The Cyrillic Alphabet in Romania Between East and West

Before the Latin alphabet became the script of Romanian, the language was written in Cyrillic for centuries. This episode traces the gradual transition from Cyrillic to Latin beginning in the late 18th century, driven by the Transylvanian School (Școala Ardeleană) and their argument for the Latin origins of the Romanian language and people. We explore the political and cultural implications of alphabet reform: how script choice reflected national identity, the role of the Orthodox Church in preserving Cyrillic, and why the transition took nearly a hundred years to complete. Along the way, we encounter figures like Petru Maior and Gheorghe Șincai, the 1860 decree under Alexandru Ioan Cuza, and the last Cyrillic Romanian documents. We also consider the practical challenges of changing a writing system and what was lost—a direct link to Old Church Slavonic and the Orthodox Slavic world. This episode illuminates how an alphabet can become a battleground for national identity, especially at the crossroads of Eastern and Western Europe.

#RomanianAlphabet #Cyrillic #LatinScript #TransylvanianSchool #PetruMaior #GheorgheIncai #NationalIdentity #LanguageReform #AlexandruIoanCuza #OrthodoxChurch #OldChurchSlavonic #RomanianHistory #Phanariotes #Wallachia #Moldavia #19thCentury #CulturalHistory #FexingoHistory #Dacia #RomaniaHistory

Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo