▁of ▁Bla j . ▁Until ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁the ▁church ▁was ▁Roman ian ▁Greek - C atholic . ▁ ▁The ▁church ▁is ▁situated ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁bridge ▁that ▁cross es ▁the ▁T â rn ava ▁Mare ▁River . ▁Bu ilt ▁around ▁ 1 7 7 0 , ▁it ▁stands ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁previous ▁wooden ▁church . ▁Const ruction ▁was ▁undert aken ▁by ▁local ▁residents , ▁who ▁included ▁A rom an ian ▁mer ch ants ▁err one ously ▁described ▁as ▁" G ree ks ", ▁giving ▁rise ▁to ▁the ▁nick name . ▁The ▁icon ost asis , ▁artist ically ▁sculpt ed ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 6 , ▁was ▁later ▁painted ▁in ▁Br ân c oven esc ▁style , ▁as ▁the ▁initial ▁art ▁was ▁destroyed . ▁ ▁This ▁ensemble ▁was ▁pra ised ▁by ▁Nicola e ▁I org a . ▁Additionally , ▁it ▁was ▁linked ▁by ▁a ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁article ▁with ▁ Ș te fan ▁of ▁O c ne le ▁Mari , ▁a ▁painter ▁h ired ▁in ▁ 1 7 3 7 ▁by ▁In oc en ț iu ▁Mic u - K lein , ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ian ▁Greek - C atholic ▁Church , ▁head qu arter ed ▁in ▁Bla j . ▁As ▁the ▁Holy ▁Tr inity ▁C athedral ▁was ▁not ▁even ▁in ▁the ▁planning ▁stages ▁at ▁that ▁point ▁and ▁the ▁old ▁Greek ▁church ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁Roman ian ▁church ▁in ▁Bla j ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁author ▁concluded ▁that ▁ Ș te fan ▁had ▁painted