Hungary marks Pentecost amidst extraordinary circumstances – Photos
Leaders of Hungary’s main Christian churches marked Pentecost with an ecumenical worship service at Budapest’s Matthias Church on Monday.
The church leaders prayed together for the victims of the novel coronavirus epidemic, the doctors treating the patients and thanked God that the epidemic was winding down. They also marked the centenary of the Trianon Treaty and prayed for the unity of the Hungarian nation.
Cardinal Péter Erdő, the head of the Catholic church, said that during the epidemic “God gave us a chance to discover what really matters in our lives.” The epidemic revealed that culture and education needed to survive and be reinvented. “
And most of all, we were happy to see that despite physical distancing we still have a strong desire for a social life and that our soul thirsts to meet God.”
Bishop István Szabó Bogárdi, parish president of the Reformed Churches’ synod, said that for 100 years now, Hungarians have had to “endure a lot of pain while learning how the truth will set us free and how mercy breeds hope”. This truth “shows that what we must build and unite on is not dependent on human will”, Bogárdi said.
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Bishop Tamás Fabiny, the head of the Lutheran Church of Hungary, highlighted the importance of the church leaders coming together for prayer during Pentecost, which marked the beginnings of the church. He also underscored the importance of confessing sins and practising forgiveness during worship.
The service was also attended by Zsolt Semjén, the deputy prime minister in charge of Hungarian communities abroad, church policy and national and ethnic minorities.
Source: MTI