PHOTOS, VIDEO: Time capsule found in dome of Hungarian church
The time capsule was discovered in the dome of Sarlós Boldogasszony Church, containing a letter that is a century and twenty years old.
In a recent restoration project in Elek, the construction team stumbled upon an unexpected find. The past has once again surprised us in Elek, as reported by lelepo.hu.
Unexpected discoveries
Renovation work on the Sarlós Boldogasszony Church in Elek began at the end of October, funded by a HUF 120 million (EUR 314,173) grant from the Secretariat for Church and Nationality Relations. With this support, they aim to partially restore the copper dome of the church and cover it with new plates. However, as the construction team worked on the building, they unearthed something remarkable. In the process of renovating the dome, they uncovered a hidden treasure—a time capsule containing a century-old letter.
Hidden past
The time capsule was well hidden in the dome of the Sarlós Boldogasszony Church for over a century. It was placed there in 1901 during a renovation led by Pastor János Kramp, who presided over Elek from 1888 to 1913 and advocated for the renewal of the Elek church.
The renovation was deemed necessary because, in the pastor’s opinion, the town of Elek required a larger church. At that time, Elek had a population of ten thousand souls. Since the old church was already in a state of structural shambles, his vision was approved, and the reconstruction of the church of Elek began. The old church was renewed with a transept, and the arch was completely rebuilt. During these expansions and additional constructions, the secret time capsule found its hiding place for the next century in the dome, specifically in the globe under the cross.
Century-old secrets revealed
In the time capsule, a letter was discovered, written by none other than Pastor János Kramp. He greets readers by praising the Lord and details the renovation process, which researchers had assumed had secret donors until now. In the letter, the pastor reveals the names of his helpers who made his visions of the church come true. As it turns out, the Wenkheim family played a crucial role in the revitalisation of the Elek church, particularly Count Frigyes Wenckheim, Count Géza Wenckheim and Count Dénes Wenckheim, who were the primary patrons of the Elek Roman Catholic Church.
A renewed beginning
The plan is to reinstall the dome later this year, with facade renovations continuing in the spring. It is anticipated that a new time capsule will be placed in the renovated dome for future generations. Hopefully, the next discoverers will carry on this charming tradition that inadvertently began in Elek.