Greco-catolici ardeleni în pelerinaj la Roma, după Marea Unire
Greek-Catholics from Transylvania on Pilgrimage to Rome, after the Great Union

Summary/Abstract: The present research continues the one conducted in 2025, which was focussed on the first collective pilgrimages of Romanian Greek-Catholics to Rome up to the Great War. The three major pilgrimages (1893, 1903 and 1908) responded to the calls of Papacy, and at the same time they inaugurated a tradition that continued throughout the interwar period.Because of the consequences of the Great War, pilgrimages to Rome were resumed only in 1925, when Romanian pilgrims responded to a new call of Pope Pius XI. The interest aroused among Romanian Greek Catholics by what Catholicism termed “a new holy year” can also be seen in the fact that in that year, not one, but two pilgrimages were organized; in both cases, the pilgrims were guided throughout Italy by Canon Ioan Coltor. The interwar Romanian pilgrimages to Rome were widely covered by the contemporary press, which, in fact, constitutes the main source for the present study. Affected by the economic crisis or by the fierce political debates, such as those regarding the signing of the Concordat with Rome, not all the calls to pilgrimages were answered, with failures being registered in 1927 and 1929. From the point of view of the relationship with the Greek-Catholic hierarchy and its involvement, an increased interest on the part of three bishops (Valeriu Traian Frențiu, Iuliu Hossu and Alexandru Nicolescu) stands out; they led their parishioners to Rome in 1925, 1930, 1933 and 1936 (in the case of the first of them). The fragile health of the Metropolitan Vasile Suciu limited his participation to the pilgrimages of 1925 and 1930.Alongside these pilgrimages, which fell within the religious framework and were organised in response to the calls of the Papacy, several special pilgrimages also took place, among which those of 1937 and 1938 had particular significance. While in 1937 the pilgrimage to Rome was organized to celebrate the inauguration of the Pio Romeno College, the one in 1938 had a clearly political significance, being organized at Mussolini’s call by the government led by Octavian Goga.

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