Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Troy is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Michigan and that diversity is reflected in the community’s numerous churches. For example, there are four Romanian houses of worship in the City: Bethesda Romanian Pentecostal Church, St. Nicholas Romanian Orthodox Church, Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church, and First Romanian Baptist Church.
Pastor Simion Timbuc of the Bethesda Pentecostal Church explains that industrious Romanians were were initially attracted to the Metro-Detroit area because of the automotive industry. They found work, settled in Oakland and Macomb Counties, then stayed in the area because of cultural festivals and amenities in cities like Troy. They also built churches near their new homes.
Troy’s leadership and City administration have been supportive and understanding as new congregations built their houses of worship. When construction began on St. Nicholas ROC in 1998, Troy leaders recognized that the church would serve as a focal point for immigrants, support Romanians as they became acclimated and assimilated in the community, and satisfy their cultural and religious needs. The church would also be a landmark in the area. Therefore, the Building Department extended construction deadlines and allowed Father George Carstea to slowly construct the traditional Romanian style church. The stone church was finished last year and consecrated early in 2015.
The existence of these and other religious congregations is only one of the many way ways that diversity has blossomed in Troy.
Photo: St. Nicholas Romanian Orthodox Church
Sources:
Ciui, Deacon Radu. 2015. Interviewed by Emily Blakowski, Troy, MI. October 13.
Image Source: St. Nicholas Romanian Orthodox Church – Troy, MI, 2015, Facebook.
Montemurri, Patricia and Kristi Tanner. “By 2060, a much more multiracial
Michigan will emerge: What are your chances of meeting someone different from you?” Freep.com. Accessed October 16, 2015. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2014/10/24/michigan-diversity-index-racial-demographics/17671861/.
Timbuc, Pastor Simion. 2015. Interviewed by Emily Blakowski, Troy, MI. October 13.
To commemorate the City of Troy’s 60th Anniversary in 2015, we will publish a different story each day that highlights a person, discovery, or event that occurred locally, regionally, nationally, or even globally between 1955 and 2015 and that helped shape our lives and our community. We will try to post stories on important anniversary dates, but we also realize that dates are less critical than content and context. We will include the facts related to controversial stories, allowing our readers to form their own opinions. We invite you to read and comment on the stories. Your suggestions for topics are also welcome and can be posted on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TroyHistoricVillage. You can also email stories or ideas to the 365 Story Editor at ed@thvmail.org.
