Diocese of Cluj–Gherla, Romania 🇷🇴 (Romanian Rite)

Rite: Romanian (Byzantine)

Name: Cluj–Gherla (română) / Claudiopoli–Armenopoli (Italiano) / Kolozsvár–Szamosújvár (Magyar) / Claudiopolitan(us)–Armenopolitan(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia

Neighbouring Dioceses: Lugoj (↙), Oradea Mare (←), Maramureş (↑), Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Websites:

History

1853.12.19: Established as Diocese of Gherla, Armenopoli, Szamos-Ujvár (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Făgăraş and became suffragan of Făgăraş)
1912.06.08: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Hajdúdorog
1930.06.05: Renamed as Diocese of Cluj–Gherla (română) / Claudiopoli–Armenopoli (Italiano) / Kolozsvár–Szamosújvár (Magyar) / Claudiopolitan(us)–Armenopolitan(us) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Diocese of Maramureş)

Contact Info

Address: str. Moţilor, nr. 26, 400001, Cluj-Napoca, CJ, Romania

Phone: 0264-439018

Present Prelates

Bishop:

vacant

Ordinaries

Bishops of Cluj–Gherla (Romanian Rite)

Bishop Claudiu-Lucian Pop (53) (later Major Archbishop)
(2021.04.14 – 2025.11.05)

Major Archbishop of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania)
President of Synod of the Romanian Church

Born:	1972.07.22 (Piscolt, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1995.07.23
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.12.08

Priest of Oradea Mare of the Romanians (Romania) (1995.07.23 – 2011.11.21)

Titular Bishop of Mariamme (2011.11.21 – 2021.04.14)

Bishop of Curia of the Romanians (2011.11.21 – 2021.04.14)

Bishop of Cluj–Gherla of the Romanians (Romania) (2021.04.14 – 2025.11.05)

Major Archbishop of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (2025.11.05 – ...)

President of Synod of the Romanian Church (2025.11.05 – ...)

Bishop Florentin Crihălmeanu
(2002.07.18 – 2021.01.12)

Born:	1959.09.17 (Iasi, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1990.09.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.01.06
Died:	2021.01.12 (Cluj Napoca, Romania † 61)

Titular Bishop of Silli (1996.11.06 – 2002.07.18)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cluj–Gherla of the Romanians (Romania) (1996.11.06 – 2002.07.18)

Bishop of Cluj–Gherla of the Romanians (Romania) (2002.07.18 – 2021.01.12)

Archbishop George Guţiu
(1990.03.14 – 2002.07.18)

Born:	1924.03.30 (Viadei, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1948.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.06.17
Died:	2011.05.08 (Cluj-Napoca, Romania † 87)

Bishop of Cluj–Gherla of the Romanians (Romania) (1990.03.14 – 2002.07.18)

Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Făgăraş şi Alba Iulia of the Romanians (Romania) (1992.09.07 – 1994.07.04)

Archbishop ad personam (1994.07.20 – 2011.05.08)

Blessed Bishop Iuliu Hossu
(1930.06.05 – 1970.05.28)

Credinţa noastră este viaţa noastră

Born:	1885.01.30 (Milas, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1910.03.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1917.12.04
Created Cardinal in pectore:	1969.04.28
Died:	1970.05.28 🩸 (Bucharest, Romania † 85)
Revealed as Cardinal after death:	1973.03.05 (ineffective)
Beatified:	2019.06.02 (Blaj, Romania)

Bishop of Gherla, Armenopoli, Szamos-Ujvár of the Romanians (Romania) (1917.04.03 – 1930.06.05)

Bishop of Cluj–Gherla of the Romanians (Romania) (1930.06.05 – 1970.05.28)

Apostolic Administrator of Maramureş of the Romanians (Romania) (1930.07.19 – 1931.01.31)

Bishop of Oradea Mare (Romania) (1941.08.29 – 1947)

Apostolic Administrator of Oradea Mare of the Romanians (Romania) (1941.08.29 – 1947)

Bishop. Martyr.

Bishops of Gherla, Armenopoli, Szamos-Ujvár (Romanian Rite)

Blessed Bishop Iuliu Hossu
(1917.04.03 – 1930.06.05)

(see above)

Bishop Vasile Hossu
(1911.12.16 – 1916.01.13)

Born:	1866.01.30 (Maros-Vásárhely, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1888.08.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1903.09.21
Died:	1916.01.13 (Budapest, Hungary † 49)

Bishop of Lugoj of the Romanians (Romania) (1903.06.25 – 1911.12.16)

Bishop of Gherla, Armenopoli, Szamos-Ujvár of the Romanians (Romania) (1911.12.16 – 1916.01.13)

Bishop Ioan Sabo
(1879.05.15 – 1911.05.01)

Born:	1836.08.16 (Esztró, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1859.11.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1879.08.03
Died:	1911.05.01 (Gherla, Romania † 74)

Bishop of Gherla, Armenopoli, Szamos-Ujvár of the Romanians (Romania) ([1879.02.18] 1879.05.15 – 1911.05.01)

Bishop Mihai Pavel
(1872.12.23 – 1879.05.15)

Born:	1827.09.06 (Lénárdfalva, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1852.03.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1873.01.26
Died:	1902.06.01 (Slatina, Ukraine † 74)

Bishop of Gherla, Armenopoli, Szamos-Ujvár of the Romanians (Romania) (1872.12.23 – 1879.05.15)

Bishop of Oradea Mare of the Romanians (Romania) (1879.05.15 – 1902.06.01)

Bishop Ioan Vancea (later Archbishop)
(1865.09.25 – 1868.12.21)

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

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)

Bishop Ioan Alexi
(1854.12.16 – 1863.06.29)

Born:	1801.06.24 (Maladia, Romania)
Ordained Priest:	1825.10.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1855.10.28
Died:	1863.06.29 (Gherla, Romania † 62)

Bishop of Gherla, Armenopoli, Szamos-Ujvár of the Romanians (Romania) ([1854.03.17] 1854.12.16 – 1863.06.29)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Florentin Crihălmeanu (1996.11.06 – 2002.07.18)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Ioan Chertes (later Archbishop) (1949 – 1970)
Coadjutor Apostolic Administrator: Bishop Ioan Chertes (later Archbishop) (1970 – 1990)