Greek Catholic Cathedral – Uzhhorod (Ungvár)
The Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Uzhhorod (Ungvár) is the mother church of the Greek Catholic Eparchy of Mukachevo. It holds the relics of Blessed Bishop Theodore Romzha, who was murdered by the communist authorities.
A Roman Catholic church built by János Drugeth for the Jesuits once stood on the site. Construction of the present building began in 1732 and was completed in 1740. After the dissolution of the Jesuit order, in 1775 Maria Theresa gave the complex to the Greek Catholic bishopric of Mukachevo. Its Classicist façade was designed by László Fabri in 1848.
In the Soviet period, between 1945 and 1991, it was used by the Orthodox Church; the Greek Catholic eparchy regained it on 10 October 1991. Bishop Theodore Romzha died a martyr in Uzhhorod on 31 October 1947, and Pope John Paul II beatified him in 2001. His relics were found in the crypt of the cathedral in 1998 and have been kept in one of the side chapels since 2003.
The restored altar, frescoes and iconostasis were consecrated on 14 September 2026, the cathedral's feast day, marking the 380th anniversary of the Union of Uzhhorod of 1646.
Pilgrimage feast: The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 14 September. The feast of Blessed Theodore Romzha is on 31 October.
Visiting: The cathedral stands above the old town of Uzhhorod, next to the castle. Before travelling, check the current travel advice of your foreign ministry.
Sources: Karpataljalap.net · Karpatalja.ma · Wikipedia (English)
Photo: Elke Wetzig (Elya) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Thaler Tamás / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Town:
Uzhhorod (Ungvár)