Samuil Vulcan (1 August 1758 – 25 December 1839) was the Bishop of the Diocese of Oradea Mare of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church from 1806 to 1839.
Life
Vulcan was born on 1 August 1758[1] in Veza, a former village which has since been incorporated into Blaj town. He was ordained priest in 1784 and attended the Greek-Catholic college of Saint Barabara in Vienna. Later he moved to Lviv where he became vice-rector of the seminary.[2]
On 25 October 1806 he was designated Greek Catholic bishop of Oradea the Austrian government and so confirmed by the Vatican on 25 March 1807. Accordingly, on 7 July 1807 he consecrated Bishop by the bishop of Făgăraş, Ioan Bob[3] in the Cathedral of Blaj.
During his reign the diocese of Oradea enjoyed an increase in the number of parishes and faithfuls, passing from 26,232 parishioners to 153,163 souls.[4] He tried to ensure a regular wage to his priests, and he focused on the instruction, founding many schools.
Vulcan was a supporter of Romanian culture and literature. He pleaded with the Habsburg monarchy in order to have a Romanian bishop appointed in place of a Serbian bishop for the Orthodox diocese of Arad.[5]
Vulcan died in Oradea on 25 December 1839.
Miscellaneous
In 1828 he founded a college in the Transylvanian town of Beiuş, which is named after him.[6]
Notes
