Alexandru Nicolescu (8 July 1882—5 June 1941) was a

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

n bishop of the Greek-Catholic Church. Born in Tulgheș,

Harghita County Harghita (, hu, Hargita megye, ) is a county (județ) in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea Ciuc. Demographics 2002 census In 2002, Harghita County had a population of 326,222 and a populatio ...

Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...

, he studied at the

Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship. Congregation may also refer to: * Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship *Congregation (Roman Curia), an administr ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

from 1898 to 1904, earning a doctorate in Philosophy and Theology. Returning to

Blaj Blaj (; archaically spelled as ''Blaș''; hu, Balázsfalva; german: Blasendorf; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Blußendref'') is a municipiu, city in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. It has a population of 20,630 inhabita ...

, he was sent as a missionary priest to North America. Once back in Transylvania, he taught of moral theology at the Blaj Theological Seminary. He was named Bishop of Lugoj in 1922, following the transfer of

Valeriu Traian Frențiu Valeriu Traian Frențiu (25 April 1875 – 11 July 1952) was the Bishop of the Eparchy of Oradea Mare of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church from 1922 to his death in 1952. His beatification occurred on 2 June 2019.

to Oradea. In 1935, he was elected Metropolitan of Făgăraş and Alba Iulia. Nicolescu served until his death, which was hastened by the beginning of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and Romania's loss of

Northern Transylvania Northern Transylvania ( ro, Transilvania de Nord, hu, Észak-Erdély) was the region of the Kingdom of Romania that during World War II, as a consequence of the August 1940 territorial agreement known as the Second Vienna Award, became part of ...

, events that strained his weak health.Episcopul Alexandru Nicolescu
at the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic site; accessed May 9, 2012

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicolescu, Alexandru 1882 births 1941 deaths People from Harghita County Primates of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church 19th-century Eastern Catholic clergy 19th-century Romanian people 20th-century Eastern Catholic archbishops 20th-century Romanian people Delegates of the Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia Eastern Catholic bishops in Romania