Although it has its origin in the first Christians period, the history of Lord’s Army, as a movement in romanian Orthodox Church, has its beginning in the New Year’s Eve night of 1923. In that night, when few remembered God, somewhere in a small room in Sibiu, the orthodox priest Iosif Trifa sincerely meditated upon the results of his ministry in the church of Christ. Ashamed by the little spiritual fruits he gained in ten years of priesthood, he felt on his knees before God.
In those moments of repentence and fellowship, the Holy Spirit inspired the thought of a call addressed to the Romanian people to start a new life of battle against alcohol, tobacco, curses, against sin in general.
So, in the edition of January 1st of the „Lumina satelor (Village’s light)” magazine, father Iosif Trifa addressed his readers a call challenging them to accept a declaration he named „Hotarare (Decision)”. By this, the one who signed it would start a new life committed to Christ and decided to struggle against all sins.
A fost un început simplu, înveşmântat în taină şi minune, care nu prevestea nimănui că acesta era actul de naştere al unei mişcări – profIt was a simple beginning, surrounded in mystery and wonder.
It didn’t show that this was the birth act of a great spiritual movement within the Romanian Orthodox Church – Lord’ that was yet to be discovered step by step.
The following period, since ’23 through `30 was relatively calm. In these years, through Iosif Trifa’s restless work and self commitment, the Lord’s Army became a clear and big stream wich flew towards the Kingdom of Heaven. The bars were closed and transformed in places of worhip because their masters became real christians through a covenant at Lord’s Army. Thousands of people were touched in their heart by the words trumpeted from Trifa’s pulpit (the magazine) and turned back to God.
Father Trifa calls near him Ioan Marini, a teacher near Sebeş, Alba. He will be an enourmous support for the leader of the movement. A spirit on fire, a man of prayer and the successor of father Trifa, Ioan Marini was visibly endowed with an oratorical gift. Some contemporary christian leaders confessed that Marini was probably the greatest preacher during inter-war period. An argument for this is the situation created in Apahida Cluj train station. Then, at his sermon, the king who was travelling by, commanded the train to stop so that he might hear the divine words of the preacher Marini.Unfortunately his life didn’t get to venerable age. He died at 39 years old, two years after the second world war in ’46 because of typhus.
Still, his influence on the evolution of Lord’s Army is felt all the way to our days in the evangelical spirit of the movement’s members.
Starting with `30, many voices raised against Lord’s Army and against its earthly leader father Iosif Trifa. Many disagreed with its clear light and its renewing breath. The persecution started to sharpen its knives. A coflict breaks out between the Mitropolit Nicolae Balan and his entourage on one side and Father Iosif Trifa and Lord’s Army on the orther side. This battle between letter and spirit, between form and content, will end tragically – denying the right to priesthood for priest Iosif Trifa and conditioning his burying with the tearing of his black robe with which he was dressed in the coffin.
Despite the countless obstacles, the number of believers during the inter-war period rose to 300 thousands. Romania had then 16 millions citizens.
The Lord’s Army regarded as an outlaw movement under the communist regime continued its activity being led by Traian Dorz. Christian poet, a disciple of father Iosif, brother Traian did 17 years in prison for one guilt – the faith in Jesus Christ. Besides him there were others less known to man but regarded in heaven among the martyrs of 20th century. Traian Dorz created thousands of poems with his gift from God. He memorized many of them in prison and wrote them down after he got out. Brother Traian went to the Lord before the revolution in ’89, profesizing the coming of freedom.
The year 1990 closed this extremely hard period from the history of Lord’s Army. By establishing as a legal association under the blessing of the Holy Sinod of the Romanian Orthodox Church and by the reabilitation of father Iosif Trifa through annuling the sentence of casting out from priesthood in 1935, the Lord’s Army was officially recognized as a spiritual rebirth movement within our Church and Nation. This has never ceased to be real despite de horrors of the history.
Today, in free times, the leaders who direct the Lord’s Army struggle to fulfill the initial purpose given by father Iosif Trifa – “ Lord’s Army is the finding and the proclaiming of the crucified Jesus Christ”.
Contemporary challenges are such as the search for relevancy in a postmodern world and the upkeeping of standards in a desecrated society.
Lord’s Army is not:
- A cult or sect
- An esoteric or legionnaire organization
- A cultural, sports or charity association
- A political party
Lord’s Army is:
- “The finding and the proclaiming of the crucified Jesus Christ” Fr. Iosif Trifa
- “A war declaration against the enemy Devil” Fr. Iosif Trifa
- A religious movement inspired by the Holy Spirit within the Romanian Orthodox Church
- A coming back to the first centuries christianity living
Formed by people who:
- recognized their need for God and believe in Him
- repented of their sins and continue to examine their life
- desire to live an existence wich honors God
- have hope and believe in eternal life togheter with their Saviour
- share with others the treasure they’ve found
Composed out of communities of believers who gather together each Sunday afternoon in orthodox churches, homes, gathering houses, or rented halls for the basic meeting of the Lord’s Army called “assembly” for:
- praying
- singing songs of worship
- reciting religious poems
- preaching the Scriptures
The solution for Romania to pass over the moral economical and spiritual crisis.
O Your chance to meet God and have eternal life so don’t hesitate to contact us or find the Lord’s Army somewhere near your location.