“Dr. Vasile Lucaciu” Memorial Museum

Vasile Lucaciu was a Greek-Catholic priest, politician and memorist, born in the village of Apa on January 25, 1852. He married Paulina Șerbac, the daughter of a Romanian priest from the village of Potău, and they had 5 children. He was a priest in the town of Sâncraiu, but also a teacher of the Romanian language, history and religion. He was in conflict with the authorities of the time and went to the village of Şișești, where together with the parishioners he built a church in five years.

In 1892, Vasile Lucaciu was one of those who drafted the Memorandum, a petition submitted to Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary. This document requested social and political rights for Romanians in Transylvania. Vasile Lucaciu traveled to many important countries before 1918 to support the unification. He was not present on December 1, 1918 at the Great National Assembly in Alba Iulia, but the Governing Council mentioned his efforts.

“Dr. Vasile Lucaciu” Memorial Museum is housed in a house with an architecture specific to Câmpia Someșa area. It was built in 1847, especially for the cantor of the Greek-Catholic church at that time, i.e. Vasile Lucaciu’s father. The house became a museum in 1981 and consists of an awning and two rooms, one being traditionally furnished, and the other displaying documents, newspapers and photographs from the priest’s work. There are many important objects on display, but the original copy of the Memorandum deserves a closer look.