Calvin Synod Herald, 2000 (101. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2000-07-01 / 7-8. szám
4 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD New Millennium Opened as Hungarian Reformed Celebrate Faith and Worldwide Unity Twenty-two thousand Christians gathered in midafternoon at the Ferencváros Stadium of Budapest to open the IV Hungarian Reformed World Federation Convention on June 30th. Calvin Synod’s five member delegation, headed by Bishop Louis Medgyesi, heard the keynote address by its president, Bishop László Tőkés of Transylvania, and a statement by Hungary’s Prime Minister, Mr. Victor Orbán, with President Árpád Göncz also present. Over four hundred black-robed Calvinist ministers served Holy Communion to the faithful at fifty Lord’s Tables set out on the stadium’s grass field. Then a young people’s choir of the same number was joined by a military band in rousing anthems of praise to God. A squad of military, accompanied by several more, trooped the colors of more than a dozen historical flags of greater Hungary, opening and closing the event in a grand parade of folk-costumed participants. The American delegation was prominent on TV and family or friends remarked they had been seen at home on their sets, as well as in national newspaper coverage. A new statute of John Calvin was dedicated the following Sunday morning in front of the Calvin Square Church in downtown Budapest, following a sermon there by Bishop Francis Vitéz, the First President of the Federation. His challenge to construct a new Calvinist church in the Fort Buda area, representing the two million Reformed in Hungary and at least another million and a half beyond its borders, was listened to attentively and aroused considerable interest. Thus began a series of celebrations marking the revitalization of the Hungarian Reformed Church to open and face the new Millennium in many cities of Hungary itself, but also in the surrounding nations where hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hungarians live, as did their forefathers for over 1100 years. They would conclude three weeks later in Geneva, Switzerland, where John Calvin, the great theologian of the Reformation preached in St. Pierre Cathedral and instilled new life into the Church. In addition to the two bishops, the Synod delegation included Auxiliary Bishop Béla Póznán, Synod Presbyter Edward Szabó, and Eastern Classis Secretary Rev. Albert W Kovács, who is President of the Eastern District of the American Hungarian Reformed Ministers’ Association. North America was also represented by Federation Chief Elder Steven Szabó, Bishop Alexander Forró of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America, and Rev. Zoltán Vass of Canada. Delegates attended from many countries of Europe and as far away as Argentina and Australia. Also seen briefly was an American tour group from the Hungarian Reformed churches in Ohio, and Rev. Stefan Török who was visiting his family in the Felvidék. At the Heroes’ Square on July 5th, Budapest site of a large Rev. Albert Kovács semicircular monument to the nation’s founders and defenders, wreaths were laid to honor Hungarian Reformation leaders Gábor Bethlen and István Bocskai. Again, the next day, some six thousand of the Reformed family travelled to southern Hungary in blazing heat to Ópusztaszer National Park for a service of rededication and communion. It is the site of the founding leaders’ agreement to unite the several tribes that constituted Hungary into one nation, like Independence Hall in America. Following the laying of commemorative wreaths, several benedictions were pronounced by representative officers, and one in English by Rev. Albert W Kovács - translated by Rt. Rev. Béla Póznán, and Bishop Vitéz gave a short speech and pronounced the Benediction in Hungarian. In the next weeks, the schedule took the celebration from the Alföld (Great Plain - Debrecen and Miskolc) to Transcarpathia (Beregszász, Ukraine) and Transylvania (Nagyvárad, Romania), to Felvidék (Kassa, Slovakia) and Délvidék (Feketics, Yugoslavia), as well as other cities with Reformed Churches. Hundreds of worshippers crowded great churches to hear sermons by bishops such as Rt. Rev. Drs. Lóránt Hegedűs of Budapest and Gustáv Bölcskei of Debrecen. Large choirs lifted up choral praises and inspirational poems moved hearts as well as minds as the challenges of the new Millennium opened doors of opportunity for evangelism and true faith. It was also a time for Americans to hear first hand about the suppression of the Reformed churches and of Hungarian language and culture in the adjacent nations. In Slovakia we saw the evidence of intentional denial of support for Reformed churches, so many needing urgent repair after forty years of Communist antagonism, while favored Roman Catholic churches were readily refurbished. However in Romania both Reformed and Roman Catholics received little help despite the government’s empty promises, while the Orthodox churches benefitted, even with new buildings. In these countries churches exist through taxation, so little comes by direct support, and the politicians control the purse strings. Unfortunately, in all of these countries, almost all of the schools and properties confiscated by the Communist governments still have not been returned to the churches, nor compensation reimbursed. Hungary itself has begun, albeit rather slowly, but little more than lip service has been paid elsewhere. Through the courtesy of the Bishop’s office in Budapest, and the hospitality of Dr. Hegedűs himself, numerous opportunities to participate in the Budapest area’s activities were proffered. Their communications director, Rev. Pápai-Szabó György, kept us informed and involved when ever possible in (Continued on page 6)
