Dârjiu

The Hungarian name Székelyderzs was first mentioned as "De ers" in a papal list of tithes taken in 1334. In 1525, it was recorded as Ders, while in 1760, it was already mentioned by its modern Hungarian name of Székely Derzs. The name Derzs is thought to be from the Old Bulgar.{{cite web |author=János András Vistai |title=Tekintő – Erdélyi Helynévkönyv}}[http://www.fatornyosfalunk.com/helynevkonyv_-_1._kotet_A-H.pdf Transylvanian Toponym Book] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710230653/http://www.fatornyosfalunk.com/helynevkonyv_-_1._kotet_A-H.pdf|date=2011-07-10}}

At the 2011 census, the commune had a population of 1,036, of which 91.51% were Hungarians, 5.69% Roma, and 1.35% Romanians;[http://www.recensamantromania.ro/rezultate-2/ Tab8. Populația stabilă după etnie – județe, municipii, orașe, comune], 2011 census results, Institutul Național de Statistică, accessed 20 February 2020. 60.62% of the inhabitants were Unitarian, 20.46% Reformed, 7.34% Roman Catholic, 3.96% Baptists, and 1.83% Romanian Orthodox.[http://www.recensamantromania.ro/rezultate-2/ Tab13. Populația stabilă după religie – județe, municipii, orașe, comune], 2011 census results, Institutul Național de Statistică, accessed 20 February 2020. At the 2021 census, Dârjiu had a population of 851; of those, 92.6% were Hungarians and 1.41% Romanians.{{cite web|url=https://www.recensamantromania.ro/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Tabel-1.03_1.3.1-si-1.03.2.xls|title=Populația rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021|publisher=INSSE|language=ro|date=31 May 2023}}

Unitariansm was an official religion in Transylvania from the 1583 Medgyes (Mediaş) parliament. The first bishop was Ferenc Dávid, a local Hungarian-speaking Saxon. The first appointed ruler of Transylvania was the Unitarian John II Sigismund Zápolya,[http://www.readthespirit.com/interfaith_heroes/2009/01/2nd-annual-interfaith-heroes-month-no-12-queen-isabella-king-john.html Queen Isabella and King John] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120909101443/http://www.readthespirit.com/interfaith_heroes/2009/01/2nd-annual-interfaith-heroes-month-no-12-queen-isabella-king-john.html |date=2012-09-09 }} son of the Hungarian king John Zápolya (1526–1541).

The villages were historically part of the Székely Land region of Transylvania province. They belonged to Udvarhelyszék district until the administrative reform of Transylvania in 1876, when they fell within the Udvarhely County in the Kingdom of Hungary. After the Hungarian–Romanian War of 1919 and the Treaty of Trianon of 1920, they became part of the Kingdom of Romania and fell within plasa Odorhei of Odorhei County during the interwar period. In 1940, the second Vienna Award granted the Northern Transylvania to Hungary and the villages were held by Hungary until September 1944, when Romanian and Soviet troops regained control during World War II. After a brief Soviet occupation, the Romanian administration returned in March 1945. Between 1952 and 1960, the commune fell within the Magyar Autonomous Region, between 1960 and 1968 the Mureș-Magyar Autonomous Region. In 1968, the region was abolished, and since then, the commune has been part of Harghita County.

Between 80,000 and 100,000 Unitarians live in the geographical region of Transylvania, mostly between Sighișoara and Odorheiu Secuiesc, more or less around Dârjiu. Further east, Hungarians are Roman Catholics with Calvinist enclaves, e.g., in the former Háromszék County, while the former Csík County is solidly Roman Catholic.

Image:derzs1.jpg

The village is home to the Dârjiu fortified church, a 13th-century fortified Unitarian Church, which is on UNESCO's World Heritage List

The murals of the Unitarian church show the legend of Ladislaus I of Hungary. When the Cumans broke into Kingdom of Hungary, Ladislaus, still a Duke, along with his cousin (King Salamon (Solomon) I) rode against them and freed from a Cuman a girl believed to be daughter of an aristocrat. Unfortunately enough, the girl did not support this act of the future saint.

Further murals in the region are to be found at Unitarian churches in Mugeni, Crăciunel (Karácsonyfalva; part of Ocland commune), and smaller ones in Rugănești (Rugonfalva; part of Șimonești commune) and Cristuru Secuiesc (Székelykeresztúr). The most significant murals in Saxon churches are those of Mălâncrav (German: Malmkrog, Hungarian: Szászszentlászló; part of Laslea commune).

{{Flagicon|Hungary}} Darány, Hungary

The local Unitarian community has relationship with the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA.

• List of castles in Romania
• Tourism in Romania
• Villages with fortified churches in Transylvania

;Old Transylvanian churches with murals

• Ghelința, St. Emeric Church: 13th-century murals
• Laslea, Mălâncrav church: early 14th- and 15th-century murals
• Church on the Hill (Sighișoara), 14th-16th century murals

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120827003920/http://szekelyderzs.com/languages/english/english.html The Unitarian fortified church] {{in lang|en}}

Image:derzsx.jpg|Unitarian church

Image:derzs6.jpg|Façade of the Unitarian church

Image:derzs4.jpg|Murals on the St. Ladislaus legend

Image:derzs3.jpg|Murals on the St. Ladislaus legend

Image:derzs101.jpg|Fight of Ladislaus with the Cuman

Image:derzs102.jpg|Death of the Cuman warrior

Image:Josephinische Landaufnahme pg193.jpg|The village on the Josephinische Landaufnahme, 1769-1773

{{Wikivoyage}}

{{Communes of Harghita County}}

{{World Heritage Sites in Romania}}

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Category:Communes in Harghita County

Category:Localities in Transylvania

Category:Villages with fortified churches in Transylvania

Category:Székely communities