Alexandru Rusu

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Blessed

Alexandru Rusu
Bishop of Maramureş
Alexandru Rusu 2019 stamp of Romania.jpg
ChurchRomanian Greek Catholic Church
DioceseMaramureş
SeeMaramureş
Appointed17 October 1930
Installed2 February 1931
Term ended9 May 1963
PredecessorIuliu Hossu (administrator)
SuccessorIoan Dragomir (administrator)
Orders
Ordination20 July 1910
by Victor Mihaly de Apșa
Consecration30 January 1931
by Vasile Suciu
Personal details
Birth nameAlexandru Rusu
Born22 November 1884
Saulia de Campie, Romania
Died9 May 1963(1963-05-09) (aged 78)
Gherla Prison, Gherla, Romania
Alma materUniversity of Budapest
Sainthood
Feast day2 June
Venerated in
  • Romanian Greek Catholic Church
  • Roman Catholic Church
Beatified2 June 2019
Câmpia Libertății, Blaj, Romania
by Pope Francis
AttributesEpiscopal attire

Alexandru Rusu (22 November 1884 – 9 May 1963) was a Romanian bishop of the Greek-Catholic Church. One of twelve children born to a priest in Șăulia Commune, Mureș County, he was himself ordained a priest in 1910. Rusu was ordained Bishop of Maramureş in 1931.

After the church's leadership fell vacant in 1941, he was chosen its new head (Major Archbishop of Fagaraş and Alba Iulia) in 1946, a decision approved by the Holy See but not by the Communist-dominated Petru Groza government. Rusu was arrested in October 1948 by the authorities of the new Communist regime which had outlawed the church, and he was held in two monasteries, in Sighet prison, and then in two other monasteries. In 1957, a military tribunal found him guilty of "instigation and high treason". Rusu was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment and he ended up at Gherla prison, where he died of illness.[1]

On 19 March 2019, Pope Francis approved the beatification of Rusu and six other Greek-Catholic bishops who died while serving as political prisoners under the communist regime in Romania in the mid-20th century.[2] Rusu and the other six Romanian Catholic prelates were beatified personally by Pope Francis at Liberty Field in Blaj, Romania by Pope Francis on 2 June 2019.[3][4]

References[]

  1. ^ (in Romanian) PS Alexandru Rusu at the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic site; accessed 26 April 2012
  2. ^ Brockhaus, Hannah. "Seven 20th-century Romanian bishops declared martyrs". Catholic News Agency.
  3. ^ "A joyous celebration in Romania as Pope Francis beatifies seven bishop-martyrs". America Magazine. 2 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Pope Warns Of Divisive Ideologies As He Beatifies Romanian Bishops". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 2 June 2019.
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