THE RECEPTION OF THE CONCILIAR LITURGICAL REFORMS IN THE DIOCESE OF ALBA IULIA THE CONTRIBUTION OF BISHOP ÁRON MÁRTON

Abstract

This essay addresses the reception of Vatican II in Transylvania (Romania), in the diocese of Alba Iulia, with particular attention to the liturgical reform. In the introduction, I briefly tackle the political and ecclesiastic background of the conciliar reception in Transylvania, notably the (non-)participation of the bishops from Romania and Hungary in the Council. In the main part of the essay I discuss the reception of the Council in the diocese of Alba Iulia, during the episcopate of Áron Márton. I focus on the reception of the liturgical ordinances, since of all the reforms initiated by the Council the liturgical reform had the most visible impact on the Transylvanian Catholic Church. This analysis is based on material found in the Archives of the Archdiocese of Alba Iulia and on the speeches and homilies of Bishop Áron Márton.