Greek Catholic Diocese of Maramureş
Encyclopedia
The Greek Catholic Eparchy of Maramures was founded as a consequence of the Concordate between the Holy See
and The Romania
n State concluded on May 10th 1927 and ratified on June 10th 1929.
With the Bull Sollemni Conventione of June 5th 1930, Catholic Hierarchy of both rites was established all over the territory of the Romanian Kingdom; it was then that the creation of a new Diocese
, of Maramureş
was decided. Its centre was to be at Baia Mare
and it was suffragan
of the Metropolitanate of Alba Iulia
and Făgăraş
.
The Diocese of Maramureş included 201 Romanian parish
es and all the 38 Ruthene
parishes existing on Romanian territory. It was laid under the temporary administration of Dr. Iuliu Hossu
, the Bishop of Cluj-Gherla
.
The first Bishop of this Diocese, appointed by the Holy See on October 16th, 1930, with the approval of the Romanian Government, was Dr. Alexandru Rusu, consecrated
on January 30th, 1931 and enthroned in his Cathedral
on February 2nd, 1931. He led the Diocese until 1948, when he was arrested; he died in prison in May 1963.
In 1948, with the Decree nr. 358 of December 1st, the whole Romanian Church united with Rome
was declared illegal.
The second Bishop of the Diocese, who acted as Apostolic Administrator
, was Dr. Ioan Dragomir, consecrated in clandestinity on March 6th, 1949 at the Nunciature in Bucharest
. He was arrested in 1951 and remained in prison until the amnesty
of 1964. After that date, he worked in clandestinity. He died on April 25th, 1985.
On August 9th, 1986, at the Diocesan Chapter, attended also by Metropolite Alexandru Todea
, Fr. Lucian Mureşan
was elected Ordinarius of the Diocese of Maramureş.
On May 27th, 1990, he was consecrated Bishop at Baia Mare. Eventually he was appointed Metropolite of the Romanian Church United with Rome. The Diocese of Maramureş was then led by Fr. Ioan Şişeştean
, appointed Bishop
on June 20th, 1994 and consecrated on September 11th, 1994.
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and The Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n State concluded on May 10th 1927 and ratified on June 10th 1929.
With the Bull Sollemni Conventione of June 5th 1930, Catholic Hierarchy of both rites was established all over the territory of the Romanian Kingdom; it was then that the creation of a new Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
, of Maramureş
Maramures
Maramureș may refer to the following:*Maramureș, a geographical, historical, and ethno-cultural region in present-day Romania and Ukraine, that occupies the Maramureș Depression and Maramureș Mountains, a mountain range in North East Carpathians...
was decided. Its centre was to be at Baia Mare
Baia Mare
Baia Mare is a municipality in northwestern Romania and the capital of Maramureş County. The city is situated about 600 kilometres from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, 70 kilometres from the border with Hungary and 50 kilometres from the border with Ukraine...
and it was suffragan
Suffragan Diocese
A suffragan diocese is a diocese in the Catholic Church that is overseen not only by its own diocesan bishop but also by a metropolitan bishop. The metropolitan is always an archbishop who governs his own archdiocese...
of the Metropolitanate of Alba Iulia
Alba Iulia
Alba Iulia is a city in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania with a population of 66,747, located on the Mureş River. Since the High Middle Ages, the city has been the seat of Transylvania's Roman Catholic diocese. Between 1541 and 1690 it was the capital of the Principality of Transylvania...
and Făgăraş
Fagaras
Făgăraș is a city in central Romania, located in Braşov County . Another source of the name is alleged to derive from the Hungarian language word for "partridge" . A more plausible explanation is that the name is given by Fogaras river coming from the Pecheneg "Fagar šu", which means ash water...
.
The Diocese of Maramureş included 201 Romanian parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es and all the 38 Ruthene
Ruthenians
The name Ruthenian |Rus']]) is a culturally loaded term and has different meanings according to the context in which it is used. Initially, it was the ethnonym used for the East Slavic peoples who lived in Rus'. Later it was used predominantly for Ukrainians...
parishes existing on Romanian territory. It was laid under the temporary administration of Dr. Iuliu Hossu
Iuliu Hossu
Iuliu Hossu was a Romanian Greek-Catholic bishop of the Cluj-Gherla Diocese and later cardinal and victim of the Communist regime...
, the Bishop of Cluj-Gherla
Greek Catholic Diocese of Cluj-Gherla
The Greek Catholic Diocese of Cluj-Gherla is a diocese of the Byzantine Rite of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia.-Ordinaries:*Johann Alexi †...
.
The first Bishop of this Diocese, appointed by the Holy See on October 16th, 1930, with the approval of the Romanian Government, was Dr. Alexandru Rusu, consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on January 30th, 1931 and enthroned in his Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
on February 2nd, 1931. He led the Diocese until 1948, when he was arrested; he died in prison in May 1963.
In 1948, with the Decree nr. 358 of December 1st, the whole Romanian Church united with Rome
Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic
The Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic is an Eastern Catholic Church which is in full union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is ranked as a Major Archiepiscopal Church and uses the Byzantine liturgical rite in the Romanian language....
was declared illegal.
The second Bishop of the Diocese, who acted as Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
, was Dr. Ioan Dragomir, consecrated in clandestinity on March 6th, 1949 at the Nunciature in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. He was arrested in 1951 and remained in prison until the amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
of 1964. After that date, he worked in clandestinity. He died on April 25th, 1985.
On August 9th, 1986, at the Diocesan Chapter, attended also by Metropolite Alexandru Todea
Alexandru Todea
Alexandru Todea was a Romanian Greek-Catholic bishop of the Alba Iulia Diocese and later cardinal. He was also a victim of the communist regime....
, Fr. Lucian Mureşan
Lucian Mureşan
Lucian Mureşan is the Major Archbishop of Făgăraş and Alba Iulia and thus head of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic....
was elected Ordinarius of the Diocese of Maramureş.
On May 27th, 1990, he was consecrated Bishop at Baia Mare. Eventually he was appointed Metropolite of the Romanian Church United with Rome. The Diocese of Maramureş was then led by Fr. Ioan Şişeştean
Ioan Şişeştean
Ioan Şişeştean was the bishop of the Greek Catholic Diocese of Maramureş, Romania.Ordained in 1972, Şişeştean was named bishop in 1994 and died while still in office.-Notes:...
, appointed Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
on June 20th, 1994 and consecrated on September 11th, 1994.