You are here : Home News Bishop recalls Communist persecution of Romanian Greek Catholic Church

Attention: open in a new window. PDFPrintE-mail

Bishop recalls Communist persecution of Romanian Greek Catholic Church

CWNews.com - In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Florentin Crihalmeanu of Cluj-Gherla--who was ordained a priest at 31 and a consecrated a bishop by Blessed John Paul II at 37--recalled Romanian Communists’ attempts to liquidate the Romanian Greek Catholic Church.

In 1946, “the Communists convoked what they called a ‘synod’ of the clergy stating that it was a meeting to re-evaluate the union with Rome … They said that all Greek Catholics would now be Orthodox and decreed, on the 1st of December, that all Greek Catholic institutions and properties be dissolved and expropriated.”

Today, the Romanian Catholic Church has approximately 700,000 members in Romania--less than one-half of its 1940 population of 1.5 million.

The Spirit of Truth

O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, You are everywhere present and fill all things. Treasury of Blesings and Giver of Life, come and dwell within us, cleanse us of all stain, and save our souls, O Good One.

Hymn from the Vespers of Pentecost

Wisdom from the Church Fathers

When the holy Abba Anthony lived in the desert he was beset by boredom, and attacked by many sinful thoughts. He said to God, 'Lord, I want to be saved but these thoughts do not leave me alone; what shall I do in my affliction? How can I be saved?'

A short while afterwards, when he got up to go out, Anthony saw a man like himself sitting at his work, getting up from his work to pray, then sitting down and plaiting a rope, then getting up again to pray. It was an angel of the Lord sent to correct and reassure him: 'Do this and you will be saved.' At these words, Anthony was filled with joy and courage. He did this, and he was saved.


The Desert Fathers
ByzCath.org is an unofficial site supporting, but not connected with the official Church. We strive to provide accurate news and information about the Byzantine Catholic and other Eastern Christian Churches. If you believe we have failed in this task please let us know. Contents copyright ©1996-2011. All rights reserved.

Joomla Template by NinjaTheme