Historical directory of Hungarian, Hungarian-descended, and Hungarian-speaking clergy serving abroad

Romzsa János

Romzsa János
Deceased
Birth data:
Rosszos, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Rosoŝ (Росош), Ukraine — May 27, 1901
Death data:
New Britain, CT, USA — February 14, 1963
According to another source: Duquesne, PA, USA
Denomination:
Greek Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:
diocesan
Diocese / Order:
Munkács (1927-ig) → Pittburgh, PA, USA
Ordination level:
priest
Priestly ordination:
Munkács, Csehszlovákia, currently Mukacsevo (Мукачево), Ukraine — October 14, 1924
Other name used:
Ivan P. Romza; John Romza
Biographical data
János Romzsa—referred to in American sources as Ivan P. Romza, and occasionally as John Romza—was a Greek Catholic priest of the Diocese of Munkács. From the late 1920s, he served in the United States, where, as a priest of the Greek Catholic Exarchate of Pittsburgh, he primarily provided pastoral care to Hungarian and Rusyn parishioners. His son, Victor G. Romza, also became a Greek Catholic priest and was later granted the title of papal chaplain (monsignor).

He was born on May 27, 1901, in Rosszos (Bereg County). His father was Sándor Romzsa, and his mother was Mária Thegze. He completed his theological studies at the Greek Catholic Seminary in Uzhhorod, and was ordained a priest by Bishop Péter Gebé of Munkács on October 14, 1924. His first assignment was in Alsókalocsa, where he served as an assistant pastor from 1924 to 1927.

In 1927, he emigrated to the United States and entered the service of the Greek Catholic Exarchate of Pittsburgh. His first posting in the United States was in New Britain, Connecticut, where he became pastor of the Holy Trinity Hungaro-Russian Greek Catholic Church. During his tenure, the steel-and-brick church that still stands today was built, and he played a pivotal role in its construction. Completed in 1928, the church stands as a testament to the parishioners’ solidarity and János Romza’s organizational efforts.

After 1932, he was transferred to Pennsylvania. According to Hungarian sources, he served in Leisenring between 1935 and 1938; however, American newspaper sources confirm that he was still the pastor of St. Stephen Greek Catholic Church at least as late as early 1940. His ministry likely lasted longer than Hungarian scholarship has previously assumed.

In the later stages of his career, he served in the Greek Catholic community in Duquesne, Pennsylvania. He retired from there in the late 1950s and then settled once again in New Britain.

He was a married Greek Catholic priest. His wife was Magdolna Medveczky (1904–1999), the daughter of Greek Catholic priest Endre Medveczky and Ilona Takács. They had several children, the best known of whom was Victor G. Romza (1929–2017), who was ordained a priest by Bishop Daniel Ivancho in 1954 and served the Byzantine Catholic parish of St. Michael in Campbell, Ohio, for more than fifty years.

János Romzsa passed away on February 14, 1963, at the age of 61. According to the obituary, after his retirement he lived for five years in New Britain, surrounded by his family and former parishioners. The Catholic press of the time paid special tribute to him as a highly respected priest of the Greek Catholic Exarchate of Pittsburgh.
Domestic service locations
From To Place i Current name, country i Church / institution Position
1924 1927 Alsókalocsa, Csehszlovákia Kolocsava (Колочава), Ukraine pastor
Foreign service locations
From To Place Current name, country Church / institution Position
1927 1932 New Britain, CT, USA Holy Trinity Hungaro-Russian Greek Catholic Church parish priest
1932 after 1940 before Leisenring, PA, USA St. Stephen Greek Catholic Church parish priest
1940 after 1958 before Duquesne, PA, USA parish priest, then retired
Life timeline
Birth
Rosszos, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Rosoŝ (Росош), Ukraine
Priestly ordination
Munkács, Csehszlovákia, currently Mukacsevo (Мукачево), Ukraine
Service in the homeland
19241927
Alsókalocsa, Csehszlovákia, currently Kolocsava (Колочава), Ukraine
pastor
Service abroad
19271932
New Britain, CT, USA
Holy Trinity Hungaro-Russian Greek Catholic Church
parish priest
Service abroad
19321940
Leisenring, PA, USA
St. Stephen Greek Catholic Church
parish priest
Service abroad
19401958
Duquesne, PA, USA
parish priest, then retired
Death
New Britain, CT, USA
Sources
Images
Photo
Click an image to enlarge. Navigation: ← →, close: Esc.
Places related to this person on the map
birth priestly ordination domestic service foreign service death burial
Related persons
Similar and related clergy
Citation for this entry
Romzsa János: personal record. In: Historical directory of Hungarian, Hungarian-descended, and Hungarian-speaking clergy serving abroad. Available at: https://www.diaszporalelkipasztorok.hu/persons_v2/view.php?id=943 (accessed: 2026-09-13).
Last modified: July 16, 2026 21:51 | Opened: 5 times