THE ROAD TO THE METROPOLIS. THE ASCENSION OF MIRON ROMANUL TO THE HIGHEST ECCLESIASTICAL DIGNITY
THE ROAD TO THE METROPOLIS. THE ASCENSION OF MIRON ROMANUL TO THE HIGHEST ECCLESIASTICAL DIGNITY

Summary/Abstract: After Metropolitan Andrei Șaguna’s death, the Romanian Orthodox Church in Transylvania entered a transitional period, during which administrative continuity was maintained by his former collaborators, alongside other clergy and lay leaders. The intellectual elite, whose influence increased during Șaguna’s final years, played a key role in guiding Church institutions. Through the adoption of the Organic Statute, Șaguna had delegated much of his authority, creating a durable institutional framework that continued to evolve after his passing. In the late 19th century, the dynamics between power groups within the archdiocese and suffragan bishoprics significantly shaped Church life. These interactions became particularly evident during the 1874 Metropolitan elections, which revealed internal rivalries and political manoeuvrings. Personal sympathies and antipathies often took precedence over the stated goal of the electoral congresses—the appointment of new hierarchs—highlighting the complex and often contentious process of leadership succession within the Church. In this context, the one who benefited from a fulminating cursus honorum was Miron Romanul, who occupied the metropolitan seat after several election rounds.

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