President Tamas Sulyok: "The Survival of Transylvania's Hungarian Communities Belonging to the Reformed Church is Our Natural Desire"

Vilmos Kolumban has been installed as the new bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District.

Vilmos Kolumban, the new bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District, at his inauguration in the reformed church on Farkas Street in Cluj-Napoca on February 1, 2025. (Photo:MTI/Gabor Kiss)

"The survival of Transylvania's Hungarian communities belonging to the Reformed Church is our natural desire, as we are also determined by what will happen to these congregations across Transylvania, said President Tamas Sulyok on Saturday in Cluj-Napoca, during his speech at the inauguration ceremony of Vilmos Kolumban, the newly appointed bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District.

President Tamas Sulyok delivers his speech at the inauguration ceremony of Vilmos Kolumban, the newly appointed bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District on February 1, 2025 (Photo:MTI/Gabor Kiss)

Strong communities are essential

The president emphasized the importance of keeping these Reformed Church congregations alive and strong, with their members walking proudly and happily, allowing Transylvania’s Hungarian community to rise once again. He acknowledged that this goal might seem bold in an era of secularization, emigration, and demographic crisis, but he affirmed that it is the only path worth following.

Quoting the opening verse of Psalm 125, Tamas Sulyok stated that the formula for this has long been known:

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. He added that those who trust in the Lord persevere through every storm, remaining courageous and unshakable, just like Mount Zion. However, he noted that achieving this requires good shepherds—leaders who guide the congregations in a way that fosters trust.

He pointed out that the noble task of leadership will not be unfamiliar to Vilmos Kolumban, as he has worked alongside his predecessor, Bishop Bela Kato, and, as the rector of the Protestant Theological Institute, has gained deep insight into  historical experiences of the pastoral vocation.  President Sulyok emphasized that the bishop’s work impacts not only Transylvania’s Hungarian Reformed Church communities but the entire Hungarian nation, as the future of Hungarians living in Transylvania is a decisive matter for all Hungarians.

He recalled that Transylvania's Hungarian community has experienced periods of renewal generation after generation, thanks to its great leaders, such as Gabor Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania. These figures established enduring institutions, including the strong bastions of Reformed Church colleges, which served not only as centers of knowledge but also as spiritual homes fostering self-awareness, self-respect, and social responsibility.

Scenes of renewal for the Hungarian community

In addition to institutions, he also called the congregations important, which have been the scenes of the renewal of the Hungarians for more than a thousand years, as

these communities stand against division, support one another, aid those in need, and breathe life and strength into their dwindling numbers.

Referring to Andras Visky’s book Kitelepites (Deportation), he described Transylvania as a place of resilience, citing the example of the author's father, a pastor of the Reformed Church. Despite being imprisoned under communism, he remained steadfast in his faith and, after surviving the darkest years of the dictatorship, returned to his family and resumed preaching from the pulpit.

Tamas Sulyok reaffirmed that the unity of the Hungarian nation transcends state borders, calling it a fundamental value. He stressed the importance of engaging with communities in their homeland and seeking ways to improve their circumstances, ensuring their stability. On behalf of Hungary, he wished Vilmos Kolumban to be the guardian and uplifter of Transylvania’s Reformed Church members, helping them walk the path of hope and faith in God.

The installation of the new bishop

"Hungarians in Transylvania belonging to the Reformed Church can now look to the future with confidence and pride, under the leadership of their new bishop," said Janos Nagy, state secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, during the installation ceremony of Vilmos Jozsef Kolumban as the new bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District in Cluj-Napoca.

Janos Nagy, state secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, speaks at the installation ceremony of Vilmos Jozsef Kolumban as the new bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District in Cluj-Napoca on February 1, 2025 (Photo: MTI/Gabor Kiss)

The church in Farkas Street was filled to capacity on Saturday for the ceremonial assembly of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District, during which Bishop Kolumbán, elected in December of last year, was officially inaugurated and blessed. The elected church officials also took their oaths of office.

In his address delivered on behalf of the government, Janos Nagy quoted the memoirs of former Transylvanian Bishop Kalman Csiha:"We must always and everywhere know who we are and what we are, why we exist and to whom we belong, and what we wish to remain". For more than five hundred years, all generations of Transylvanian Hungarian communities belonging to the Reformed Church have provided their answers to the questions raised by the late bishop, persecuted by the communist regime. Their history is testified by renowned Reformed Church colleges, proud churches with wooden spires, countless literary works, famous scientists, steadfast pastors, and Transylvanian princes.

The highway of Hungarian spirit

Janos Nagy added that the Transylvanian Hungarians of the Reformed Church have done all this for the benefit of the entire Hungarian nation. Because of this, Cluj-Napoca’s Farkas Street has become a "highway of Hungarian spirit," and churches and schools of the Reformed Church have stood as bastions of Hungarian culture.

He stressed that this work has continued with renewed vigor in recent years, mentioning the many church construction and renovation projects supported by the Hungarian government. These include newly built kindergartens and nurseries, which ensure the future of both the Reformed faith and Hungarian identity. The greatest achievement, he said, is that these buildings are now filled with life and spirit.

Peace, normality, family, and the preservation of the Hungarian identity are the signposts guiding us on our path,

he said, pledging the Hungarian government’s continued support for the church district and its new bishop.

In his sermon, Jozsef Steinbach, presiding bishop of the Synod of the Reformed Church in Hungary, highlighted that God is a blessing, and through Jesus Christ, He blesses people so that they may, in turn, be a blessing to others and fulfill their mission. However, divine blessings only come to those who live in unity and mutual faith.

Returning to the only foundation

Following his oath and blessing as the 47th Bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District, Vilmos Jozsef Kolumban spoke about the challenges of the modern world. He stated that the renewal so often desired can only occur if individuals themselves renew daily and commit to a life in accordance with God’s will.

We do not need to desperately search for the possibility of renewal; rather, we must return to the only foundation—Christ,

he declared, emphasizing that his episcopal service will be built upon this foundation.

Vilmos Kolumban, the new bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District (right) takes the oath before Jozsef Steinbach, the president of the Synod of the Reformed Church in Hungary (left) in the church on Farkas Street in Cluj-Napoca on February 1, 2025 (Photo: MTI/Gabor Kiss)

After the oath-taking, he stated that as bishop, he wishes to build the community both in Transylvania and across the Carpathian Basin, as symbolized by the robe he wears, a gift from the Reformed Hungarians of Slovakia, representing unity. He emphasized that

I wish to serve Almighty God and my church in a way that allows us to cooperate in the spirit of this unity with all those who serve God.

Emeritus Bishop Bela Kato described his successor as a praying, sincere, and humble man—resolute, compassionate, and proactive. He noted that while the Transylvanian Reformed Church District is financially stable and has an extensive institutional network, its congregational life remains insufficient. He encouraged his successor to strengthen the community and maintain relations with representatives of Hungarian arts, literature, culture, and politics while keeping his door open to both ordinary people and historic figures.

Hunor Kelemen, president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, emphasized the challenge of preserving the Hungarian community amid demographic decline. He acknowledged that sustaining the community is an immense task, requiring the efforts of many, but expressed confidence that Bishop Kolumban is well-prepared for the mission.

Hunor Kelemen, president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, speaks at the installation ceremony of Vilmos Jozsef Kolumban as the new bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District in Cluj-Napoca on February 1, 2025 (Photo: MTI/Gabor Kiss)

The 47th bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District was greeted at his inauguration by the leaders of the Hungarian, Romanian and German historical churches in Transylvania, and the representatives of the sister churches in Germany and Ireland, and those of the Armenian Protestant churches in Syria.

Cover photo: Vilmos Kolumban, the new bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District, at his inauguration in the reformed church on Farkas Street in Cluj-Napoca on February 1, 2025. (Photo:MTI/Gabor Kiss)