At the beginning of the XVIII-the century the Romano-Catholic community from Gherla was served by fraciscan medicants priests who were commuting from Dej to hold the holy masses. In 1748, the construction fo the new church start, on a terrain lot offered by the mayor of the time, Daniel Todor. The buidling is finished and sanctified in 1758. In the following years the Mary of Loretto Chapel will be built (1760) and the eastern wing of the cloister (1766). Next year the two stone altars, in baroque style, dedicated to St. Anton and St. Francisc. The church is oriented, accoridng to the tradition, on the West-east ax (with the altar on the East), and is included in the architectural complex of the Franciscan Monastery from Gherla.
CRONOLOGY
Settlement of the Armenians
The Armenians allows the Franciscans residence in the settlement.
Foundation
During the mandate of P. Ponori Anaklét the foundation stone of the church was set.
Sanctification of the church
November 5 – blessing of the church by P. Botár Joachim, in honor of St. Peter of Alcantara.
Maria de Loretto Chapel
Maria de Loretto Chapel is built by Lászlóffy Bogdán, and the building of the Eastern wing also takes place.
The Altars
The altar dedicated to St. Anthony is made on the expenses of Placsintár Dávid, and the altar dedicated to St. Francisc on the expense of Csomák Miklós. The sculptor artist was probably Johannes Nachtigall, who also sculted several sculptures in stine at Bonțida castle.
Convent and the furniture of the sacristy
The Gherla residence is leveled up to the rank of convent and the wooden furniture of the sacristy is finished.
The sanctification of the bells
The two bells were blessed by Bishop László Kolonics.
The third bell
The Third bell is blessed by the bishop Sándor.
Establishment of the Roman Catholic parish of Latin rite in Gherla
The Roman Catholic parish of Latin rite in Gherla is founded, under the administration of the franciscans, by bishop Szepessy Ignác.
The 1855 fire miracle
Sept 21 – A fire strikes the church. The wooden statue of Mary of Loretto, survived the fire and remained intact. After this miracle, the veneration of holy Mary becomes characteristic of the Roman-caloric community of Gherla.
Reconstruction and sanctification of the church
Sept 20 – The church is re-sanctified by the provincial Fr. Keresztes József. On the façade is painted the inscription “TRISTIBVS EBVSTIS CELERI FERVORE REVIXI / HINC TIBI MIRE DEVS GLORIA VIVA SONAT.” The sum of the highlighted figures gives the sum of 1857, ie the date of the reconstruction and consecration of the church after the fire of 1855. The inscription was later changed to the one visible today.
St. Mary’s Altar
The altar of St Mary is made and the organ is manufactured.
St. Anna’s Altar
The altar of St Ana is made.
The towers
The 2 towers are being built, and on the façade, between the two towers, the Latin inscription was changed: “AVE MARIA, GRATIA PLENA, / DOMINUS TECUM! SIS LAVDATA, / SIC OMNI DIE VIRGO HIC! (Adding the value in the Roman numeral of the highlighted letters, painted in red, gives the date of construction of the towers).
Replacement of St. Mary and St. Ana altars
The two altars are replaced with the ones existing even today.
The expasnion of the monastery
The Eastern wing of the Monastery is being expanded, at the groundfloor the catholic school is open, while at the first floor there ws set a festive hall for cultural purposes, often visited by the hungarians living here.
Nationalization
The school and the east wing of the monastery are nationalized, being ceded to the local cooperative, which among other things used the ground floor as a glass workshop.
Forced home installation
The Franciscans were transported to Dej and Radna, where they were forced to live. Unofficially, the Jesuits are brought to Gherla, to the forced residence in the monastery. They did a beneficial job in that short period of time. Among others, the medical practice of the monk P. Bátay had a national echo. The pacients arriving in the convent gave in exchamge for the treatment food supplies.
The Franciscans retake the monastery
The Franciscans took over the monastery again and carried out a pastoral activity.
Necessary demolitions
The east wing was damaged in such a way that it had to be demolished.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese receives the church and the monastery
The Franciscans handover the church and the monastery to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Alba-Iulia.
The rehabilitation project
Nov. 17 –the Ministry of Regional Development, Public Administration and European Funds as the Managing Authority, the North-West Regional Development Agency as an Intermediate Body and the Roman Catholic Parish of Gherla, as the beneficiary sign the contract for the project named “Rehabilitation of the Church and Cloister of the Franciscan Monastery in Gherla in order to be introduced in the cultural tourism circuit”.
Beginning of the works
May 24 – The rehabilitation works begin.
Tehcnical reception of works
July 9 – The technical reception occurs in a public event.
Sanctification of the church
Oct 8 – The consecration of the church in the presence of the archbishop and the return to use of the parishioners.
Completion of the investment project
Completion of the investment project and introduction of the monument in the cultural tourism circuit.
