Eparchial Bishop of Cluj-Gherla Claudiu Lucian Pop is the new Major Archbishop of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church, filling the position left vacant after the passing of Cardinal Lucian Muresan on September 25.

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

'The Synod of Bishops of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic, gathered in extraordinary session in Rome between November 2 - 6, elected His Beatitude Claudiu-Lucian Pop, currently Eparchial Bishop of Cluj-Gherla, as Archbishop and Metropolitan of Alba Iulia and Fagaras and Major Archbishop of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic. The Holy Father Leo XIV has granted his confirmation of the canonical election,' mentions a statement posted on Thursday on the website of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic.

The enthronement of the new Major Archbishop will take place on Saturday, November 15, at 11:00 a.m., in the 'Holy Trinity' Major Archiepiscopal Cathedral in Blaj.

The extraordinary session was convened in accordance with the canonical provisions in force, with the consent of the Permanent Synod, by Cristian Dumitru Crisan, Administrator of the Greek Catholic Church in Romania. With the agreement of the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches, Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, the synodal session took place in Rome, at the Pontifical College Pio Romeno.

According to the CV published on the website of the Cluj-Gherla Eparchy, Claudiu Lucian Pop was born on July 22, 1972 in the town of Piscolt, Satu-Mare County.

In 1991 he was granted a scholarship to study in Rome. Between 1991 and 1999 he was a student at the Pio Romeno Pontifical College in Rome. He studied Philosophy at the Urbaniana Pontifical University, and then Theology at the Gregorian Pontifical University, earning a Licentiate in Spiritual Theology (1998) and a doctor's degree in 2006.

He was ordained a priest on July 23, 1995.

After ordination, he was first responsible for the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church in Rome (1997-1999), Vice Rector (1999-2001) and Rector (2001-2007) of the Romanian Greek-Catholic Mission in Paris.

On December 12, 2007 he was appointed Rector of the Pio Romeno Pontifical College in Rome.

The Congregation for the Eastern Churches, upon presentation by the Major Archbishop His Beatitude Cardinal Lucian Muresan and the Synod of the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church, appointed him in December 2007 as Rector of the Pontifical Roman College in Rome and editor of the series of studies 'Quaderni del Pio Romeno'.

On November 21, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI gave the Pontifical Assent to his canonical election as bishop of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia, assigning him the titular see of Mariamme.

In June 2016 he was elected as a member of the Permanent Synod and secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church.

On April 14, 2021 the Major Archbishop His Beatitude Cardinal Lucian Muresan, with the consent of the bishops of the Romanian Greek-Catholic Major Archiepiscopal Church, transferred him to the Eparchy of Cluj-Gherla.

Cardinal Lucian Muresan passed away on September 25, at the age of 94. He was was entombed in the 'Holy Trinity' Major Archiepiscopal Cathedral in Blaj. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Marinela Brumar; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)