Budapest, Hungary: The Basilica of St. Stephen
About Saint Stephen of Hungary:
Born in 975 AD, Stephen was a pagan in the Magyars (The Magyar clans were the fundamental political units within whose framework the Hungarians lived at the time, before the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin). Stephen’s father, Grand Prince Géza of Hungary, converted to Christianity (his baptismal name was Stephen), although his Christian faith remained shallow and he continued to perform acts of pagan worship.
When he succeeded his father, Stephen adopted a policy of Christianizing the country……..not only for religious reasons, but political as well. He suppressed a series of revolts by pagan nobles and welded the Magyars into a strong national group. According to the Liber Pontificalis (The Liber Pontificalis is a medieval Latin collection of biographies of the popes from Saint Peter to the 15th century, originally covering up to Pope Stephen V (885–891) and later extended to Pope Pius II (1464) as well as other early sources), Pope Sylvester II sent a crown to Hungary, which was used in the coronation of Stephen I on December 25, 1000 or January 1, 1001.
The coronation was not only a political act but also an ecclesiastical one, as the Hartvik Legend and other medieval accounts note that it was accompanied by a papal blessing. The crown itself, known today as the Holy Crown of Hungary, was a symbol of royal authority and legitimacy, and its use for Stephen’s coronation set a precedent for future Hungarian kings.
This act formally elevated Stephen from grand prince to king, marking the beginning of the Kingdom of Hungary as a Christian realm under papal blessing.
Stephen established a system of tithes to support churches and pastors and to relieve the poor. Out of every 10 towns, one was required to build a church and support a priest. He abolished many pagan customs that involved violence, and commanded all to marry, except clergy and religious. He was easily accessible to all, especially the poor.
In 1031, his son Emeric died, and for the rest of his reign there were controversies over who would succeed Stephen upon his death. His nephews even attempted to kill him. He died in 1038.
We celebrate the Feast of Saint Stephen of Hungary on August 16.
Traveling to the Basilica of Saint Stephen in Budapest, Hungary:
The Basilica of Saint Stephen is in the city center of Budapest. It’s most revered object is the hand of Saint Stephen, kept in a reliquary in a side chapel. Millions of Hungarians still revere Saint Stephen for his devotion to the poor and helpless among his subjects.
Traveling to the Basilica of Saint Stephen in Budapest, Hungary:
Address:
Budapest, Szent István tér 1, 1051
Hungary
GPS coordinates: 47° 30′ 3.2040” N, 19° 3′ 14.3604” E
Visit the official website of the Basilica of Saint Stephen in Budapest, Hungary.