The Greek Catholic Eparchy of Maramures was founded as a consequence of the Concordate between the Holy See and The Romanian State concluded on May 10th 1927 and ratified on June 10th 1929.[1]
With the Bull Sollemni Conventione of June 5th 1930, Catholic Hierarchy of both rites was established all over the territory of the Romanian Kingdom; it was then that the creation of a new Diocese, of Maramureş was decided. Its centre was to be at Baia Mare and it was suffragan of the Metropolitanate of Alba Iulia and Făgăraş.
The Diocese of Maramureş included 201 Romanian parishes and all the 38 Ruthene parishes existing on Romanian territory. It was laid under the temporary administration of Dr. Iuliu Hossu, the Bishop of Cluj-Gherla.
The first Bishop of this Diocese, appointed by the Holy See on October 16th, 1930, with the approval of the Romanian Government, was Dr. Alexandru Rusu, consecrated on January 30th, 1931 and enthroned in his Cathedral on February 2nd, 1931. He led the Diocese until 1948, when he was arrested; he died in prison in May 1963.
In 1948, with the Decree nr. 358 of December 1st, the whole Romanian Church united with Rome was declared illegal.
The second Bishop of the Diocese, who acted as Apostolic Administrator, was Dr. Ioan Dragomir, consecrated in clandestinity on March 6th, 1949 at the Nunciature in Bucharest. He was arrested in 1951 and remained in prison until the amnesty of 1964. After that date, he worked in clandestinity. He died on April 25th, 1985.
On August 9th, 1986, at the Diocesan Chapter, attended also by Metropolite Alexandru Todea, Fr. Lucian Mureşan was elected Ordinarius of the Diocese of Maramureş.
On May 27th, 1990, he was consecrated Bishop at Baia Mare. Eventually he was appointed Metropolite of the Romanian Church United with Rome. The Diocese of Maramureş was then led by Fr. Ioan Şişeştean, appointed Bishop on June 20th, 1994 and consecrated on September 11th, 1994.
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