History

Dacia Ripensis (English translation: “By the Banks of the Danube”) was the name of a Roman province, part of Dacia Aureliana, first established by Aurelian (circa 283AD when the boundary stones were set by him and one of them was restored by Gaianus) following his withdrawal from Dacia north of the Danube River. Ratiaria was established as the capital of Dacia Ripensis (it was previously a colony founded by Trajan located within Moesia Superior). Ratiaria is found in Bulgaria, near the Danube, 17Km south of Vidin. The capital served both as the seat of the military governor (or dux) and as the military base for the Roman legion XIII Gemina. According to Priscus, Dacia Ripensis was a flourishing province during the 4th and 5th centuries AD. During the early 440s, however, the Huns captured the province (prior to this, there were conflicts between the Romans and the Huns whereby the latter group captured Castra Martis through treacherous means). Even though the province recovered briefly from Hunnic rule, it was eventually decimated by the Avars in 586. On a more specific note, Aurelian developed Dacia Ripensis on a stretch of the Danube specifically between Moesia Superior and Moesia Inferior. During the reign of Emperor Trajan, many fortresses and fortifications were constructed within the province. These fortresses/fortifications included Singidunum (modern Belgrade), Viminacium (modern Kostolac), Tanata, Zernis, Doukepratou, Caputboes, Zanes, and Pontes.

Dacia Ripensis had several larger cities which also served as eparchial centers from where early Christianity was spread. In addition to Ratiaria, one of the principal centers was the city of Aquae which was also an eparchial seat. At the synod of Serdica (modern Sofia) in 343AD a certain bishop of Aquae is mentioned: „Vitalis et Daciae Ripensis de Aquis”. This eparchy is also mentioned by emperor Justinian in his well known novela number 11.

A funerary stone preserved at Aquae (modern Prahovo, Prahova in Romanian) erected for the small Christian boy Dassianus reads: „Dassianus senior et Galla titula (sic) pueri (sic) bimato Dassiani iuniori Dassianus iunior, Christi electus neofitus” (Dassianus the Elder and Galla (erected) the funerary stone to the two-year old boy Dassianus the Younger. Dassianus the Younger, elected neophyte of Christ.

By the old indigenous names one can see that in this area Christianity was spread not only among the Roman population but also among the old autochtonous one.

The Romanian Orthodox Protopresbyterate of Dacia Ripensis is the living spark of Daco-Roman Christianity, the faith of the forefathers of modern Romanians, so-called Vlachs, authochtonous to Eastern and North-Eastern Serbia, which after so many years was renewed with the blessing of the Romanian Patriarchy and that of the Right Reverend Dr. Daniil, Bishop of the Romanians-Vlachs of Serbia.

And so today after some 2000 years this protopresbyterate proclaims and celebrates in the auchtononous mother tongue the redeeming teachings of Christ and his Holy Resurrection.