The Szent István Pilgrimage House, renovated with the support of the Hungarian state, was blessed on Sunday in a festive setting at Hargitafürdő in Székelyföld. The facility operated by the Pauline monks can accommodate almost forty guests. The Hungarian state provided 2.2 million lei for its renovation.
The thanksgiving mass was celebrated by László Kerekes, auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gyulafehérvár. At the ceremony, the Hungarian government was represented by Miklós Soltész, the State Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office responsible for religious and ethnic relations.
In his speech after the mass, Miklós Soltész believed that the founder of the state, King St. István, also marked the path for today's Hungarians. Both in state organization, in the support and protection of the Christian faith, in the respect and eventual acceptance of foreigners, and in the defense of the homeland, the teachings of St. István determine today's conditions as well. Miklós Soltész specifically touched on the fact that Hungarians have tasks and obligations towards other peoples as well. He mentioned that the historic reconciliation of the Hungarians with the Serbs and Slovaks has been achieved, and relations with some leaders of Romania are getting better.
He also added, however, that we cannot allow "some people to force alien ideologies on us, drag us into another war, and make the peoples of the Carpathian Basin jump against each other." Miklós Soltész believed that adherence to faith and Christianity serves both the survival of Hungarians and neighboring nations.
Source: MTI
Photos: MTI/Nándor Veres
