St. Michael's Church in Cluj-Napoca officially received the Europa Nostra award: the commemorative plaque marking the recognition is now decorated there on the wall next to the entrance.
As the opening ceremony of the Hungarian Days in Cluj-Napoca, the commemorative plaque was inaugurated in a ceremonial setting, which now indicates to everyone passing by: the St. Michael's Church is one of the most special monuments in Europe. Established as an alliance of 200 non-governmental organizations, the Europa Nostra organization has been rewarding monument restorations since 1978, and since 2002 it has become an official award of the European Union. In 2024, the bronze commemorative plaque was placed on the wall of St. Michael's Church in Cluj-Napoca, in recognition of the huge renovation work completed two years ago.
The ceremony began with the words of Bishop Áron Márton: the church, which has been standing for 600 years, has been a home for generations. It has witnessed wars, peace, fratricide and alliances, and has now become a symbol of survival against all odds. With its 76-meter-high tower, it rises towards the sky, thus announcing the higher vocation of man.
Archdeacon Attila László said that
despite all its impermanence, St. Michael's Church reminds us of eternity. Today, all of Europe is watching us. It is a day of thanksgiving and thanksgiving for being God's companions in the restoration of the church. The Szent Mihály Church is a refuge for the people of Transylvania, so we are all happy to be awarded the award on May 30.
Oláh Emese, deputy mayor of Cluj-Napoca, greeted the gathering on behalf of the municipality. He reminded that just two years ago, also within the framework of the Hungarian Days in Cluj, we were able to give thanks for the completion of the renovation works, and now we owe thanks again, since what happened here will be a significant milestone in our culture and history. St. Michael's Church is a jewel, a witness, a living symbol, not just a place of worship. The expression of the faith of the community, the heritage of the past and the present for the future. As the deputy mayor put it:
the Europa Nostra award is a recognition of renovators, but it is actually for the whole of Transylvania.
The event was also attended by Graham Bell, member of the board of trustees of the Europa Nostra Award, who expressed his gratitude for being part of the community's celebration. He emphasized that what was carried out during the renovation of the church was no ordinary work. Forty countries sent their greetings to Cluj today, not because of what they achieved here, but because of the way they achieved it, he pointed out. This work was a testimony, indicating the community of the body of Christ, since we achieved all this together. Graham Bell emphasized that structural interventions are important, but what makes St. Michael's Church truly special lies in the invisible. "Truly Transylvanian, truly yours. Faith, values, vision: this is what they leave behind for future generations," he said.
Engineers Dorottya Makay and Ádám Maksai led the renovation works. In their welcome, they summarized the process of the project, emphasizing that the purpose of everything is nothing more than that the past and the present work together for the future. It was a big challenge. State-of-the-art technologies were combined with traditional architectural methods, thus creating a living space for the next generations.
The ceremony ended with a concert by the Zoltán Kodály Children's Choir from Marosszék, awarded with the Hungarian Heritage Award. Leaving the church, we can now proudly announce:
six Europa Nostra awards are associated with the treasured city.
The newest, the St. Michael's Church award, can be admired by anyone from today on the wall to the right of the entrance.
Featured image: Anita Reményik/Maszol
