Şilindia: Churches, Landscape and Local Traditions

In Şilindia stands the Orthodox Church of Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel. Its patronal feast is celebrated on 29 June. The present-day Orthodox Church of Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel was built between 1880 and 1882. The Catholic Church of Sfânta Treime is also located in Şilindia. Its patronal feast is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost.

Thus, the village has two churches with different denominational affiliations, each with its own date in the annual calendar. The Orthodox Church connects the apostles' names with a building from the late 19th century, while the Sunday after Pentecost marks the festive reference for the Catholic Church.

Culture

In front of the local council building in Şilindia stands an obelisk commemorating the heroes who fell in the First World War. It is made of gneiss and white marble. It is 3.25 m high and 60 cm wide. Inscribed marble panels are located on its pedestal.

The material, dimensions and inscribed panels together form the appearance of this monument.

In the village of Iercoşeni, within the municipality of Şilindia, there is a wooden church. It features elements characteristic of Romanian Transylvanian architecture.

The wooden church expands the picture of the local sacred buildings with a structure built in a traditional style. Iercoşeni is thereby named as another village within the municipality.

History

Şilindia is documented for the period 1332–1337 under the name Selend. In 1967, a Dacian hoard was discovered in Şilindia. The find comprised more than 800 Dacian silver coins. The coins date from the 3rd to the 2nd century BC.

Landscape

The relief of the municipality of Şilindia forms an amphitheatre. The steps of this relief descend from south to north.

The geomorphological units of the municipality include the Zărand Mountains in the south. The forms in the west include the Piedmont Hills. The terraces of the Dudiţa and Valea Mare valleys are also part of this structure. Another geomorphological unit is the alluvial plain.

The landscape is therefore not shaped by a single form. The Zărand Mountains lie in the south and the Piedmont Hills in the west; between them or as additional features, the terraces of the two named valleys and the alluvial plain are listed as distinct units. Together with the amphitheatre-like relief descending from south to north, this produces a clearly structured description of the landscape.

Geographical Setting

County road DJ 792C passes through Şilindia. It runs from Buteni via Cuied, Luguzău and Şilindia. It then continues via Târnova, Măderat, Pâncota, Caporal Alexa, Sântana, Curtici and Dorobanți to the border with Hungary.

Şilindia is therefore situated on a road route that connects several villages and eventually leads to the Hungarian border. The sequence names both the places before Şilindia and the subsequent stops along the county road.

More village pages: Vinga, Curtici, Șagu, Lipova, Galșa, Ghioroc, Ineu, Moneasa.

Tradition

In the municipality of Şilindia, on New Year's Eve, groups of men and young men go to people named Vasile. At their windows, they sing “Mulți ani trăiască”. They are then treated to Plăcinte and drinks.

The custom follows a fixed sequence: On New Year's Eve, the groups go to people bearing the name, sing at their windows and then receive food and drinks. The name Vasile, the song “Mulți ani trăiască” and the Plăcinte are explicitly mentioned components of this tradition.

To the overarching travel overview: Arad.