Who Are the Romanian Greek Catholic Saints?
The Romanian Greek Catholic Church is a Church of courage — a faith that refused to die even when the world tried to silence it. Born in the 17th century when Orthodox believers in Transylvania sought communion with Rome, it carries the same Byzantine liturgy as its Eastern counterparts while reflecting the Latin heart of Western Europe. Its saints are witnesses of unity, faith, and heroic endurance.
For centuries, the Romanian Greek Catholic Church stood at the crossroads of empires and ideologies. It suffered persecution under both Ottoman and Communist rule, yet its faithful never abandoned their devotion. When the Church was outlawed by the Communist regime in 1948, its bishops and priests were imprisoned, tortured, and killed — yet their courage preserved the faith in secret.
Among the Church’s most honored figures are the Blessed Romanian Greek Catholic Martyrs, seven bishops who gave their lives for Christ between 1950 and 1970. Imprisoned for their loyalty to Rome, they refused to renounce their communion with the Holy See, choosing suffering over compromise. Their example stands as one of the clearest modern testimonies of fidelity to Christ.
Another beloved saint is Blessed Bishop Iuliu Hossu, who read aloud the declaration of Transylvania’s union with Romania in 1918 — only to later be imprisoned for his faith. When offered release in exchange for conversion, he answered, “My faith is my life.” His words still echo through the Romanian Catholic Church today.
At The Eastern Church, our Romanian and Eastern Catholic Prayer Cards Collection honors these courageous witnesses. Each handmade card is prayerfully crafted in Austin, Texas, celebrating the enduring faith of a Church that refused to be broken.
The saints and martyrs of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church remind us that unity with Christ is worth every sacrifice — and that even in prison cells, the Church remains free.
Explore our Romanian Greek Catholic Prayer Cards to honor the bishops, priests, and faithful who carried the light of faith through darkness and emerged triumphant in Christ.
