Hungarian President in Transcarpathia: Hungary helps – PHOTOS

President Katalin Novák attended mass dedicated to Saint Stephen at the Roman Catholic church of Berehove in Transcarpathia on Tuesday.

“I have brought to you the power of fifteen million Hungarians,” she told the ecumenical event, where bread she had personally baked for the 20 August national holiday was blessed.

She said that despite all the current difficulties, it was good to celebrate with ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia. She added that during her last visit, the first candle of Advent was lit, and “I expressed thanks at the time and now want to thank again all those that persevere and stay here, building their communities and those that lead these communities.”

Novák said that during her upcoming talks in Kiev, she would tell her negotiating partners that “they can rely on Hungarians … Hungary helps”. “We expect that ethnic Hungarians can live here in Transcarpathia in a way that’s worthy of them and Europe,” she added.

Commenting on the war under way in Ukraine for 544 days, she said strength must be gathered, adding that her visit also aimed to help this. “Let’s gain strength from those Ukrainian friends that we can rely on,” she added, expressing hope that “we will have a common future, even if we cannot see the path leading to it now.”

She said strength could also be gathered from “our common thousand-year history”, the members of the community and work of aid organisations. “But first of all, let’s gather strength from our common Christian faith,” she added, and she prayed for piece together with the people who filled the church.

She also visited and laid a wreath at the bust of Saint Stephen and held talks with ethnic Hungarian politicians, as well as church and educational leaders in Transcarpathia.

Orbán meets Pope Tawadros II, leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Tuesday met Pope Tawadros II, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, in his office in Budapest, the prime minister’s press chief said.

The sides discussed the links and brotherhood between Eastern and Western Christians. Orbán said that Hungary placed great emphasis on supporting Christian communities around the world.

Pope Tawadros II thanked Orbán for Hungary’s help, including scholarships granted to Egyptian sudents, and noted the importance of supporting family values.

Pope Tawadros II is on a four-day visit to Hungary at the invitation of the Hungarian government.

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