Abstract
Drawing on a number of parish surveys conducted in Maria Theresa’s later reign and the early years of Joseph II, which convey significant data on when churches were built, the materials used, the state they were in, the sacred objects they held, the person or persons who financed their building and furnishing, etc., the present article argues that the interval under scrutiny was one of great impetus for shaping the religious landscape in the Greek Catholic diocese of Oradea. In abundant details, the documents witness to the efforts of the newly created bishop, Moise Dragoș, to reclaim a public presence for the Church he was heading and assert its regained importance, which had been lost following the confessional turmoil at mid-century.

Keywords
sacred space, Josephism, confessional politics, local communities, county of Bihor, Banat.