Feleacu Church

Feleacu (Hungarian: Erdöfelek, German: Fleck) is a commune in Cluj County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located at 7 km from Cluj, the county seat and the unofficial capital of Transylvania.

The village was founded in 1366, when King Louis I of Hungary agreed to the settlement of 20 families of Romanian border guards from Mărginimea Sibiului in a place called in German "Fleck", on the crest of a hill near Cluj.

The Romanian villagers from Feleacu (Villa Olachorum Felek) had to defend the old road leading to Turda against thieves and robbers. Becoming Possessió of Cluj, as a result of donations made by King Sigismund of Luxembourg, this village was removed from the jurisdiction of Prince and Comite, becoming subject of the authority of Cluj county lord. Charged for services, the villagers were exempt from tithe called quinquagesima ovium or the giving of sheep (each 50th yearling and a ewe lamb), exclusive feudal obligation of Romanian communities in Transylvania.

Between 1486-1488 was built the Church St. Paraschiva in place of an older wooden church. Most of historians said that, given the precedents and due the style of some architectural elements, the church was built by the Moldavian ruler Stephan the Great. Some historians considered that assumption unfounded.

The little but charming monument was built in Gothic style, as a church-hall type with two arched crossed spans, Gothic portals, polygonal apse and vault on ribs. It have murals and icons of the 18th century (1760-1765), painted by Nistor from Feleacu.

In the late 19th century was installed here a bust of Stephen the Great on the West of the church, on Gheorghe Sion's expense. The church was restored in 1925 by architect Kos Károly under the patronage of King Ferdinand of Romania, when was added the tower.

In Feleacu Church was copied a Slavonic Missal in 1481, and a Tetra-Evangelism in 1488 by order of Archbishop Daniel who had resided here.