Pope Francis blesses Hungarian wine

Pope Francis received the government commissioner for national wine marketing, Pál Rókusfalvy, in an audience and gave his blessing to Tokaj and Hungarian wine in general.

It was not easy to obtain the blessing, which must have delighted the lovers of Ezerjó or Koccintós from the Danube-Tisza area. According to a government statement published by MTI, Hungary wrote to Pope Francis through the Embassy of Hungary to the Holy See, asking for the sanctification of Hungarian wine.

Then, apparently to sweeten the decision, Pál Rókusfalvy sent a total of 180 bottles of aszú to the Vatican in advance from 30 Tokaj winemakers through the Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency. The former radio presenter-turned-wine-government commissioner also took a special gift box of Tokaj Essence with him to the audience in Rome on 27 December, which coincided with the traditional St John’s Day wine consecration.

After the meeting, Pál Rókusfalvy said, “we have come to ask for the apostolic blessing of this Tokaji Aszú, and through it, of Hungarian wine and the work of the God-fearing Hungarian winemakers on the feast of St. John!”

Pál Rókusfalvy said that Tokaji wine is so important for Hungary that it is even in the hymn. On this occasion, Rókusfalvy gave Pope Francis a trilingual print of the hymn.

Read also:

• Want to taste Hungarian wines in Budapest? Come to these Christmas fairs