The retired Münkacsi County Bishop Antal Majnek OFM stayed in Transcarpathia to serve. During the war, although painfully many Hungarians left Transcarpathia, he sees an even greater need to help there. On March 8, a staff member of Magyar Kurír talked to him on the phone.
"They don't bomb here, there is peace. - He told. Refugees come here from all over Ukraine; many continue to Europe through Transcarpathia. I haven't thought of moving to Hungary yet. I could go back to the Franciscans, I don't rule that out. Before the war, I told the provincial father that I would like to return, but for now I would like to help here, because I know that there are few priests.
There are Hungarian villages from which more than half of the population has already fled, mainly young people and families. The older ones stayed. We don't even know the exact numbers yet.
I am here near the Csap-Záhony border crossing, in the third village, Ráto. There was an empty parish here that was renovated for me. From here I come to help, to hold Lenten retreats, until there is peace and it is possible to travel. Many refugees also arrived in our small village. We have four orphanages and a children's home here, and we have accepted them in all our community centers. Those who grew out of the children's home went to study in Hungary - now they are especially not going to move back to Transcarpathia. All guest rooms in the children's rehabilitation center are booked.
We pray, we all join in the rosary of mercy every day, which is prayed for peace in our whole diocese, in the whole of Ukraine, and maybe even in the whole world, and also at the holy masses.
Many packed up; if there was a problem, they would immediately go to the border. All five border crossings to Hungary operate around the clock. In the first days, many people crossed the border. Many fled on foot, now more by train.
We also heard horror stories from people. For example, a young couple had their wedding on Saturday, and the war broke out at dawn on Thursday. The next day, their house was among the first to be hit by a bomb, even the shelter was torn apart. The young couple arrived here from Kiev with their two brothers after a thirty-hour journey. The journey took twice or three times as long as usual, there were so many people, as they were also fleeing from the other cities to Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.
There are now many Ukrainian refugees, especially in the big cities, Ungvár and Munkács. Our charity helps them very well. They are now cooking free lunches for several times the previous number of people. Aid from Hungary is distributed to refugees in the other cities as well. Our followers are also happy to help. More and more people are letting people into their own houses.
Those who stayed at home are very well tested on merciful love.
The children have also found a good place with us, because among our orphans there are also plenty of Ukrainian speakers or from Ukrainian families. They play soccer together in the yard, it's nice to see how quickly they were accepted. Hungarian and Ukrainian children have always found common ground.
Until now we have heard of wars taking place in Africa and other distant places, but now this is so close that one begins to think that the airplanes that bring death may appear above our heads. And if God forbid, will this war grow into a world war? Surely, this can only be stopped if we turn to the God of peace, to whom the angels sang above Bethlehem. The Lord Jesus brought peace to the earth. Those who accept this will already have peace in their heads and hearts, and if these people unite, then the prophet's beautiful prophecy will come true: happy is the people whose God is the Lord.
Source, featured image and full interview: Magyar Kurír
