Theology by the Slice: "The Church in Hungary"

Last Wednesday we heard a wonderful talk by Mrs. Annamaria Nickle. Mrs. Nickle was born in Hungary, and talked to us about the history of the Catholic Church in her native land.

Hungary is a small country in central Europe, about the size of Indiana. Its language is unique because it cannot be traced within the other linguistic families of Europe. About a third of Hungarians live abroad, much of the population having departed because of the Second World War. The country is predominately Catholic, about 60 to 66% so (at least in name), immediately followed by Calvinists, then Lutherans, and a small percentage of Jews, Orthodox and Muslims. Atheism, however, is quickly increasing among Hungarians.

 The state of Hungary was first incorporated in 895 AD, and it was inhabited by a pagan people. The early Hungarians loved their land, and were visited by many Christian missionaries on horseback. Ss. Cyril and Methodius also evangelized in early Hungary. In the ninth century, it became clear that if the people were to survive they would have to become Christian, and Grand Prince Géza began to establish Christianity.

It was his son King St. Stephen I, however, who chose to establish the Western church over the Eastern. St. Stephen received a crown from Pope Sylvester II, and upon receiving it he offered it to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thus, Hungary is called “Mary’s Nation” and Mary has received the title “Queen of Hungarians.” In fact, Pope St. John Paul II wrote a letter to the Hungarian people in 2001 calling the crown “the symbol of their national identity, of their history and of the thousand-year-old culture of their kingdom and, adorned with the title of ‘Sacred Crown’” and saying it is venerated as a relic. St. Stephen wanted to root out paganism and Christianity flourished under him. Under the dynasty begun by his son Emeric, Hungary has produced countless saints, including Saints Stanislaus, Hedwig, Irene and Elizabeth of Hungary.

The Turks occupied Hungary for 150 years. Although they had relative tolerance for the Hungarian people, Christians were treated as second class citizens. Islam, however, never took root in the country. The Protestant Reformation, on the other hand, did take root there, and the Society of Jesus was active in Hungary during the Counter-Reformation. Afterward, until the twentieth century, Hungary was a part of a dual monarchy with Austria.

Moving into the twentieth century, we see that the Church in Hungary greatly suffered under Communist rule, but also produced many inspiring heroes. Chief among these is József Mindszenty (1892-1975), the Cardinal-Archbishop of Eszterglom and Prince Primate of Hungary. Cardinal Mindszenty, an activist for religious freedom, was arrested on charges of conspiracy by both the Nazis and the Communists. He was brutally tortured, and even given mind-altering drugs. After being released from prison, he had to stay at the US embassy in Budapest for fifteen years. He finally left Hungary in 1971, and died in Vienna four years later. Cardinal Mindszenty is revered as one of the most dramatic figures in the fight against Communism, and the case for his beatification has been opened.

Another important figure is Bl. Vilmos Apor, Bishop of Győr (the uncle of theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar). During World War II, he protested against the persecution of Jews and offered protection to women and children. The Soviets discovered that he was protecting them, and he was shot during a raid. He was beatified in 1977.

The religious orders in Hungary also suffered greatly under Communist rule. In 1953, most religious orders were banned by the Communists, and their property was seized. With the exception of the Franciscans, Benedictines and a female teaching order, the orders were wiped out. It was forbidden to wear the religious habit. Most Jesuits moved to the United States. A group of Cistercian nuns, however, was able to survive underground and they attended Mass and prayed in secret. They never knew whom to trust, and they were constantly at risk of being discovered and arrested.

Having lost their buildings and property, it was incredible difficult for the orders to rebuild after the fall of Communism. Also, they had had no experience of Vatican II, and the priests who eventually came back were very old when they did so. It is interesting, however, that the most traditional orders have been doing the best; an order of Carmelite nuns, for example, has been doing so well that they built a new monastery.

Pope St. John Paul II visited in August of 1991, marking the first time a Pope ever visited Hungary. Things were very uncertain at the time, with the Russians still occupying the country. The Pope’s command “Do not be afraid” brought great comfort to the afflicted nation. He began his visit at the tomb of Cardinal Mindszenty, calling him a testament of devotion to Christ, the Church, and patriotism. He also praised the religious who had survived under Communism.

Mrs. Nickle concluded that Hungary is a nation of great beginnings, with many Saints and heroes, both Medieval and modern. Nonetheless, the country is confronted today by materialism, secularism and relativism. There is hope; recently, and to the European Union’s chagrin, the Hungarian parliament amended their constitution to define life as beginning at conception and affirming that marriage is between one man and one woman. Still, Hungarian Christians are in need of the New Evangelization to recover their wonderful heritage.

We thank Mrs. Nickle for her time in preparing this fascinating presentation.