Father Ioan Ghiurco, founder of the Cathedral in Zalău, received the Patriarchal Crosstranslated

Father Ioan Ghiurco, the founder of the "Ascension" Episcopal Cathedral in Zalău, received the Patriarchal Cross, the highest award of the Romanian Patriarchate, on Sunday.

The distinction was handed to him by His Holiness Father Benedict, Bishop of Sălaj, on his 84th birthday, of which 62 years of clerical service.

His Beatitude Father Patriarch Daniel decided to grant the distinction to Father Ioan Ghiurco as a sign of appreciation and gratitude for the entire pastoral-missionary activity and for the special contribution made to the church life in the municipality of Zalău.

His Holiness Father Benedict thanked Blessed Father Daniel for the award of the Patriarchal Cross.

For his part, the father expressed his gratitude to His Beatitude, for the great honor of being awarded the Patriarchal Cross, confessing that he receives it with humility and emotion, as a sign of appreciation for his entire service and for the founding work of the Episcopal Cathedral in Zalău.

"Thank you all for everything, because I could not have done this alone. I had the support of thousands of believers who joined me and trusted me that…