MIRCEA-GHEORGHE ABRUDAN, MIHAI-OCTAVIAN GROZA, A worthy collaborator and “fi rst counselor”
of Bishop Nicolae Ivan: scholar archpriest Sebastian Stanca (1878-1947)
After the Great Union of December 1st, 1918, favorable circumstances were created for strengthening
and establishing the national and ecclesiastical institutions in Transylvania. Since spring 1919,
in Cluj began the foundation of those institutions that Hungarian domination did not allow: Romanian
university “King Ferdinand I” the Romanian National Theatre and Opera, Romanian schools
of all grades and the Romanian Orthodox Diocese. In the context of celebrating eighty years since
the passing away of the founder of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Vad, Feleac and Cluj, Bishop
Nicolae Ivan (1855-1936), we intend to bring the attention of the cultural and religious environment
from Cluj on one of his most worthy collaborators and “fi rst counselors” the scholar archpriest
Sebastian Stanca, who stood beside him in founding and organizing the work of the new diocese of
Cluj since 7/20 July 1919, when he was chosen among the 27 councilors of the Orthodox consistory
from Cluj as a member in the school Senate. So the present study illustrates fi rst the biography of
the priest Sebastian Stanca, focusing then on two less known sides of his activity and of his works:
memoirs and historiography on WWI and its contribution to the organization and the historiography
of the Eparchy of Vad, Feleac and Cluj.
KEYWORDS: Eparchy of Vad, Feleac and Cluj, interwar, priest Sebastian Stanca, bishop Nicolae
Ivan.

MIHAI-OCTAVIAN GROZA, Mircea Gheorghe Abrudan