According to the decision of the Székely National Council (SZNT) made in 2015, the last Sunday of October is the Day of Székely Autonomy. On this occasion, watch fires are lit at around 80 locations throughout Székelyföld, but also in Hungary and the Highlands.
The initiators are calling on the people of the Carpathian Basin to pray nationally and light watch fires, drawing the attention of the wider world to Székelyföld's need for autonomy.
Zoltán Gazda, the president of the Sepsiszék Székely Council, the organizer of the fire-lighting action, stated at his press conference in Sepsiszentgyörgy: for now there is nothing to celebrate, but they are persistently fighting for autonomy and believe that it will be achieved. He added: by lighting the guard fire, I also want to draw attention to the fact that the Székely people live in a state of disenfranchisement, that the Romanian governments treat Székelyland as a colony, a risk factor and an area to be assimilated.
Watch fires are lit at the borders of dozens of settlements in Háromszék
Háromszék was involved in the Székelyföld sentinel fire-lighting movement from the beginning. On Sepsiszentgyörgy, a guard fire is lit at the Pacé, above the Liba-csárda, on Sunday evening at half past six. Parliamentarian József Kulcsár-Terza and Szék President Zoltán Gazda will give a speech, László Csákány, president of the Szemerja-Görgő Egyesitét Közbirtokosság, will give a presentation on local history, István Pethő will sing with the guitar, the word will be preached by ft. Zsolt Incze, Dean of the Reformed Diocese of Sepsi. The event in Sepsiszentgyörgy is broadcast live by Magyar Televízió.
In addition, the flames of the guard fires flare up in other settlements of Triszék, such as Illyefalva, Szentivánlaborfalva, Sepsibükszád, Málnás, Málnásfürdő, Szotyor, Dálnok, Egerpatak, Étfalva-Zoltán, Maksa, Réty, Zabola, Kisborosnyo, Vargyas, Barót, Kézdiszentlélek, Felsőlemhény and Ozsdolá.
According to Zoltán Gazda, the locations are constantly expanding, so on the Facebook page . Those who cannot attend Sunday's vigil fire are asked to pray for autonomy in churches or at home.
Featured image: MTI
