Csíkszentgyörgy

CSÍKSZENTGYÖRGY (Ciuc-Singeorgiu, Rumania today), as the other Csík villages, was founded during the reign of the Hungarian kings of the House of Árpád, during the 12-13th century. It took its name from the hero of the European folk legends, Saint George, the dragon-killer. The first written proof of the existence of the village dates back to 1456, and a census in 1514 counted 207 families, which accounts for a considerable population.
Csíkszentgyörgy is the home of one of the largest and most beautiful gothic churches of the Székely-land. Built in 1336, the church was modified several times and, after the first Turkish attacks, it was surrounded by tall fortifying walls. The ceiling of the church is painted with frescos.
In the village stands the Holy Mary chapel, which has a nearby location, 100 meters from it, called the Priests death. This is an area where the soil has a red colour to it. The legend holds that this is because once priests were slaughtered here and their blood discoloured the ground. When people re-wash their houses, they take the soil from here to colour the paint, because they attribute sacred power to it, which protects the house from wicked ghosts, and keep them from illnesses.