August 20 – St. Stephen’s worldview relevant today, says Catholic Church head

The worldview represented by King St. Stephen “that we must seek a connection with the universe and a wholesome existence beyond it and organise our loves on the basis of this” is still relevant to this day, Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, told cultural television channel M5 on Monday.

St. Stephen felt responsible for his people and country and his actions were driven by his personal Christian faith,

Erdő said. His life was not about the weakening or disappearance of faith, but rather its strengthening and purification, the cardinal added.

St. Stephen found a way to preserve the culture and identity of his people under the changing circumstances of the time “and this harmony remains a point of reference to this day”,

Erdő said.

“When we think of St. Stephen, he holds a mirror to us [so that we can see] the responsibility we feel for our community today, the extent to which we seek out the will of God and the personal sacrifices we make to carry out His will,” the cardinal said.

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The Catholic Church head also said Bechara Boutros Rai, the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, has also taken part in the August 20 celebrations. Erdő said the patriarch could relate to the current situation in Lebanon, knowing that there are many refugees in that country. Erdő noted that

local church leaders always advise Christians living there to remain loyal to the land and faith of their ancestors.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI