Ioan Giurgiu Patachi
Encyclopedia
Ioan Giurgiu Patachi was Bishop of Făgăraş and Primate of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church from 1721 to his death in 1727.
in Strâmbu-Băiuţ
, Maramureş County
in 1680. Orphan, he was raised by his uncle who left him in the Jesuits' care. He studied in Cluj
, Vienna
and later he was sent to the German and Hungarian College
of Rome
where he remained from 1705 to 1710. In Rome, on 24 September 1707, he was ordained a Roman Rite
priest
. After graduation, he served as Latin priest in Făgăraş
.
The first Greek Catholic Bishop of Romania
, the bishop of Alba Iulia
, Atanasie Anghel
, died on 19 August 1713, and his succession was problematic. At first the Synod of the Church elected a Jesuit, Francisc Szunyogh, who refused. Later the Synod elected the former secretary of Atanasie, Venceslav Franz, but this selection was opposed by the Hasburg monarch
, the Emperor Charles VI
, because Franz was a lay
. Finally on 23 December 1715 a consensus was reached on the name of Patachi.
The way to his formal enthronement was still long. On 14 February 1717 he entered in the Basilian Order
, and he had to petition the Vatican
for the change of liturgical rite to the Byzantine Rite
. Moreover the Latin bishop of Alba Iulia
opposed to presence of a Greek Catholic diocese in the same town, and the monastery in Alba Iulia, where the Greek Catholic Romanian Church was based, had to be demolished to give place to a fortress. Actually it was only on 3 February 1721 that Patachi was formally confirmed by Pope Clement XI
and on 18 May 1721 the See
was moved to Făgăraş
, thus founding the Greek Catholic Diocese of Făgăraş. His enthronement occurred in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Făgăraş on 17 August 1723.
He died a few years later, on 29 October 1727 in Sâmbăta de Jos
, Braşov County
.
Life
Ioan Giurgiu Patachi was born from a family of small nobilityNobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
in Strâmbu-Băiuţ
Baiut
Băiuţ is a commune in Maramureş County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Baiuţ, Strâmbu-Băiuţ and Poiana Botizii.-Geography:The commune is situated on the superior level of the River Lăpuş, 80 kilometers southeast of the city of Baia Mare. The commune is at a height of 600 metres....
, Maramureş County
Maramures County
Maramureș is a county of Romania, in the Maramureș region. The county seat is Baia Mare.- History :* The 10th century frontier county of Borsova was founded by Stephen I of Hungary. Since then Máramaros served as the north-eastern border of the Hungarian Kingdom until 1920, the Trianon Peace...
in 1680. Orphan, he was raised by his uncle who left him in the Jesuits' care. He studied in Cluj
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and later he was sent to the German and Hungarian College
Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum
The Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum or simply Collegium Germanicum is a German-speaking seminary for Roman Catholic priests in Rome, founded in 1552. Since 1580 its full name has been Pontificium Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum de Urbe....
of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
where he remained from 1705 to 1710. In Rome, on 24 September 1707, he was ordained a Roman Rite
Roman Rite
The Roman Rite is the liturgical rite used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church. It is by far the most widespread of the Latin liturgical rites used within the Western or Latin autonomous particular Church, the particular Church that itself is also called the Latin Rite, and that is one of...
priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
. After graduation, he served as Latin priest in 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 first Greek Catholic Bishop of 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...
, the bishop 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...
, Atanasie Anghel
Atanasie Anghel
Atanasie Anghel Popa, was a Romanian Greek-Catholic bishop of Alba Iulia between 1698 and 1713. He was the successor to Teophilus Seremi in the seat of Mitropoliei Bălgradului...
, died on 19 August 1713, and his succession was problematic. At first the Synod of the Church elected a Jesuit, Francisc Szunyogh, who refused. Later the Synod elected the former secretary of Atanasie, Venceslav Franz, but this selection was opposed by the Hasburg monarch
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
, the Emperor Charles VI
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
, because Franz was a lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
. Finally on 23 December 1715 a consensus was reached on the name of Patachi.
The way to his formal enthronement was still long. On 14 February 1717 he entered in the Basilian Order
Order of Saint Basil the Great
The Order of St. Basil the Great also known as the Basilian Order of Saint Josaphat is an monastic religious order of the Greek Catholic Churches that is present in many countries and that has its Mother House in Rome. The order received approbation on August 20, 1631...
, and he had to petition the Vatican
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...
for the change of liturgical rite to the Byzantine Rite
Byzantine Rite
The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite is the liturgical rite used currently by all the Eastern Orthodox Churches, by the Greek Catholic Churches , and by the Protestant Ukrainian Lutheran Church...
. Moreover the Latin bishop of Alba Iulia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Alba Iulia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Alba Iulia is an archdiocese in Transylvania, Romania. It was established as the Diocese of Transylvania in 1009 by Stephen I of Hungary and was renamed as the Diocese of Alba Iulia on 22 March 1932...
opposed to presence of a Greek Catholic diocese in the same town, and the monastery in Alba Iulia, where the Greek Catholic Romanian Church was based, had to be demolished to give place to a fortress. Actually it was only on 3 February 1721 that Patachi was formally confirmed by Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
and on 18 May 1721 the See
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
was moved to 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...
, thus founding the Greek Catholic Diocese of Făgăraş. His enthronement occurred in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Făgăraş on 17 August 1723.
He died a few years later, on 29 October 1727 in Sâmbăta de Jos
Voila, Brasov
Voila is a commune in Braşov County, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Cincşor , Dridif , Ludişor , Sâmbăta de Jos , Voila and Voivodeni...
, Braşov County
Brasov County
Brașov ; ) is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Brașov. The county incorporates within its boundaries most of the Medieval "lands" Burzenland and Făgăraș Land.-Demographics:...
.