Metropolitan Archdiocese of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia, Romania 🇷🇴 (Romanian Rite)

Rite: Romanian (Byzantine)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese , Proper archeparchy of the Romanian Major Archbishop

Name: Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia (română) / Fagaras and Alba Julia (English) / Fagarasien(sis) et Albæ Iulien(sis) Romenorum (Latin)

Governed by: Major Archdiocese of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia

Suffragan Sees: Cluj–Gherla, Lugoj, Maramureş, Oradea Mare, Sfântul Vasile cel Mare de Bucureşti

Neighbouring Dioceses: Saint Nicholas of Ruski Krstur (↙), Lugoj (←), Cluj–Gherla (↖), Maramureş (↑), Chernivtsi (↗), Kamyanets-Podilskyi (↗), Kyiv (↗), Sfântul Vasile cel Mare de Bucureşti (↘), Saint John XXIII of Sofia (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Sfântul Spirit

History

1697.03.27: Established as Diocese of Alba Iulia / Albæ Iulien(sis) Romenorum (Latin) (from Diocese of Transilvania)
1721.05.18: Renamed as Diocese of Făgăraş / Fagarasien(sis) Romenorum (Latin)
1853.11.26: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Făgăraş / Fagarasien(sis) Romenorum (Latin) (with suffragan sees Lugoj and Oradea Mare and lost territory to establish Diocese of Lugoj)
1853.12.19: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Gherla, Armenopoli, Szamos-Ujvár and gained suffragan see Gherla, Armenopoli, Szamos-Ujvár
1854.11.16: Promoted as Metropolitanate sui juris of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia (română) / Fagaras and Alba Julia (English) / Fagarasien(sis) et Albæ Iulien(sis) Romenorum (Latin)
1912.06.08: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Hajdúdorog
1930.06.05: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Maramureş and gained suffragan see Maramureş
1934.04.09: Gained territory from Diocese of Hajdúdorog
2005.12.16: Demoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia (română) / Fagaras and Alba Julia (English) / Fagarasien(sis) et Albæ Iulien(sis) Romenorum (Latin) (lost territory to establish Major Archdiocese of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia)
2014.05.29: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Sfântul Vasile cel Mare de Bucureşti and gained suffragan see Sfântul Vasile cel Mare de Bucureşti

Papal Visits

Pope Francis (2019.06)

Present Prelates

Major Archbishop (2025.11.05 – ...):

Major Archbishop Claudiu-Lucian Pop (53)

President of Synod of the Romanian Church

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Romania

Auxiliary Bishop (2020.01.22 – ...):

Bishop Cristian Dumitru Crişan (44)

Titular Bishop of Abula

Apostolic Visitator in Western Europe of the Romanians

Monsignors (14)

Ordinaries

Metropolitans of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia (Romanian Rite)

Archbishop Lucian Mureșan (later Cardinal)
(1994.07.04 – 2005.12.16)

Fiat voluntas tua

Born:	1931.05.23 (Ferneziu, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1964.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.05.27
Created Cardinal:	2012.02.18
Died:	2025.09.25 (Blaj, Romania † 94)

Priest of Maramureş of the Romanians (Romania) (1964.12.19 – 1990.03.14)

Bishop of Maramureş of the Romanians (Romania) (1990.03.14 – 1994.07.04)

President of Synod of the Romanian Church (1994 – 2025.09.25)

Metropolitan of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1994.07.04 – 2005.12.16)

President of Episcopal Conference of Romania (1998 – 2001)

President of Episcopal Conference of Romania (2004.06 – 2007.05)

Major Archbishop of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (2005.12.16 – 2025.09.25)

President of Episcopal Conference of Romania (2010.06 – 2012.11)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Atanasio (2012.02.18 [2012.10.08] – 2025.09.25)

President of Episcopal Conference of Romania (2016.05.11 – 2019.04.10)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Romania (2019.04.10 – 2022.05.07)

President of Episcopal Conference of Romania (2022.05.07 – 2025.05.24)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of Romania (2025.05.24 – 2025.09.25)

Bishop George Guţiu (later Archbishop)
(Apostolic Administrator sede plena 1992.09.07 – 1994.07.04)

Cardinal Alexandru Todea
(1990.03.14 – 1994.07.04)

Bucuros mă voi cheltui şi pe mine, pentru sufletele voastre

Born:	1912.06.05 (Teleac, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1939.03.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.11.19
Created Cardinal:	1991.06.28
Died:	2002.05.22 (Targu Mures, Romania † 89)

Priest of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1939.03.25 – 1950.07.04)

Titular Bishop of Cæsaropolis (1950.07.04 – 1990.03.14)

Metropolitan of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1990.03.14 – 1994.07.04)

President of Episcopal Conference of Romania (1991 – 1994)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Atanasio a Via Tiburtina (1991.06.28 – 2002.05.22)

Blessed Bishop Ioan Suciu
(Apostolic Administrator 1947 – 1953.06.27)

Blessed Bishop Valeriu Traian Frenţiu
(Apostolic Administrator 1941 – 1947)

Archbishop Alexandru Nicolescu
(1935.09.06 – 1941.06.05)

Born:	1882.07.06 (Tulghes, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1904
Consecrated Bishop:	1922.06.18
Died:	1941.06.05 (Blaj, Romania † 58)

Bishop of Lugoj of the Romanians (Romania) (1922.02.25 – 1935.09.06)

Metropolitan of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1935.09.06 – 1941.06.05)

Archbishop Vasile Suciu
(1919.08.09 – 1935.01.25)

Born:	1873.01.13 (Copăcel, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1895.07.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1920.01.25
Died:	1935.01.25 (Blaj, Romania † 62)

Priest of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1895.07.14 – 1919.08.09)

Metropolitan of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1919.08.09 – 1935.01.25)

Archbishop Victor Mihali
(1895.03.18 – 1918.01.21)

Born:	1841.05.19 (Joód, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1863.11.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1875.02.14
Died:	1918.01.21 (Oradea, Romania † 76)

Bishop of Lugoj of the Romanians (Romania) (1874.12.21 – 1895.03.18)

Metropolitan of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1895.03.18 – 1918.01.21)

Archbishop Ioan Vancea
(1868.12.21 – 1892.07.31)

Born:	1820.05.08 (Vassad, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1845.08.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1865.12.03
Died:	1892.07.31 (Blaj, Romania † 72)

Priest of Oradea Mare of the Romanians (Romania) (1845.08.10 – 1865.09.25)

Bishop of Gherla, Armenopoli, Szamos-Ujvár of the Romanians (Romania) ([1865.07.04] 1865.09.25 – 1868.12.21)

Metropolitan of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1868.12.21 – 1892.07.31)

Archbishop Alexandru Şterca Şuluţiu
(1854.11.16 – 1867.09.07)

Born:	1794.02.05 (Abrudbánya, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1814?
Consecrated Bishop:	1851.07.22
Died:	1867.09.07 (Blaj, Romania † 73)

Bishop of Făgăraş of the Romanians (Romania) (1851 – 1853.11.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Făgăraş of the Romanians (Romania) (1853.11.26 – 1854.11.16)

Metropolitan of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1854.11.16 – 1867.09.07)

Metropolitan Archbishops of Făgăraş (Romanian Rite)

Archbishop Alexandru Şterca Şuluţiu
(1853.11.26 – 1854.11.16)

(see above)

Bishops of Făgăraş (Romanian Rite)

Bishop Alexandru Şterca Şuluţiu (later Archbishop)
(1851 – 1853.11.26)

(see above)

Bishop Ioan Lemeni
(1833.04.17 – 1850.04.10)

Born:	1780.04.22 (Dezmir, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1805.10.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1833.06.09
Died:	1861.03.29 (Wien, Austria † 80)

Bishop of Făgăraş of the Romanians (Romania) (1833.04.17 – 1850.04.10)

Bishop Ioan Bob
(1783.12.15 – 1830.10.02)

Born:	1739.10.14 (Ormany, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1778.04.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1784.06.06
Died:	1830.10.02 (Blaj, Romania † 90)

Bishop of Făgăraş of the Romanians (Romania) ([1782.10.21] 1783.12.15 – 1830.10.02)

Bishop Grigore Maior, O.S.B.M.
(1772.10.27 – 1782.03.13)

Born:	1714? (Szeuka, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1745.12.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1773.05.04
Died:	1785.02.07 (Alba Iulia, Romania † 70)

Bishop of Făgăraş of the Romanians (Romania) (1772.10.27 – 1782.03.13)

Bishop Atanasie Rednic, O.S.B.M.
(1765.05.15 – 1772.05.02)

Born:	1722.02 (Giuleşti-Maramureş, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1749
Consecrated Bishop:	1765.11.15
Died:	1772.05.02 (Blaj, Romania † 50)

Bishop of Făgăraş of the Romanians (Romania) ([1764] 1765.05.15 – 1772.05.02)

Bishop Petru Pavel Aron, O.S.B.M.
(1752.07.06 – 1764.01.27)

Born:	1709 (Bistra, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1743.08.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1754.09.01
Died:	1764.01.27 (Baia Mare, Romania † 54)

Bishop of Făgăraş of the Romanians (Romania) ([1752.02.28] 1752.07.06 – 1764.01.27)

Bishop Ioan Inocenţiu Micu Klein, O.S.B.M.
(1730.09.11 – 1751.05.07)

Born:	1692 (Transilvania, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1729.09.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1730.11.05
Died:	1768.09.22 (Roma, Italy † 75)

Bishop of Făgăraş of the Romanians (Romania) (1730.09.11 – 1751.05.07)

Bishop Ioan Giurgiu Patachi, O.S.B.M.
(1721.02.03 – 1727.10.29)

Born:	1680.07 (Băiuț, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1707.09.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1723.08.17
Died:	1727.10.29 (Voila, Romania † 47)

Bishop of Făgăraş of the Romanians (Romania) (1721.02.03 – 1727.10.29)

Bishops of Alba Iulia (Romanian Rite)

Bishop Atanasie Anghel Popa
(1698 – 1713)

Ordained Priest:	1701.03.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1701.03.25
Died:	1713.08.19

Bishop of Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1698 – 1713)

Bishop Teofil Seremi
(1692 – 1697)

Bishop of Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1692 – 1697)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Mihai Cătălin Frăţilă (55) (2007.10.27 – 2014.05.29)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Virgil Bercea (68) (1994.07.20 – 1996.11.06)
Auxiliary Bishop: Blessed Bishop Titu Liviu Chinezu (1949 – 1955.01.15)
Auxiliary Bishop: Blessed Bishop Vasile Aftenie (1940.04.12 – 1950.05.10)

Romanian Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia

Romania