The study analyses religious sentiment in 18th century traditional Romanian communities, based on unconventional sources, namely, the marginal notes of religious books. These notes convey a religious experience and sensibility elicited by church books considered devotional objects like icons and other objects in religious practice. Books donated to the church instilled a note of sacralisation in religious people's mentality.
The act of donating a book was regarded as a gesture of redemption, a service offered to God. People donated books so that their sins or their families's sins would be pardoned. These donations were also linked to the act of putting a curse on those who endanger nuncupation by theft or destruction.
Therefore donated religious books were in a state of "stateliness" in the view of Christian communities. This led to various forms of religious experience within the collective and individual psychology in the world of the 18th century.
