Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti: Cardinal Iuliu Hossu represents the conscience of the Romanian people

The Romanian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Cluj-Gherla organized on Friday evening a commemorative performance dedicated to Cardinal Iuliu Hossu, Agerpres reports.

The concert-performance "IN MEMORIAM CARDINAL IULIU HOSSU" was held in the main hall of the National Opera in Cluj, with several hundred people in attendance.

Among the participants was Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches at the Vatican.

"I came from Rome to say thank you and to congratulate you. I was sent from Rome because it was Pope Francis himself who wanted me to be present at this solemn moment. (...) I came to congratulate you for this man, who represents the conscience of Romanians. Conscience is a most precious value, spoken of very little today, which can be divided, cut, even sold. But for this man it was not so. This conscience, which we honor today, could have remained calm and serene (...) but he said NO! He said NO to falsehood and YES to truth a yes he had already said and did not wish to delay. (...) I thank you for bringing this man to light," Cardinal Gugerotti said at the opening of the performance.

The cultural event combined symphonic and sacred music with excerpts from the Memoirs of Cardinal Iuliu Hossu. The Opera's orchestra, conducted by Flaviu Mogosan, together with the "Angeli" Greek-Catholic choirs of Cluj of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration, conducted by Angela David, and "Adoremus" of the Cathedral of the Martyrs and Confessors of the 20th Century, conducted by Ana-Maria Muresan as well as soloists Florin Estefan, Tatiana Lisnic, Cristian Mogosan and Diana Man, created a solemn atmosphere, complemented by the voice of actor Radu Botar, who played the role of Cardinal Iuliu Hossu in the film production.

"The presence of the Apostolic Nuncio and of Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, who in more explicit terms is the Pope's minister for all the Eastern Churches in the world, reminds us of the values in which Iuliu Hossu believed, for which he lived, and for which he died. But today's moment is not only about Greek-Catholics it is about all of us. It is a moment dedicated to hope. And I would like you to try to turn this wonderful evening into a prayer," said Claudiu Pop, the Greek-Catholic Bishop of Cluj-Gherla.

In Cluj-Napoca, a series of commemorative events dedicated to Cardinal Iuliu Hossu are taking place between September 4 and 6, including the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Romania and the Republic of Moldova, as well as a symposium dedicated to his life and legacy.

"Between September 4 and 6, 2025, the municipality of Cluj-Napoca is hosting a series of commemorative events dedicated to Cardinal Iuliu Hossu, a distinguished figure of history, architect of the Greater Union, and blessed martyr of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek Catholic Church. These will be days of true spiritual, academic, and cultural celebration in this year 2025 - the "Cardinal Iuliu Hossu" Year in Romania. During this period, the city on the Somes River becomes a meeting place for Roman-Catholic and Greek-Catholic hierarchs from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, academics, artists, and believers, who will gather for the International Symposium "Iuliu Hossu - Our Faith is Our Life" and the autumn session of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Romania and the Republic of Moldova, hosted for the first time since 2017 by the Romanian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Cluj-Gherla. On this occasion, the Cardinal Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches," the Diocese of Cluj-Gherla had stated in a prior press release.