The three-metre-high statue is the product of years of effort. Local newspaper Krónika recounted that a tender for the statute was called by the parish of Saint Michael in 2001 and won by the sculptor Vince Bocskay in 2002. Three years passed before the artist's clay model was taken to a foundry in Hungary to be cast. Even after it was completed, the erection of the statue was delayed for years as the local council put off a decision to rent the nine square metres on which the statue would stand.
Archbishop of Alba lulia György Jakubinyi held the mass at the inauguration ceremony. Parish dean Sándor Kovács was the master of ceremonies.
The inauguration falls on the thousandth anniversary of the establishment of the archdiocese of Alba lulia, the 670th anniversary of the founding of the church of Saint Michael and the 70th anniversary of the ordination of Áron Márton (1896-1980) as bishop.
Because of his outspoken support for the Hungarian minority in Romania, Bishop Márton spent ten years under house arrest between 1957 and 1967. He died on September 29, 1980, at the age of 84.
Source: Múlt-kor
