Tuesday marks 119 years since the inauguration of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Sibiu, according to Turnul Sfatului. The initiative to build the cathedral belonged to Saint Andrew Șaguna, who also made the most substantial financial contribution—2,000 florins.
The winning design, titled “Constantine and Helen – Hagia Sophia,” was submitted by architect József Kommer of Budapest and Virgil Nagy, a professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Budapest.
The architectural plans were inspired by the 6th-century Hagia Sophia basilica, which Emperor Justinian of the Eastern Roman Empire built. Construction took place under the leadership of Metropolitan Ioan Mețianu.
Other notable contributors to the project included Dimitrie Belu, a nobleman from Muntenia (1,000 florins); the deaneries of Sibiu, Brașov, and Zlatna (a total of 3,000 florins); and the Governor of Transylvania, Prince Schwarzenberg (50 florins).
Construction and Decoration
The cathedral’s construction, including landscaping of the surrounding grounds, was completed in 1905. Architect Szalay designed the iron fence, which locksmith Irimie Purece crafted.
The central chandelier, ordered from Vienna, cost 26,000 crowns. Above it stands the Romanian cross—a design found in traditional Romanian peasant homes—combining the equal-armed Greek cross, symbolizing Eastern law, and the longer-armed Latin cross, representing Western tradition. According to Turnul Sfatului, each arm of the cross featured a clover, symbolizing the Romanians’ primary occupation: agriculture.
A Monument of National Significance
The project held profound symbolic importance, especially considering that Transylvania was under Austro-Hungarian rule at the time.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Orthodox Romanians in the region lacked a representative cathedral, unlike the Greek-Catholic Church, which already had the Blaj Cathedral. Meanwhile, Austro-Hungarian authorities actively promoted Hungarian national identity.
The cathedral was inaugurated on April 30 (old calendar) / May 13, 1906, in the presence of Orthodox hierarchs from across the region, clergy, faithful, and prominent cultural figures. Metropolitan Ioan Mețianu led the consecration service, which an assembly of bishops and priests attended.
Although the Austro-Hungarian authorities did not support the project, they could not prevent its completion and opening. The cathedral quickly became the centre of Orthodox ecclesiastical life in Transylvania and played a key role in strengthening national consciousness in this historic Romanian region.
Photo: Turnul Sfatului
