Religion – rroma.org https://rroma.org Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:53:45 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://rroma.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/cropped-greenwheel_large-1-32x32.png Religion – rroma.org https://rroma.org 32 32 Stanisław Opocki https://rroma.org/stanislaw-opocki/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stanislaw-opocki Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:53:45 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=35589 Father Stanisław Opocki, a prominent priest and national pastor for the Romani community in Poland, died in a car accident on October 7, 2026, at the age of 73.

He dedicated much of his life to serving the Romani community, initiating significant events such as the first pilgrimage for Romani people in the 1980s, which became a tradition in southern Poland.

His funeral is scheduled for October 13, 2026, in his hometown of Rudka, with official announcements made by the Polish Bishops’ Conference and the Tarnów Diocese.

]]> Pilgrimage in Hungary https://rroma.org/pilgrimage-in-hungary/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pilgrimage-in-hungary Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:07:07 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=34917 Hungarian Roma, also known as Cigany, participated in an annual religious pilgrimage to a Virgin Mary shrine spring in Csatka, Hungary, on September 12, 2026.

The event highlights the cultural and religious practices of the Roma community in Hungary.

The pilgrimage is a significant occasion for the community, emphasizing their traditions and beliefs.

]]> Travellers and Religion https://rroma.org/travellers-and-religion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=travellers-and-religion Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:04:51 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=34816 Over 200 caravans are gathered in Ried im Innkreis, Austria, for a summer holiday organized by the free Christian church association Jeschua, attracting travelers from various German states.

The two-week event, themed “Traveling with God,” includes daily worship services in a large tent church, fostering a sense of community among participants, many of whom have roots in Austria or Germany.

Pastor Karl Schmidt highlights the challenges of discrimination faced by the Sinti and Roma communities, while emphasizing the importance of understanding individual groups rather than generalizing based on negative stereotypes.

]]> Serbian Roma Mufti https://rroma.org/serbian-roma-mufti/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=serbian-roma-mufti Mon, 07 Sep 2026 13:03:19 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=34738 The Islamic Community of Serbia has appointed Alija ef. Dermaku, an imam from Bujanovac, as the first mufti for the Roma community in Serbia and the diaspora.

Dermaku’s role will encompass overseeing Roma Muslims both in Serbia and abroad, reflecting his long-standing involvement with the community and understanding of their culture.

This appointment is significant as it marks a shift in representation for Roma Muslims within the Islamic Community of Serbia, highlighting the community’s presence in various regions, including northern Kosovo. This latter statement is far from anodine and is politically loaded. Northern Kosovo Roma – mostly Gurbeti – while predominantly moslem, are more related to their other Gurbeti brethren in further South than any others in Serbia proper.

]]> Mariazell https://rroma.org/mariazell-3/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mariazell-3 Fri, 04 Sep 2026 13:49:22 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=34661 The Roma and Sinti have a long-standing tradition of pilgrimage to Mariazell, which was interrupted by the Nazis in 1938 but has been revived since 1996, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

The pilgrimage serves as a cultural expression for the Roma community, featuring a bilingual mass in German and Burgenlandromani, promoting inclusion for both Roma and non-Roma participants.

Youth involvement is significant, with Roma children and teenagers contributing to the event, and this year’s theme focused on peace in light of current international events.

]]> Protestantism https://rroma.org/protestantism/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=protestantism Tue, 01 Sep 2026 18:18:23 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=34600 A book by sociologist Dragan Todorović discusses the spread of Protestantism among the Roma community in southeastern Serbia and its societal impacts.

The research highlights how religious changes can influence education, family dynamics, women’s status, solidarity, and community involvement among Roma.

The event at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts emphasizes the importance of recognizing Roma’s personal choices and identities beyond stereotypes of poverty and discrimination.

]]> Mariazell https://rroma.org/mariazell-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mariazell-2 Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:35:19 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=34221 The 30th pilgrimage of Roma, Sinti, and Lovara from Austria and other European countries took place at the Basilica of Mariazell, led by Bishop Franz Scharl, who emphasized faith in Jesus Christ during the service.

The mass featured songs in Romanes and German, performed by a mixed group of Roma and non-Roma musicians, symbolizing friendship and unity, with children creating a special pilgrimage candle focused on peace.

The pilgrimage has a long tradition, interrupted in 1938, and resumed in 1996 after the official recognition of the Roma community in Austria, with an estimated 40,000 to 80,000 Roma and Sinti living in the country today.

]]> Roma and Religion https://rroma.org/roma-and-religion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=roma-and-religion Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:49:37 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=33066 A new scientific study by sociologist Dragan Todorović explores the religious identity of Roma in Serbia, focusing on the growth of Protestant communities among them.

The study highlights the impact of religious changes on the daily lives, education, family relations, and social integration of the Roma community, particularly in southern Serbia.

Participants in the book promotion emphasized the importance of understanding the relationship between religion and social development to improve public policies for the vulnerable Roma community.

]]> First Communion https://rroma.org/first-communion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=first-communion Thu, 14 May 2026 15:41:31 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=32580 A reportage and video of a first communion among Slovak Roma that apparently did cost 40’000 euros.

]]> Burial https://rroma.org/burial/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=burial Sun, 11 Jan 2026 16:45:09 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=31067 More than two hundred members of the Padua Sinti community gathered on Saturday, January 10, in the center of Noventa Padovana to participate in the burial ceremony of one of their relatives. Giamaica Rajar, a 53-year-old woman from the Via Serenissima community, passed away on January 8. The ceremony had a particularly folkloric character: from the pink coffin, to the lighting of smoke bombs, to the presence of a large crucifix made entirely of balloons. A well-attended ceremony, which drew numerous community members and onlookers to the streets of the town.

]]>