Ioan Bălan

Ioan Bălan (11 February 1880 – 4 August 1959) was a Romanian bishop of the Greek-Catholic Church.

Blessed

Ioan Bălan
Bishop of Lugoj
Bălan as a prisoner.
ChurchRomanian Greek Catholic Church
DioceseLugoj
SeeLugoj
Appointed29 August 1936
Term ended4 August 1959
PredecessorAlexandru Nicolescu
SuccessorIoan Ploscaru
Orders
Ordination7 July 1903
by Victor Mihaly de Apșa
Consecration18 October 1936
by Alexandru Nicolescu
Personal details
Birth nameIoan Bălan
Born11 February 1880
Teius, Romania
Died4 August 1959(1959-08-04) (aged 79)
Bucharest, Romania
Alma materUniversity of Vienna
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

Biography

Born in Teiuş, Alba County, he studied theology in Budapest and was ordained a priest in 1903. He continued his studies in Vienna, moved to Blaj and then in 1909 to Bucharest, where a Greek-Catholic confessor was needed. In 1919 he returned to Blaj, becoming canon and in 1921 rector of the theological academy. In 1936, after Alexandru Nicolescu became Metropolitan of Făgăraş and Alba Iulia, he was consecrated Bishop of Lugoj. In 1948, the new Communist regime outlawed his church and he was arrested in October after refusing to convert to Romanian Orthodoxy. He was taken first to Dragoslavele Monastery, then to Căldăruşani Monastery in early 1949 and to Sighet prison in mid-1950. In 1955, he was forced to live at Curtea de Argeș Monastery. The following year he was taken to Samurcăşeşti Monastery, a nunnery in Ciorogârla. He remained there in isolation until he became gravely ill and was taken to a Bucharest hospital, where he died. He was buried at the Bellu Catholic cemetery. Bălan was never tried or sentenced.[1]

Bălan and six other prelates who were held as political prisoners during Romania's Communist rule were beatified personally by Pope Francis at Liberty Field in Blaj, Romania on 2 June 2019.[2][3]

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References
  1. (in Romanian) PS Ioan Bălan at the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic site; accessed 15 May 2012
  2. "Pope Warns Of Divisive Ideologies As He Beatifies Romanian Bishops". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty.
  3. "A joyous celebration in Romania as Pope Francis beatifies seven bishop-martyrs". America Magazine. 2 June 2019.
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