It is 86 years since the martyrdom of Archpriest Aurel Munteanu: A hero of the Romanian nationtranslated

Thursday marks the 86th anniversary of the martyrdom of Father Aurel Munteanu, the first dean of Huedin. In 2026, the Romanian Parliament adopted a law by which he was declared a "hero and martyr of the Romanian nation", being commemorated alongside the other compatriots who sacrificed their lives during the Horthist regime.

He was born on May 2, 1882, in the town of Merghindeal, Sibiu county, and studied theology in Sibiu and Blaj. He was ordained a priest in 1907, initially serving in Valea Drăganului parish, Cluj county.

Father Aurel Munteanu's activity extended beyond pastoral responsibilities. In 1918, he was a delegate to the Great National Assembly in Alba Iulia, and in the following years he got involved in the cultural and social life of the Romanians in the Huedin area.

In the period 1920–1923, he contributed to the establishment of the ASTRA Division from Huedin, and in February 1923 he was elected the first dean of the new Romanian Orthodox Deanery of Huedin.

One of his most important achievements was the construction of the "Motilor" Cathedral in Huedin, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, consecrated in 1934. The father mobilized the community to build the place of worship, which...