Bishop of Cluj-Gherla named new head of the Greek-Catholic Church in Romania

The Bishop of Cluj-Gherla, Claudiu Lucian Pop, has been appointed as the new Major Archbishop of the Greek-Catholic Church, a position that became vacant following the passing of 94-year-old Cardinal Lucian Mureșan in September of this year.

The new leader of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church, or the Romanian Church United with Rome, was elected on Thursday, November 6, during an extraordinary session of the Synod of Bishops held in Rome, at the Pontifical Romanian College Pio Romeno.

The new Major Archbishop obtained confirmation of the election from Pope Leon XIV, in accordance with canonical provisions, according to the official press release.

Born in 1972 in the locality of Pișcolt, Satu Mare County, Claudiu Lucian Pop attended elementary school in the town of Jibou and then graduated from the local high school. In 1990, he was admitted to the Faculty of Chemistry in Bucharest, which he left after one year to begin theological studies.

In 1991, he obtained a study scholarship in Rome. Between 1991 and 1999, he was a student of the Pontifical College Pio Romeno in Rome. He studied Philosophy at the Pontifical Urban University, and then Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, obtaining a Licentiate in Spiritual Theology (1998) and a Doctorate in 2006.

He was ordained a priest on July 23, 1995. Between 1997 and 1999, he was responsible for the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church in Rome, Santissimo Salvatore alle Coppelle. Between 1999 and 2001, he served as vice-rector of the Romanian Greek-Catholic Mission in Paris, and between 2001 and December 2007, as rector of the same institution.

On December 12, 2007, Pop was appointed Rector of the Pontifical College Pio Romeno in Rome. In 2011, he was elected bishop of the Curia of the Major Archdiocese, and Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Lucian Mureșan proclaimed him bishop of the Catholic Church.

Pop also coordinated Pope Francis’ visit to Blaj on June 2, 2019. In April 2021, after receiving the consent of the Synod of Bishops of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic, and after informing the Holy Apostolic See of Rome, Cardinal Lucian Mureșan transferred him to the position of Eparchial Bishop of the Eparchy of Cluj-Gherla.

(Photo source: Bisericaromanaunita.ro)