Panel: EXHIBITION - 30 YEARS, 30 CATHEDRALS



578.1 - FOREWORD

AUTHORS:
Giorda M.C. (Roma Tre University ~ Rome ~ Italy)
Text:
The past three decades have witnessed an extraordinary boom in Orthodox infrastructure, from monumental cathedrals in Romania to a proliferation of churches and cultural centers abroad. This exhibition charts the architectural and spiritual expansion of Eastern Orthodoxy, spotlighting Romania's pivotal role amid post-communist revival and global migration. A striking focus is the growth of Romanian Orthodoxy in Italy, home to Western Europe's largest Orthodox community. Italy's Eastern Christian population has surged sevenfold in the last two decades, exceeding 1.5 million by 2018—predominantly Romanian Orthodox faithful. This demographic shift has spurred a wave of new Orthodox places of worship, transforming urban and suburban landscapes from Turin to Rome and beyond. The exhibition showcases this phenomenon through photography, architectural models, and ethnographic insights, highlighting purpose-built churches, adapted spaces, and community initiatives that sustain faith amid diaspora life. This expansion gained formal recognition with the recent signing of the agreement (intesa) between the Romanian Orthodox Diocese in Italy and the Italian state, securing legal and financial support for Orthodox institutions. Orthodox architecture is changing profoundly, blending tradition with contemporary contexts. This exhibition explores these transformations, inviting reflection on faith, migration, and cultural encounter in a globalized Europe.