After some evidence of popular discontent of the Transylvanian Orthodox, in 1759 the Empress Maria Theresa issued her first Edict of Toleration, which seemed far too modest in scale to the people concerned, and only served to increase disturbances [REF].
On 6 October 1759, Sofronie addressed the Romanian Orthodox community from Brad, in Hunedoara county, informing the people that the Empress' Edict of Toleration allowed the Romanian population in Transylvania to choose freely between the Orthodox and the Greek-Catholic Church.