. Ilie) is an early 20th century Byzantine style Orthodox Church in the city of Timisoara, Romania. The church is dedicated to the St. Prophet Elias (Greek) Elijah (Hebrew), the patron of the church. The building was created from 1912-1913 in the Moria Square (today Fabric District) of Timisoara. The St. Elias Orthodox Church came about as a replacement to a predecessor church of the same name that was demolished in 1910 due to the construction of a power plant on the Bega River.
Facade of the St. Elias Orthodox Church in Timisoara
The architect of the St. Elias Church was the Hungarian Székely László. László was one of Timisoara’s most renowned and ambitious architects. He designed some of the city’s most famous buildings, including the Dauerbach, and Neuhausz, palaces. Laszlo enlisted the builder Josef Ecker Jr. to construct the church at a cost of 72,000 crowns. The funding for the church was provided by the Timisoara City Hall as reimbursement for their demolition of the original church. The St. Elias church was designed to resemble that of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Sibiu.
Magnificent Architecture of the St. Elias Orthodox Church
From its funding to its construction, the St. Elias Church’s completion became a reality because of the efforts of dedicated individuals who all had ties to the Banat Region. The church was painted by the famous painter, and Timisoara local, Ioan Zaicu. The church sculptures and carpentry were done by the ecclesial art specialists, brothers Nistor and Iosif Busuioc, of the Commune of Berliște. The church’s builder, Josef Ecker Jr., a prominent architect in his own right, is credited for designing and building some of Timisoara’s most renown buildings.
Breathtaking Interior of the St. Elias Orthodox Church in Timisoara
The St. Elias Orthodox Church’s sanctification took place on October 5, 1913. At the time, the church was the largest and most attended, Orthodox church in the entire city. During the same time period, the church served as the primary organizational headquarters for events that took place in the city, such as military parades, and religious ceremonies. Perhaps one of the most significant events in the church’s history was hosting Romania’s first patriarch, Miron Cristea, on December 25, 1929.
St. Elias Church Timisoara – Table of Contents
St. Elias Church Timisoara – History
The St. Elias Orthodox Church which is currently found today in Timisoara is the second version of the original St. Elias Church of 1826, which once stood 400 meters N.E. of the current church, just over the Bega River. The St. Elias Church of 1826 was constructed in response to disagreements between the Serbian and Romanian Orthodox communities who, in the early 19th century, shared the same church building in the Traian Square of Timisoara.
Historic image of the St. Elias Church in Timisoara
In 1825, the Serbian and Romanian Orthodox members of the shared church decided to split its membership. The Serbian community remained members of the original church in the Traian Square (Piața Traian), presently known as the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. George. The Romanian community created their own Orthodox church, the original St. Elias Church of Timisoara. In 1865, the two communities fully parted ways, each community becoming sole members in their respective churches.
The Original St. Elias Church of 1826 in Timisoara
Development on the Original St. Elias Church started in 1825 and finished a year later in 1826. The church’s development, constructed primarily out of wood, came about by the free labor of factory workers and the Orthodox faithful from the “Fabric District” area of Timisoara where the church is located. The labors dedicated two days a week of free work to build the church. Funding and materials for the church’s construction came from donations from residents of the area and from nearby villages.
Original St. Elias Church of 1826 on the Bega River Bank
The original church’s lifespan was relatively short because in 1907 the Timisoara City Hall began work on a Hydroelectric Power Plant on the Bega River, just downstream from the church. Due to the church’s close proximity to the project, city officials decided the church had to be demolished in order to complete the plant. After the church was torn down, the city hall promised to allocate funds for development of a replacement church. Today there is a monument of a cross, placed in 1928, on the site of the original church.
1928 Cross Monument in the Location of the Original Timisoara St. Elias Church
St. Elias Church Timisoara – Visitor Information
Location
The St. Elias Church is located in the Fabric District of Timisoara at the address Strada Andrei Șaguna 12.
Visitation
The St. Elias Church is open to visitation daily with the exception of Sunday and Holidays when church services are carried out. Tourists are allowed to visit and photograph the church’s interior and exterior.
Biserica Ortodoxă Sf. Ilie din Timişoara