The Orthodox church will on Sunday take the unprecedented step of canonizing someone already revered as a saint by Roman Catholics, amid ceremonies marking Hungary's millennium as a nation state.
Published:
22 August 2000 y., Tuesday
Constantinople Patriarch Bartolomaios I will formally announce the decision of the Orthodox bishops to canonize Stephen I -- Hungary's founding monarch -- as an Orthodox saint, Cardinal Istvan Paskai told reporters this week.
Stephen I, the ruler of Hungary between 997-1038, was canonized by the Catholic Church in 1081. During his lifetime he campaigned to convert and settle nomadic Hungarian tribes and asked to be crowned by Pope Sylvester III, setting up a Christian state here in the year 1000.
Religious fervor is expected to grip Hungary from Sunday, when nationwide celebrations begin to mark the 1,000th anniversary of the foundation of their nation.
Precious relics -- fragments of the skull of Saint Stephen I (969-1038 AD) and his right hand -- arrived earlier this week on loan from a monastery in Dubrovnik, Croatia, where they have been kept for at least the past 450 years.
And after a break of 62 years, a Papal legate will attend the celebrations. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, representing Pope John Paul II, will read out a message from the pope to the Hungarian people.
Some 67 percent of Hungary's population of 10 million are Catholics, with only a minority in the Orthodox church. There was a rejuvenation of all religions when multi-party democracy was restored in Hungary in 1990, following 43 years of persecution under the Soviet satellite regime.
St. Stephen's relics will be carried in a procession through the streets of Budapest on Sunday and into the parliament building where the monarch's crown is on display.
Šaltinis:
Central Europe Online
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
Taxi driver Santiago Gori found a suitcase in the back of his cab stuffed with the equivalent of 35,000 U.S. dollars.
more »
Today 150 citizens from across the EU met top policy-makers in Brussels to hand over their recommendations on how to tackle the economic and social challenges facing Europe.
more »
These panda cubs playing in a Chinese nature sanctuary are lucky to have seen the light of day. Their pregnant mothers were rescued in the aftermath of last year's huge earthquake.
more »
The clock stands permanently at the time last year's huge earthquake hit the Chinese industrial town of Hanwang. The once-thriving town is now a ruin.
more »
A Spanish punter has won what could be Europe's largest lottery jackpot. The newly wealthy winner beat odds of 76 million to one.
more »
During the draw another five winners of the Danske Bankas monthly Scholarship award (a one off payment to the amount of 250 litas) were announced.
more »
In Mexico City people return to the streets as shops, restaurants and offices reopen their doors after a five day shut down to stem the deadly swine flu outbreak.
more »
The summit comes amid concern about the human cost of the recession in Europe.
more »
Opinion polls in Sweden suggest the Pirate Party could win a seat in June's European elections
more »
The European Parliament wants to make it compulsory for assisting spouses to have social security cover.
more »