Greek Catholic Diocese of Oradea Mare - Bishops

Bishops

The list of the eparch (bishops) of the Greek Catholic Diocese of Oradea Mare is:

• Meletie Kovács (born 1707, converted to the Greek Catholic Church in 1736, reigned 1748–1775 as auxiliary bishop of the Latin bishop of Oradea)
• Moise Dragoş (born 1725, reigned 1775–1787, under his reign in 1777 the diocese became independent from the Latin bishop]
• Ignatie Darabant (born 1730, reigned 1788–1805)
• Samuil Vulcan (born 1758, reigned 1806–1839)
• Vasile Erdelyi (born 1794, reigned 1842–1862)
• Iosif Papp-Szilágyi (Sălăjeanul) (born 1813, reigned 1863–1872)
• Ioan Olteanu (born 1839, reigned 1873–1877)
• Mihail Pavel (born 1827, reigned 1879–1902)
• Demetrie Radu (born 1861, reigned 1903–1920)
• Valeriu Traian Frențiu (born 1875, reign started in 1922. In 1948 the Communist Romania abolished the Greek Catholic Church. Frenţiu was persecuted and died in prison in 1952)
• Iuliu Hirţea (born 1914, he was the clandestine bishop of Oradea from 1952. He passed many years in prison. Died in 1978)
  • 1978–1990 vacant due to the persecution under the Communist Regime, till the Romanian Revolution of 1989
• Vasile Hossu (born 1919, reigned 1990–1997)
• Virgil Bercea (born 1957, reigned 1997–incumbent)