Cardinal Lucian Mureșan is a retired Romanian prelate who has dedicated his life to the Romanian Greek Catholic Church and played a significant role in guiding it through challenging times during communist rule.

Born on May 23, 1931, in Firiza (now Ferneziu district of Baia Mare), Romania, and the tenth of twelve children, he grew up during a tumultuous period in Romanian history. Mureșan pursued his education in Firiza and Baia Mare before being ordained priest on December 19, 1964 by Ioan Dragomir, auxiliary bishop of Maramureș.

In the early years of his priesthood, Mureșan exercised his pastoral ministry in secret due to the political climate, focusing on youth and aspiring priests while maintaining secular employment. Following the death of Bishop Dragomir in 1985, he served as the provisional ordinary of the Maramureș diocese until 1986.

Mureșan’s ecclesiastical career saw significant advancement in 1990 when he was consecrated as Bishop of Maramureș. This historic event, attended by over 20,000 faithful, marked the first public gathering of the entire Greek Catholic hierarchy since the fall of communism. As bishop, he established the Baia Mare Theological Institute, contributing to the education of future religious leaders.

In 1994, Mureșan was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of Făgăraș and Alba Iulia, a position he held until 2005. During this time, he played a crucial role in organizing the Fourth Provincial Council of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church and served multiple terms as president of the Romanian Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

A significant milestone in Murean’s career came in 2005 when he became the first Major Archbishop of the Greek Catholic Archdiocese of Făgăraș and Alba Iulia, effectively making him the head of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church. His influence and leadership were further recognized in 2012 when Pope Benedict XVI elevated him to the rank of Cardinal Priest of Sant’Atanasio.

Cardinal Mureșan has been involved in various important initiatives, including the repatriation of Dom Inocențiu Micu-Klein’s remains from Rome to Blaj in 1997. His contributions to the Church and society have been acknowledged with several honors, including membership in the Romanian Academy and the national commendation Order of the Star of Romania, Officer rank, bestowed by President Klaus Iohannis in 2015.

As a cardinal over 80 years old at the time of his elevation, Mureșan does not have the right to vote in papal conclaves. Nevertheless, his appointment as cardinal symbolizes the recognition of his lifelong dedication to the Romanian Greek Catholic Church and his significant role in guiding it through challenging times.