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Hungarian Catholic Church Vatican	10th anniversary of the St. Gabriel the Archangel Family Type Orphanage in Veliky Berezniy December 12. The first family type orphanage in the Diocese of Munkacs, St. Gabriel the Archangel Orphanage in Veliky Berezniy, celebrated its 10th anniversary. Diocesan Feast in Munkacs The feast of our diocese and cathedral started with a high mass at 9.30 a.m. on November 11. The main celebrant was Mieczysław Mokrzycki Archbishop of Lviv; he was accompanied by Bishop Antal Makjnek and the priests of our diocese. A good number of faithful also attended the celebration from all over the Diocese of Munkacs. In his speech, the Archbishop told about the life of St. Martin of Tours. We search for love, freedom and justice throughout our life; Martin searched for these in God. Nowadays, many do not consider God as the source of freedom, but only see limits in Him. However, without God, we are nothing but homeless fugitives, who are not able to find the land of promise. Today's patron saint understood that the road leading to Eternal Good lies in following Christ. This is the road of truth, of love and of the cross - i.e. the road of life. Bishop Antal Majnek, greeted the Archbishop not only as a guest but also as a superior. When our diocese was established in 2002, it became part of the Archdiocese of Lviv. Following his greeting, Bishop Majnek gave his presents to the Archbishop, who, in return, presented our diocese one of Pope John Paul II's chasubles. As usual for these occasions, the Holy Mass was celebrated in two languages alternately, Hungarian and Ukrainian. The constant parts of the mass along with the canons, were told in Latin. The readings and the prayers of the faithful were read in Hungarian, Ukrainian, Slovak and German languages. Bishop Antal Majnek remarked: he counted representatives of eight different nationalities among the attendees; this fact expresses our catholicism very well, i.e. the unity of various nationalities in our church. Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki added the following: "In multicolourdness we have prosperity, and in unity we have strength." Following the Holy Mass, the faithful of Munkacs hosted a reception for the pilgrims coming from other parishes of the diocese. Due to pouring rain, a tent was set up in the churchyard for the agape. * * * Mieczysław Mokrzycki Archbishop of Lviv was born on March 29, 1961, in Majdan Łukawiecki, Poland. He was ordained on September 17, 1987. He acted as one of the secretaries to Pope John Paul II; he had the privilege to be among the few people at the bedside of the dying Pope. Pope Benedict XVI named him to become the coadjutor Archbishop in Lviv and ordained him as a bishop later that year in Rome, on September 29, at the end of the Ukrainian Bishops' "ad limina" visit. The Holy Father assigned him to serve as the Archbishop of Lviv on September 21, 2008 thus he became the retiring Cardinal Marian Jaworski's successor. He was inauguarted on November 22, 2008. His episcopal motto is: Humilitas (humbleness). The reminiscence of father Laszlo Zatyko for the beginning of the Franciscan Mission in Transcarpathia When I came to Vinogradovo in 1989, the formerly beautiful church was in miserable condition: the ceiling was soaked, the frescos were twirled together with the plaster, the place just could be entered after the rubble was carried away from the church with many lorries. The catholic priest was an old, ill person who was confined to bed; the believers - in the lack of better solution - had to come together for liturgy in the tiny chapel of the cemetery and if they had not enough place they had to come together under the sky with or without the priest. I was teaching Hungarian and Russian language at the high school in the city of Esztergom. Later, I was highly profiting from the knowledge of the Russian language because the Greek Catholic Church did not get the license for its operation in Transcarpathia at the end of the 80s. The believer - who were mostly ruthens speaking the Russian language well - went to Roman Catholic mass. So I decided to sum up the preaching in some Russian sentences. We were welcomed with great love by the Transcarpathian believers. Though it was not a usual place - in a peasant cottage built of adobe behind the yard of the "unyivermag" (department store in English) - where we have got accommodation. I felt at home from the first time in Vinogradovo. My first task was simply to be present in the lives of the believers. Among other things I played football with the youth, we went to the pitch from the high mass; they stayed readily at the catechism after the football. Their fathers envied their sons well being, so they decided to join us. That is how the community came into being from the younger and older people and they were suitable for the reconstruction of the church jointly. The house of God was mostly furnished as an atheist museum in the former Soviet Union. The walls were decorated with large, red veils, and communist ribbons and chants. There were mostly statues and paintings representing Lenin, Marx and other ideological models. The church in Vinogradovo did not have such a fortune (it was used as a storage and the stored materials has corroded the walls), but it would have been used as a museum the church would less be destroyed by the devastation of the communism. Everybody gave what he or she had ability to do to the reconstruction of the church from the community. Uncle Miska Szajko who was earlier, "in the Hungarian times" notary, went into the offices to obtain the necessary clearances. It demanded superhuman patience and perseverance in the "empire of stamps", in Ukraine. There was an architect, Uncle Pista Vilinyovskiy, who had been learning in Budapest. The reconstruction was leaded by him. There was a man for every profession; the others tried to help kindly and ingeniously. Everybody worked; sometimes they could persuade me to work too. Anna Horvath, a ceramist living in Beregovo, has sent to me her students and asked me to talk to them about Jesus. I asked her to prepare the Stations of the Cross. This is impossible - said Anna - because she is Jewess, not a believer and was a member of the Communist Party, and does not really know what the Stations of the Cross are. So I gave her one of father Denes Szedo's poem - excellent, former Franciscan poet who began his career at Babits, in the Nyugat - in which he wrote two-two lines about every station of the Stations of the Cross, and he drew them too. After Anna has read the poem, for my greatest surprise, she has burst into tears and said: "but this is my road, too". She has accepted the task of course. As Anna formed the road of Jesus from station to station, so formed Jesus the shape of Anna. The only trouble was that a one meter and seventy centimeter big work of art did not have enough places in the furnace of the panel flat. So we decided to ask the director of the ceramic factory. Rosenthal, who also had Jew origins, let us fire the ceramics in the furnace of the factory. He gladly agreed to our plan and accepted no money for his help. The reconstructed church was consecrated by cardinal Laszlo Paskai in 1991. Nowadays, the greatest in the lives of the Franciscans is also the reconstruction of the "destroyed churches" that are the disintegrated families, the fallen apart communities and the broken souls. This is a more difficult and important task than the reconstruction of the churches that are made of stone. How can we do it? We offer - with the word of Saint Francis - the fragrant words of the Lord, and from those who accept it a community is formed. The community of those who believe in Christ - with the words of Saint Paul - is the church of God. Saint Franscis' feast day at the Franciscans in Vinogradovo The ceremonial chant and high mass in Vinogradovo has begun at 5 p.m. at Saturday, 3rd of October 2009. It was shown to the believers by bishop Antal Majnek and by the members of the Franciscans friary. As the bishop told in his ceremonial speech: Saint Francis of Assisi - similarly to his patron saint - was the Saint John the Baptist and the prophet of his age. He and his companions revived and embodied the Word. That was the reason why they had so great impact on the people of the Middle Ages, who lost their ways in the desire to be wealthy and disobeyed to the principals of the Church, who became to be faithless in many of the cases. That was the reason why God sent Francis in the spirit of John the Baptist, who simply lives the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a faithful way. The essence of his teaching was the following: Be converted from your sins, pay attention to Jesus, heed to Him, and follow His hints and His Gospel. The secret of His holiness is so simple, because to add anything to it is unnecessary. If we decide to follow Francis, we have to face with that we have to become to be wore truthful in the following of Jesus Christ. The high mass was followed by the liturgy of the Saint Francis' feast day. The people present were shared in the ceremonial blessing of prior Jonas P. Ban at the end of the liturgy. Then, the believers arriving from closer and farther distances were traditionally taken part in love-feast at the local parish. Mariapocs - diocesan pilgrimage Our traditional diocesan pilgrimage, whose target is Mariapocs in every year, took place at Saturday on the 10th of October. Unfortunately, this year we could not held wake due to the reconstruction of the church. A high mass was held together with the priests present from our diocese by Jeno Schonberger, who is the bishop of the Szatmar diocese in Hungary and Antal Majnek, who is the bishop of the diocese of Mukachevo, to the pilgrims from Transcarpathia on Saturday at 11 o'clock. Deacon consecration in Khust A deacon consecration was held in Khust at the 11th of July this year. Andras Kvascsuk and Miron Petrenko - who were both born in Khust - were consecrated to deacons by diocesan Antal Majnek. The bishop warned the two new deacons in his preaching to form their lives to be similar to Jesus' who came among us to serve and not to be served by others. "It is important to have mutual love between us, because only in that case Jesus is among us. This is Him who creates the community among us, because just with the help of it can we live true Christian life" - stressed the bishop. The movements of the consecration were commented by Sandor Szulincsak, who is priest in Khust, during the ceremonial high mass to the people present, so that they can deepen better in the saint happenings. The relatives and friends of the deacons carried the sacrificial donations to the altar and this way the deacons could begin to fulfill their service. After the high mass everybody could welcome the new deacons personally in the yard of the church and their happiness adhered to both the younger and older ones. Deacon consecration in Uzhorod Sandor Mankovics theologian, who was born in Uzhorod, was consecrated to deacon by the bishop at the 27th of June. Sandor Mankovics prepared for the clerical service in Eger. The very first step of it was the deacon consecration. His youth community in Uzhorod, from which he started his way to the seminary, was also happy to take part in the ceremonial high mass. The Hungarian priests of the diocese were celebrating together with the new deacon. Andras Kvascsuk and Miron Petrenko, who were consecrated to deacons by the bishop at the 11th of July, were also there. Bishop Antal Majnek has warned the nominees to do their tasks worthy of a deacon and to live an exemplary life. He outlined the letter of the Holy Father, which was addressed to all of the priests of the world on the celebration of the Eve of Jesus' Heart. As a nice and sacrificial example for the life of a priest the bishop mentioned the life of the vicar of Ars - according to the letter of the Holy Father - whom the Pope specially attracted attention this year. At the end of the high mass the bishop asked the believers to pray for their priests with increased attention in this year and to also pray for the already existing and new clerical professions. Anton Gots' Golden Jubilee Mass in Mukachevo Anton Gots camillian father held his golden jubilee mass in the cathedral of Mukachevo at the 1st of August. The members of the camillian family have arrived for the ceremonial occasion from many places of Transcarpathia and two camillian sisters from Austria. Father Gots in his preaching remembered for his life in which there were many difficulties, but he was persistently helped by the Providence, that was the reason why he could step forward and scarify his life to the patronage of the needy in the spirit of Saint Camillus. Antal Majnek bishop, Martin Landwehr parish governor in Felso-Kerepec, Sandor Nemeth parish governor in Bene and Antal Michels parish governor in Mukachevo-Varpalanka were concelebrating with Anton Gots. The camillians were waiting for the believers arriving from farther distances with love-feast in the yard of the church after the high. Anton Gots was born in 1934, in Hungary, where he had to escape from during the II. World War. He was grown up in Austria, where he decided to enter the order of the camillians. The members of the order sacrificed their lives the help and care of the poop and ill people according to the ideas of their founder, who was Saint Camillus. Father Anton returned to Hungary in 1995 and become to be the prior of the order's monastery in Nyiregyhaza. Not only Hungary, but also Transcarpathia has a lot to thank to him, because he gave a lot of support to the needy in our diocese. Let God pay him back! The opening of the year of the priesthood in the Mukachevo Diocese Bishop Antal Majnek has opened the year of the priesthood in the frame of deacon consecration in Uzhorod at the 27th of June. With doing this he fulfilled the wish of the Holy Father who wanted that the dioceses open the year sacrificed to the priests in the frame of an outstanding occasion. Bishop Antal Majnek outlined the letter of the Holy Father in his preaching, which was addressed to all priest in the world in the celebration of the Eve of Jesus' Heart. As a nice and sacrificial example for the life of a priest the bishop mentioned the life of the vicar of Ars, Saint John of Vianney - according to the letter of the Holy Father - whom the Pope specially pointed out in his letter this year. At the end of the high mass the bishop asked the believers to pray for their priests with increased attention in this year and to also pray for the already existing and new clerical professions. The closing of the year of Saint Paul in our diocese The closing of the year of Saint Paul in the Mukachevo diocese has taken place at the 30th of June in Kiralyhaza (Vinogradovo district) in the frame of dedication church festival. The bishop was talking about the rousing personality of Saint Paul in his preaching. Saint Paul has told about himself that he was always listening to his conscience and this was highly appreciated by God. That is why God could convert him - preached the bishop. Paul's immediate, enthusiastic question was: "My Lord! What do you want me to do?" and this is the most beautiful prayer in front of God. He did not want to go farther according to his own visions, but he was waiting for the word of God. The Saint Paul litany was sung at the high mass, and the dedication church festival was traditionally closed by the Holy Communion procession and sacramental blessing. The Hungarian pilgrim group of the Mukachevo Diocese on the general questioning On Wednesday, January 21 a Transcarpathian pilgrim group was present at the general questioning. The Pope greeted them in Hungarian. This group arrived from the Mukachevo Diocese led by Laslo Mikulyak priest! The Pope greeted them with these words: "I am warmly greeting the Hungarian believers, first of all those who have arrived from Muunkach! The frequent confession and the holy communion helps us to preserve our union with Christ and his Church. I ask our God to bless You and your families. Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ!" Ecumenical week of prayer (January 15.-28.) These days we were praying with all our heart and soul all over the country and listened to the Gospel of God in churches of different denominations. We celebrated our union in Jesus' love every evening during the Ecumenical week of prayer. The believing communities of Hungarian churches shared together the encouraging force of good news and its hope raising message. The everyday physical and spiritual burdens, the decrease of our standard of living, the consequences of the financial crisis concern everybody. We feel it painful and unfair that the measures taken in respect of economy almost exclusively raise the burdens of pensioners, big families and the citizens with low income. It's important that not merely financial theories but the people's real needs, the responsible love towards them direct our actions. We are eager to cooperate with any good initiative which strive to carry out these aims. Confirmation in Palanok On January 4 Antal Majnek bishop confirmed eight young people. These young people have been preparing for this occasion for 2 years. Ishtvan Beresh parish priest in Palanok and Burkhard Nogga parish priest in Schonborn were also present on the festive mass. Masses began to be celebrated in Bukove Since January Antal Majnek bishop celebrates masses in Bukove. The masses are celebrated in the local greek catholic church for the time being. But the believers in Bukove began to plan the building of a roman catholic church. The state financial support of the church liceums may be stopped The Transcarpathian Hungarian church liceums may be left without state financial aid from the next year since according to the Ukrainian current laws the functioning of educational establishments of non-state forms of ownership can not be financed from the state budget. The question concerning the state financial aid suspension of the six Transcarpathian church liceums representing a high educational level is not entirely clarified. This question arose during the last weeks when the financial authorities informed the reformed liceum in the Uzhhorod region that from January 1-st they would not pay out the normative aid to the liceum. Ildiko Oros, the chairwoman of the educational committee of the Transcarpathian regional general assembly and the head of the Trancarpathian Hungarian teacher's union reported that this problem is connected with the fact that in Ukraine the ownership law was modified in such a way that the collective property came out as a form of ownership, that is why the fundamental rules of the church liceums registered as foundational establishments in the middle of the 90-s, had to be written down again some years ago. At this time the form of ownership of the educational establishments was changed into private form which was obligatory. But according to the current laws the private educational establishments are not maintained by the state, that is why the Hungarian church liceums may be left without normative state support. Laslo Brenzovich, the deputy-chairman of the Transcarpathian county council stated about this question: neither the county financial nor the educational major departments couldn't produce any official document concerning the state financial aid suspension of the church liceums. Both offices turned in this question for explanation to the Ministry of Finance in written form, but there hasn't been any answer yet. The Hungarian politician thought that the problem would be solved as there are other methods of financing the church liceums from state or self-governing sources. Source: MTI A SHORT HISTORICAL REVIEW Chronologia historica From the beginning till nowadays We can speak about the history, the life and the formation of the Mukachevo Diocese authentically if we also mention the events which preceded its foundation. Its history can be divided into four large periods: 1. The times preceding the formation of the Satmar Episcopate 2. The time of the Satmar Episcopate 3. The period following World War I 4. The events which happened during the existence of the Soviet Union and after its fall till nowadays * The times preceding the formation of the Satmar Episcopate As far as we know the Hungarians (and the people who joined them), who came to the Carpathian basin, got in touch with different religions. But still they had preserved their turk cult of God, the fostering of which was first of all the responsibility of the sacred prince kende. The Hungarian grand dukes were ready to adopt christianity in the 950-960-s. But the question of their joining the eastern or the western christianity was finally solved by the state of political affairs. The real organizer of the Hungarian church Anastaz-Astrik first was the archbishop of Kalocha, later of Estergom. He also organized the Hungarian catholic church locally on behalf of the pope and king St. Ishtvan. Each of the seven organized dioceses embraced vast territories. So did the episcopate of Transylvania, set up in 1009, to which the carpathian territory belonged till the beginning of the 14-th century. There are little data (prooved by written sources) about the life of christianity in the 11-th century. It is known that among the churches of Romanesque style in Transcarpathia the Uzhhorod-Gereny rotunda is of great importance. It is one of our most intact (unhurt) rotundas. There were more functioning parishes as well, for instance in Bobove, Dejda, Kigyosh, Janoshi, Velyka Bejhany, Syurte, Chornotysiv, Vinohradovo and Ardiv. Beginning from 1346 Transcarpathia became the part of Eger Diocese. Since that time churches were built in many places, not only in towns or cities. According to the memorandum which remained at the Vatican archives there are more than 50 churches in our area. * The times of the Satmar Episcopate The independent Satmar Catholic Episcopate was founded on 23rd March, 1804. On 9th August in the same year pope Pius VII. has legalized it. Besides Satmar county the new Episcopate included Maramarosh, Ugocha and Ung counties as well. The spiritual development of the diocese was determined not only by the history, but also by the things which the bishops believed to be important and which made the believers happy. By the end of the World War I the diocese was directed by the following bishops: 1. Ishtvan Fischer (1804-1807) paid particular attention to the organization of education. He set up an episcopal liceum, catholic high school and a theological college. 2. Peter Klobusiczky (1807-1821) dean-vicar of Ung divided the diocese into dean districts. He also encouraged the studying process in the country by establishing dormitories of high schools. Because of the great famine on this territory after the Napoleon wars his first task was the organization of the so-called "charitable centres and institutions". 3. Floriant Kovach's (1821-1825) poor health prevented him from the active apostolic work. 4. Janosh Ham (1827-1857) has governed the episcopate for 30 years. We can justly confirm that he has framed its aspect. His apostolic work and guiding played an important role in the life of the whole territory. 5. In the times of Mihaly Haash (1858-1866) the jesuit monks came back to their old monastic quarters. He also paid great attention to education. He published newspapers, books, started pedagogical courses. He set up orphanages and houses intended for taking care of sick people. 6. Laslo Biro (1866-1872) was the colleague of Janosh Ham, that's why it's clear that he also paid attention to the poor, elderly people, as well as to the studying youth. 7. Dr. Lerinc Schlauch (1873-1877) has set up clerical libraries at each parish. He installed and controlled school teaching in every Transcarpathian village. 8. Gyula Meslenyi (1877-1905) worked on the development of the world institutions. His cultural activity is also considerable. The change of the political boundaries in the times of Dr. Tibor Boromissa (1906-1928) caused some difficulties in the governing of the diocese. His social and charitable activities were the most considerable. * The period following World War I The period under the ruling of Dr. Tibor Boromissa bishop till World War I was rich in the establishment of new institutions and in steps towards the upturn of religious life. This was the period of the Hungarian Soviet Republic and the Trianon dictate of peace following it together with the dismemberment of the diocese. In this new situation the bishop tried to improve the relations between the diocese and the Romanian state. His legal authority had spread to the parish churches lying on the territory of Czechoslovakia. In such a way he set up the Apostolic Governorship of Uzhhorod. It is interesting that in spite of the frontier he ruled both the Hungarian and the Transcarpathian territories almost smoothly. During the period of his ruling the Canon Law Codex of 1917 came into force. He collated the partial diocesan creation of law with the new codification of canon law, and modified it according to the new codex. Dr. Janosh Scheffler, the public prosecutor of Vatican and teacher of canon law helped him a lot in this work. In 1926 bishop Boromissa also compiled the Fundamental Rule of the Satmar Diocese. After long sufferings he died on 9-th July, 1928, and chose Ishtvan Sabo as chapter vicar. Meanwhile on 7-th July, 1929 Vatican signed the concord with Romania, which contained a lot of derogatory parts with respect to the Hungarian catholic church of Transylvania. Beginning with this day the legal authority of the Satmar vicar over the hungarian part of the diocese which he ruled from 1-st October, 1923 with the help of the foreign vicar came to an end. At the same time the Satmar diocese lost its authority over the Carpathian part which belonged to Czechoslovakia and was ruled by the foreign vicar Dr. Abrish Tahy since 8 March, 1923. Irrespective of the frontier's settlement the Church carried the Satmar legal practice on. In 1930 an apostolic regency with the centre in Uzhhorod was established from the Carpathian part under Ferenc Svoboda's direction. According to the first Viennese decision (2nd November, 1938) beginning from autumn, 1938 there began a rapid organization of the ecclesiastical administration of the highland territories which went back to Hungary. Vatican united the parishes of the Satmar Diocese which got back from Transcarpathia to Hungary with the Merk Apostolic Governorship lying on the Hungarian territory. According to the bull published on 19-th July, 1939 it was placed under the legal authority of Ishtvan Madaras, bishop of Koshice. But very soon some further changes of the border took place. According to the second Viennese decision (30 August, 1940) most part of Partium and North-Transylvania went back to the motherland. On 23-rd July, 1940 (before the second Viennese decision) Vatican appointed P. Napholcz Pal SJ monk to be the bishop of satmar-nagyvarad region. The appointed bishop in this new situation offered his resignation to Vatican, which was accepted. The governing of the dioceses was entrusted to Aron Marton. On 17-th May, 1942 Dr. Janosh Scheffler took over the ruling of the Satmar Diocese together with Transcarpathia as a bishop and the Nagyvarad Diocese - as an apostolic governor. As a result of the second viennese decision the two ecclesiastical territories integrated into the Hungarian church organization. Transcarpathia joined the Satmar Episcopate again. The bishop considered his main task to adjust the partial law formation of his diocese to the local law formation of the Hungarian church. He became both the bishop and the consoler for his believers. He carried out his diocesan visits on the detached territories by himself. At the time of the war which swept through the territory of the whole governorship the bishop felt it his duty to strengthen his priests and believers by his personal presence as well. He visited Transcarpathia several times, but before the end of the war he visited the territory which was under his authority for the last time. According to the direction from Rome he marked his "tasks" everywhere. In such a way, in Transcarpathia he appointed the next general vicar, in case there would be some difficulties in the relations with the bishop or the vicar would be arrested. * The events which happened during the existence of the Soviet Union and after its fall till nowadays After the collapse in 1944 bishop Scheffler named Ferenc Pastor, the principal dean of Berehovo as the episcopal vicar of Transcapathia, since the church governing of Transcarpathia from the episcopal seat became practically impossible. He named another two vicars as well, who would rule the diocese in case of possible hindrance. As it is known from the older priests, one of them was Dr. Bujalo Bernat, the other - Jeno Segedi. According to the peace-treaty signed on 10-th February, 1947 the Satmar diocese was divided into four parts. There remained 13 parishes in Czechoslovakia, 27 - in Hungary, 40 - in Transcarpathia and 55 - in Romania. The soviet terror hadn't avoided the roman catholic church as well; its priests were usually convicted of treason and incitement to disaffection. It was extremely difficult to rule the church in such a dangerous situation. At the times when people's faith and strength were tested every priest was carrying out his duties in the spirit of Jesus Christ's teaching. Although the registration of births, marriages and deaths was officially forbidden, our priests still did it in secret. Only the rituals of mass and funerals were allowed, but it was forbidden to admit seminarists. A lot of books were published on this difficult period in Hungary and Transcarpathia as well. At the times when the terror had eased and more priests came back from the concentration camps, the State Church Office tried to take over the tasks of the church. They managed to make approaches to one or two priests, who tried to rule the Transcarpathian church with the help of the power given to them by the state authorities. In 1956 the state organs arbitrarily named Janosh Mesarosh and later dr. Zavodnyik Tibor parish priests of Uzhhorod as vicars. In 1956 the priests who were carried off came back from camps. The principal dean Bernat Bujalo returned home as well. He took over the governing, but soon he resigned because of his state of health. The assigned successor Jeno Segedi, the parish priest of Palanok, didn't get any state assent and wasn't allowed to rule. But in secret his word was decisive in the roman catholic church till his death at the age of 86. After Dr. Zavodnyik Tibor's death in 1985, Joseph Galambosh, the parish priest of Hust, was chosen as a vicar by the priests. He died in December the same year. Joseph Chati became the next vicar of Transcarpathia. At the times of communism the State Office of Church affairs regulated and controlled all the activities of the church. It wasn't allowed to appoint any priest to another place without the state's approval. The vicars couldn't publish a decree general and valid for every church because of the political oppression. The religious education of the children was punished most heavily. Despite his old age vicar Joseph Chati tried to unite the priests who lived here. He took every opportunity to organize meetings of priests. He reported his directions mainly orally. In these directions he spoke about the importance of prayer, religion teaching and apostolic activity. In spring 1989 when the cardinal of Estergom Dr. Laslo Pashkai visited Transcarpathia there began a decisive positive change in the life of the Transcarpathian roman catholic church. After this visit the leaders of Soviet Union allowed the service of Hungarian priests on this territory. On 1st November, 1990 there arrived monks from Czechoslovakia as well. On 28th March, 1992 the Holy See named archbishop Antonio Franco, the apostolic nuncio of Ukraine, as the vicar of the Transcarpathian roman catholic church. He arrived in Transcarpathia, Mukachevo on 13th August the same year and strengthened Father Chati in his position as a general vicar. In March, 1993 after Joseph Chati's death, archbishop Antonio Franco, having heard the opinion of the guest priests working here, named the parish priest of Solotvino Lajosh Hudra as his general vicar. He also appointed clerical councils and respectively vicars according to the language area. 26 June, 1993 was a joyful data, because on this day again after 46 years of pause a home priest Shandor Pap was ordained in Transcarpathia. On 14 th August, 1993 according to the decision of the Holy See the Transcarpathian Apostolic Governorship was established. Archbishop Antonio Franco, the apostolic nuncio of Ukraine, became the first apostolic governor. On 16th December the papal bull about the formation of the Transcarpathian Apostolic Governorship was announced in the roman catholic church of Mukachevo. It was difficult for the nuncio to rule the new church because of the distance. At Christmas and Easter he always met his local priests in Transcarpathia, otherwise he conducted the matters of the church with the help of the general and episcopal vicar Lajosh Hudra. On 9th December, 1995 pope John Pal II named the head of the Franciscan Mission in Vinohradovo Antal Majnek as the assistant bishop of the Transcarpathian Apostolic Governorship. He became the general vicar after Father Lajosh Hudra's death on 17th December, 1995. The ceremony of confering a mitre upon Antal Majnek took place in Rome on 6th January, 1996. It was carried out by pope John Pal II. The nuncio gave the new general vicar a free hand to rule the church except of ordaining and placing priests. On 7th October, 1997, half a year later the Pope named Antal Majnek as the bishop of the Transcarpathian Apostolic Governorship. The diocesan life was making great strides further. Since 1998 priests are continuously ordained in the church of Mukachevo every year. The great 2000 anniversary year was celebrated by the Transcarpathian diocese with great solemnity. The principal celebration took place on the day of bishop St. Martin, the patron saint of the Apostolic Governorship. On this significant occasion archbishop Nicola Eterovic', the apostolic nuncio of Ukraine, Marian Jaworski metropolitan archbishop of Lviv, Pal Reizer roman catholic diocesan bishop of Satmar and Janosh Semedi greek catholic diocesan bishop of Mukachevo were present. The central celebration of the Hungarian millenium took place on 20th August, on king St. Stephen's day in Solotvino. Here the bishop blessed a group of statues consisting of the statues of Hungarian saints. Since then more churches were consecrated by bishop Antal Majnek, among others in Klyucharky, Zabrigy, Chetfalva, Velike Muzhijevo, Uzhhorod-Bozdosh and Uzhhorod-Radvanka. The latest great occasion of the Transcarpathian diocese took place in Vatican on 27th March, 2002 on Holy Wednesday, when pope John Pal II gave the Transcarpathian Roman Catholic Apostolic Governorship the diocesan status. In such a way he established the Mukachevo Diocese for the roman catholic believers. He named Antal Majnek as its first diocesan bishop. On 27th 2002 the Mukachevo Diocese was announced with solemnity. On this day the installation of Antal Majnek, the first diocesan bishop of the new diocese, in his office took place as well. It was carried out by the cardinal archbishop of Lviv Marian Jaworski, the apostolic nuncio of Ukraine Nicola Eterović, the Ukrainian episcopal department in the presence of the diocesan priests and believers of Mukachevo. The list of names of the priests who were carried off between 1945 - 1956 Dezho Arvay parish priest of Vilok (Tisaujlak), he came back to Vilok, died in 1967. Dr. Bernat Bujalo principal dean of Uzhhorod, vicar. He came home being disabled, died in 1979 in Rativci (Kishrat). Zoltan Bako parish priest of Selmenci (Kishselmenc), came home being disabled, died in 1959 in Mukachevo. Kalman Bartfay principal dean of Vinohradovo (Nagysolosh). Having returned home he lived as a pensioner. He died in 1961 in Uzhhorod. Joseph Chati assistant priest of Mukachevo. His death sentence wasn't carried out. Having returned home he wasn't allowed for several years to go back to Mukachevo. Later he became the parish priest in Mukachevo, then vicar since 1986 till his death in 1993. Joseph Galambosh parish priest of Bene. Having returned home he became the parish priest in Hust, in 1985 he was chosen to be the vicar, but soon he died in the same year. Shandor Haklik dean of Rativci (Kishrat), he was taken away half paralysed, on the way he died. He is burried in an unknown place. Antal Heveli parish priest of Solotvino. When he came home he first served in Solotvino, later he was the parish priest of Svalyava till his death in 1999. Peter Homolya parish priest of Domanynci (Felshodomonya), died in 1981 as the principal dean of Berehovo. Agoshton Horvath parish priest of Dovhe. Having returned home he served in many places. He died in December, 1990 as the parish priest of Uzhhorod. Lajosh Hudra assistant priest of Berehovo. He returned home; he was the parish priest in Hust, Solotvino, died as a vicar in 1995 in Mukachevo. Ishtvan Lorincz dean of Storozhnica was arrested in 1945. Having returned home he died in 1979 in Holmok (Kincheshhomok). Ferenc Pastor principal dean of Berehovo, vicar, died somewhere in Siberia. Pal Plackinger assistant priest of Uzhhorod. He was in prison in Siberia. When he returned back he was the parish priest in Tyachiv, Vyshkovo, Ustychorna, then he had to emigrate to Germany. Since 1995 he was the tenant of the home for priests in Satmarnemet till his death on 8th October, 2002. Janosh Sheresh dean of Mukachevo. He returned home, died in 1958 in Mukachevo. Ishtvan Tempfli parish priest of Nevetlenfalu. Having returned home he became the parish priest of Ratovci, where he died in 1988. Erno Tindira parish priest of Barbovo, was arrested in 1945. He was expelled from Transcarpathia for a while after the amnesty in 1956. He could come back only before his death. He died in 1972. Dr. Joseph Toth parish priest of Serednye. He was arrested in 1945. After his release he was expelled from Transcarpathia for years. He died in Serednye in 1968. Gyorgy Tokesh dean of Hust. He returned home, died in 1973 in Hust. other fotos.. The Cathedral of Tours Saint Martin Mukachevo, which is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese, is divided by the river Latorica into two parts. The roman catholic church was built in the 14-th century. It was consecrated in honour of St. Marton. Probably the church had already existed at the time when queen Elizabeth, in her letter written in Berehovo (1376), allowed Mukachevo to engrave the picture of St. Marton on its seal. Queen Elizabeth often prayed here. In the 1370s the church was reconstructed. Later, in the age of Hunyadies, it was renovated. During the period of reformation many citizens of Mukachevo accepted the new faith and took possession of the church. In 1660 Zhofia Bathory gave the church, the vicarage and the school back to the catholics. In 1686 while Ilona Zrinyi was defending her castle, Caprara, the head of the imperial army, burnt down the town as well as the church. By 1725 the catholics had by and large set the building destroyed by the fire to order. In 1746 great transformations were carried out. In 1800 an altar was built for the church by order of the count Ervin Shenborn. The present altar-piece is also his merit. It portrays St. Marton on horseback as he is handing the half of his gown to a beggar. Later Marton finds out that it wasn't really a beggar, but the Christ himself. The picture was painted in Vienna. By the end of the 19-th century the nave was brought to such a condition that it had to be pulled down. Only the sanctuary, which was reconstructed into a chapel, remained from the old church. In 1896 on count Shenborn's initiative the construction of the new church was put forward. The count's family made a considerable contribution to its building providing half of the sum. The new church was built in 1905 by Marton Wagner, a master builder from Jasapat. He built it on the basis of Gyozo Czigler's plans in a different, eclectic style. The basement walls of the new church were blessed on 7 August,1904. The newly built church was consecrated with great solemnity on 24 September,1905. After 1945 the church was in need of renovation, but the permission for this was obtained only in 1967. The embellishment and the partial restoration of the cathedral is going on today. A new fence was built in place of the demolished one and the chapel was renovated.The picture of St. Marton which is placed at the high altar was also successfuly restored. In 2004 the diocese again started an outside renovation of the cathedral on the ossasion of the centenary of its erection. Unfortunately this work is not finished yet. On 27 March, 2002 the church became the cathedral of the newly established Diocese of Mukachevo. Its organ was built in 1913 by the Rieger Brothers from Budapest. At the entrance of the church one can see the altar-piece of the demolished church of Zhofiafalva, which is Viktor Madaras's painting. The picture portrays king St. Ishtvan as he is offering the crown to Virgin Mary and through her to God who takes care of us. Antal Majnek - diocesan bishop of Mukachevo Antal Majnek was born on 18 November, 1951 in Budapest. Having graduated from the Technological University in Budapest and having received the diploma of electrical engineer, he entered the Hungarian province of the Smaller Brothers' religious order named after Kapistran St. Janosh. This order was founded by Assisi St. Ferenc. He studied theology at the theological seminary in Estergom and Budapest. On 15 September, 1981 he took a monastic eternal oath. On 17 April, 1982 he was ordained in Budapest. After that he taught phisycs, technics and religious education at the Franciscan High School in Sentendre. In July, 1989 ater the change of regime Antal Majnek came to Transcarpathia together with his two franciscan fellow workers to serve the Hungarian believers. He served as a vicar of Hust in the regions of Hust and Tyachiv. Besides, beginning from 1993 he carried out his duty as a vicar of the Trancarpathian Hungarian believers. On 9 December, 1995 pope Janosh Pal II named Antal Majnek as a febian titular bishop, and the Trancarpathian Apostolic Governorship named him as an assistant bishop. Beginning from 17 December he became the vicar-general. The ceremony of confering a mitre upon Antal Majnek took place on 6 January, 1996 in Rome, which was carried out by the pope Janosh Pal II. From that time onward he was fulfilling his duties as the Transcarpathian assistant bishop of the Kyiv nuncio Antonio Franco. On 7 October, 1997 the pope Janosh Pal II named Antal Majnek as the diocesan bishop of the Transcarpathian Apostolic Governorship. On 27 March 2002 he was named as the first diocesan bishop of the Roman-Catholic Diocese of Mukachevo. His ceremonial inauguration took place on 27 September, 2002 at the Cathedral of Tours St. Marton in Mukachevo. The ceremony of inauguration was carried out by the cardinal archbishop Marian Jaworski and by nuncio Nicola Eterovic. The bishop is responsible for the matters of the Ukrainian Roman Catholic Episcopal Conference which are connected with migration and environmental protection. His episcopal motto: DOMINUS FORTITUDO MEA God is my strength EPISCOPAL OFFICE OF THE MUKACHEVO ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE 89600 Ukraine, Mukachevo, vul Miru, 15. POB: 76. Tel/fax: (38-031)-31-54670 / 54671 E-mail: mrkp.titkar@gmail.com Diocesan bishop: S.E.R. Antal MAJNEK General vicar: P. Peter Zharkovski Episcopal vicar: : P. Andrash Babaly Episcopal office director: P. Ishtvan Pogany Episcopal clerk: P. Janosh Molnar Legal adviser: P. Bela Bohan Administrators: Laslo Megyeshi, Kinga Nobilis Accountant: Maria Bubrjak DIOCESAN YOUTH AND ORGANIZING OFFICE 89600 Ukraine, Mukachevo, vul. Miru 15. POB: 76. Tel/fax: (+380-31) 31-5-46-70 e-mail: szervezo@rk.mk.uz.ua Office director: Katalin Megyeshi Colleague: Adrienn Cherbanich UZHHOROD CATHOLIC YOUTH OFFICE 89400 Ukraine, Uzhhorod, vul.Korzo 22/1. POB: A/44 Tel.: (+380-31) 22-3-45-94 Fax.: (+380-31) 22-3-55-86 e-mail: ukik@mail.uzhgorod.ua Office director: Natalia Varady DIOCESAN PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE 89600 Ukraine, Mukachevo, vul. Miru 5. POB: 76 Tel/fax: (+380-31-31) 546-70 e-mail: sajto@mrke.mk.uz.ua Office director: Zhuzhanna Papai Web-designer: Sabolch Bunda "NEW SPROUT" (ÚJ HAJTÁS) THE HUNGARIAN PAPER OF THE MUKACHEVO DIOCESE 89600 Ukraine, Mukachevo, vul. Miru 5. POB: 76. Tel/fax: (+380-31) 31-3-19-21 e-mail: mrkp.sajto@gmail.com Responsible publisher: S.E.R. Antal Majnek Editor-in-chief: Zhuzhanna Papai Editors: Marta Popovich Palojtay Sabolch Bunda Marianna Rishko ''LIGHT'' (SVITLO) THE UKRAINIAN PAPER OF THE MUKACHEVO DIOCESE 89600 Ukraine, Mukachevo, vul. Vatutyina 24. POB: 189. Tel/fax: (+380-31) 31-4-12-32 e-mail: tetuana@centrum.sk Responsible publisher: OFM Peter Zharkovski Editor-in-chief: OFM Peter Zharkovski Editors: Tatjana Reshetar Maria Siksaj Vikentij Trojanovskij DIOCESAN CENTRE OF CATHECISM 89400 Ukraine, Uzhhorod, vul. Volodimirska 76. (Correspondence address: 89600 Ukrajna, Munkács, Béke u. 15. Pf.: 76. Tel/fax: (38-031)-31-54670 / 54671 e-mail: szervezo@rk.mk.uz.ua) Director: Antal Majnek The Hungarian language section acting headmaster: Janosh Molnar Teachers: Antal Majnek Janosh Molnar dr. Ishtvan Heidelsperger Julia Kosinsky Laslo Megyeshi Administrator: Katalin Megyeshi The slavonic language section acting headmaster: OFM Peter Zharkovski Teachers: OFM Peter Zharkovski Ivan Levko OP Svorad Duda Janosh Molnar CM Anatolij Tovkan OFM Benedikt Scherban OP Simeona Hovancova CJ Marianna Komlosova OP Karmela Krimsova Julia Kosinsky Courses of training choir-masters Teachers: SJ Bela Bohan Janosh Monar Magyar Katolikus Egyház Magyar Katolikus Egyház - www.katolikus.hu Szent István Rádió - www.szentistvanradio.hu Katolikus linkek gyűjteménye - www.katolikus.lap.hu Magyar Katolikus Rádió - www.katolikusradio.hu Mária Rádió - www.mariaradio.hu Ferences Rend - www.ofm.hu Bencés Rend - www.osb.hu Ciszterci Rend - www.ocist.hu Premontreiek Rendje - www.opraem.hu Verbita Missziós Szerzetesrend - verbita.communio.hu Jezsuita Rend - www.jezsuita.hu Pálos Rend - www.palosrend.hu Minorita Rend - www.minorita.hu Piarista Rend - www.piar.hu Szalvatoriánus Rend - www.sds.org Szervita Rend - web.axelero.hu/osmeger Debrecen-Nyíregyházi Egyházmegye - www.katolikus.hu/debrecen Esztergom-Budapesti Főegyházmegye - www.esztergomi-ersekseg.hu Győri Egyházmegye - www.gyor.egyhazmegye.hu Kalocsa-Kecskeméti Főegyházmegye - www.asztrik.hu Kaposvári Egyházmegye - www.kaposvar.egyhazmegye.hu Pécsi Egyházmegye - www.pecs.egyhazmegye.hu Szeged-Csanádi Egyházmegye - www.szeged-csanad.egyhazmegye.hu Székesfehérvári Egyházmegye - www.szfvar.katolikus.hu Szombathelyi Egyházmegye - www.szombathely.egyhazmegye.hu Váci Egyházmegye - www.vaciegyhazmegye.hu Veszprémi Egyházmegye - www.ersekseg.veszprem.hu Pannonhalmi Főapátság - www.bences.hu Tábori Püspökség - www.ktp.hu Katolikus szervezetek, mozgalmak HÁLÓ - Katolikus Közösségek Hálózata - www.halo.hu Magyar Máltai Szeretetszolgálat - www.maltai.hu Ökumené Magyar Keresztény Portál - www.kereszteny.hu THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP 89600 Ukraine, Mukachevo, vul. 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