Bishop Claudiu-Lucian Pop (born 22 July 1972) is a Romanian Greek Catholic hierarch, who serves as the Eparchial Bishop of Cluj-Gherla since 14 April 2021. Previously he served as the Titular Bishop of Mariamme and Curial bishop of

Romanian Greek Catholic Major Archeparchy of Făgăraș and Alba Iulia The Romanian Catholic Archeparchy of Făgăraș and Alba Iulia (; in Romanian ''Arhieparhia de Făgăraș și Alba Iulia''), is an ecclesiastical territory or archeparchy (equivalent to an archdiocese in the Latin Church) of the Romanian Greek C ...

since 21 November 2011 until 14 April 2021.

Life

Bishop Pop, after graduation of the school education and the Biological and Chemical Lyceum, joined the Chemical Faculty of the

University of Bucharest The University of Bucharest (UB) () is a public university, public research university in Bucharest, Romania. It was founded in its current form on by a decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza to convert the former Princely Academy of Bucharest, P ...

in 1990, but one year later he began philosophical and theological studies in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

in the Pontifical Romanian College (1991–1999), where he graduated

Pontifical Urbaniana University The Pontifical Urban University, also called the ''Urbaniana'' after its names in both Latin and Italian, is a pontifical university that was under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The university's mission is to ...

and

Pontifical Gregorian University Pontifical Gregorian University (; also known as the Gregorian or Gregoriana), is a private university, private pontifical university in Rome, Italy. The Gregorian originated as a part of the Roman College, founded in 1551 by Ignatius of Loyo ...

. During this time he was ordained as priest on 23 July 1995 for the

Romanian Catholic Eparchy of Oradea Mare The Romanian Catholic Eparchy of Oradea Mare is an eparchy (equivalent to a diocese in the Latin Church) of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church which is an Eastern Catholic particular church of the Catholic Church that is in full communion with ...

. From 1999 until 2007 he served as vice-rector, and subsequently rector of the Romanian Greek-Catholic mission in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. And after that, during 2007–2011, he was a Rector of the

Romanian Pontifical College The Romanian Pontifical College () is a college established by Pope Pius XI for young people from the Romanian Greek Catholic Church who are in various phases of study at the universities of Rome, particularly post-graduates, and seminarians an ...

(''Pio Romeno'') in

. On 21 November 2011, he was confirmed by the

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

as an Curial Bishop of the

and

Titular Bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...

of Mariamme. On 8 December 2011, he was consecrated as bishop by Cardinal

Leonardo Sandri Leonardo Sandri (born 18 November 1943) is an Argentine prelate of the Catholic Church who has been a cardinal since November 2007 and vice dean of the College of Cardinals since January 2020. He was prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern C ...

, Prefect of the

Congregation for the Oriental Churches The Dicastery for the Eastern Churches (also called the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches), previously named the Congregation for the Oriental Churches or Congregation for the Eastern Churches (), is a dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible f ...

and other hierarchs of the

Romanian Greek Catholic Church The Romanian Greek Catholic Church or Romanian Church United with Rome is a '' sui iuris'' Eastern Catholic Church, in full union with the Catholic Church. It has the rank of a Major Archiepiscopal Church and it uses the Byzantine liturgical r ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pop, Claudiu-Lucian 1972 births Living people People from Satu Mare County Pontifical Urban University alumni Pontifical Gregorian University alumni Romanian Greek-Catholic bishops 21st-century Eastern Catholic bishops Eastern Catholic bishops in Romania