▁building ▁an ▁Orth odox ▁c athedral ▁in ▁Sib iu ▁began ▁with ▁Metropolitan ▁And rei ▁ Ş ag una , ▁who ▁in ▁the ▁aut umn ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁asked ▁Emperor ▁Franz ▁Joseph ▁I ▁for ▁permission ▁to ▁send ▁a ▁circular ▁to ▁his ▁dioc ese ▁request ing ▁that ▁pri ests ▁and ▁lay men ▁give ▁don ations . ▁He ▁sent ▁the ▁letter ▁before ▁Christmas ▁that ▁year , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁don or ▁was ▁the ▁Emperor ▁himself , ▁who ▁gave ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁gold ▁co ins , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁governor ▁of ▁Trans ylvan ia ▁with ▁ 5 0 , ▁ Ş ag una ▁with ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁flor ins , ▁and ▁many ▁others . ▁Don ations ▁continued ▁to ▁come ▁in ▁following ▁ Ş ag una ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 3 ; ▁the ▁corner stone ▁was ▁laid ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁August ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁when ▁Io an ▁Me ţ ian u ▁was ▁Metropolitan . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁free ▁the ▁space ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁c athedral ▁( which ▁took ▁up ▁five ▁lots ▁on ▁Mit ropol iei ▁Street ▁and ▁three ▁on ▁X en opol ▁Street , ▁where ▁it ▁also ▁has ▁an ▁entrance ), ▁eight ▁nearby ▁houses ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁demol ished , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁little ▁Greek ▁church ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 7 - 1 7 9 9 ▁that ▁had ▁her et of ore ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁c athedral . ▁ ▁Work , ▁coordin ated ▁by ▁city ▁architect ▁I os if ▁Sch