I truly can say that I’m proud to be one of the descendants of a transylvanian family with so many military men, priests and teachers. The pedigree has at its roots two princes from Rastoci – Mesteacan, Toma and Petru Hossu, from the county Tara Chioarului (in the actual district Maramures) which were ennobled in year 1525 when their name was change in the Hungarian hosszu that means “long”.  Because of this fact they had the chances to take their children at the best schools, from Blaj – Budapest – Vienna – Rome, and after year 1700 everyone adhered to the Greek-catholic cult and ideals of the Scoala Ardeleana (cultural and literal movement at the end of the 18th century born as the expression of the Romanian nation’s struggle in Habsburgic Empire, for equal rights with other nations, etc.).

 

The most prominent figure in this family was and still is Iuliu Hossu (1885 - 1970), former theology teacher and during the First World War military priest. In 1917 he was appointed bishop substituting his uncle, Vasile Hossu. As senator he had an intense activity, especially with the occasion of debates regarding the cults law. Assigned as bishop, Iuliu Hossu is the one who read in Alba Iulia at December 1, 1918, in the presence of His Majesty King Ferdinand I, with the conviction of The Great Counsel of the Romanian Nation, the speech that proclaimed the eternal union of Transylvania with Mother-Romania. Iuliu Hossu paid for his principles with 22 years of jail between 1948-1970 in time of the communist dictatorship and until his death he had forced residence. In 1969, one year before dying, The Vatican named him Cardinal ‘in pectore’, Iuliu Hossu become in this way the first Romanian cardinal.

 

Vasile Hossu (1866 – 1916) was Romanian united bishop. Former theology - dogmatic teacher and rector of the boy boarding school “Vancean” in Blaj, he will be the first editor of the “Union” newspaper. In year 1903, he was bishop in Lugoj where he established a boy boarding school, restoring in the same time the old monastery of Prislop. In 1913, Vasile Hossu he is named bishop at Gherla, beginning the rebuilding and reorganization work of the episcopacy.

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The Union Delegation (1918) From left to right, the bishops Miron Cristea and Iuliu Hossu (bottom), Caius Brediceanu, Al. Vaida-Voievod, Vasile Goldis (top)	Vasile Hossu’s portrait  by Virgil Simonescu (1881-1941) -oil on canvas, 140 x 105 cm- It comes from the church “Pogorarea Sfântului Duh” in Lugoj

 
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