The 10th anniversary since the re-establishment of the Metropolis of Cluj was celebrated at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Cluj Napoca on Friday, 25 March 2016, on the feast of the Annunciation, Radio Renaşterea informs.
On this occasion, His Eminence Andrei, Metropolitan of Cluj, Maramureş and Sălaj, concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with an assembly of hierarchs, which we mention: His Eminence Pavlos, Metropolitan of Drama, His Eminence Teofan, Metropolitan of Moldova and Bucovina, His Eminence Iosif, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe, His Eminence Ciprian, Archbishop of Buzău and Vrancea, and other romanian hierarchs.
In his sermon, Metropolitan Pavlos of Drama spoke about the current context of the two countries, Greece and Romania, underlining the fact that only Christ can change everithing because He is the Way, the Life and the Resurrection.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, in the context of the 10th anniversary, His Eminence Metropolitan Andrei reminded the importance of the re-establishment of the Metropolis of Cluj, and presented its history.
“First of all, the Diocese is important because it was established by St Stephan the Great. A document of the year 1494 issued by the king of Hungary, Władysław II Jagiełło, recognizes the existence of an Archbishop of the Romanians in Transylvania. The documents mention a Metropolitan named Daniil. The Metropolis functioned at Alba Iulia, at the principality’s capital, during 16th – 17th centuries, but after the uniatism it was disestablished, in the 18th century. It was reorganized in Sibiu, where the governor of Transilvania resided, after the 19th century during the pastorship of Andrei Şaguna. Even if Great Saguna wanted to establish the Eparchy, the metropolitan throne of Cluj remained disbanded because it was a harsh period (for the Church). After the Great Union, Bishop Nicolae Ivan re-founded the eparchy of Vad, Feleac and Cluj. On 4 November 2005, the Holy Synod decided the re-establishment of the Metropolis of Cluj which occured on 25 March 2006. Now, after 10 years, we glorify God and we ask Him to take care of the Orthodox faithful within who live here”, His Eminence said.
