Hungarian Heritage Review, 1991 (20. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1991-01-01 / 1. szám
THE HOLY CROWN Pope Sylvester II had a strange dream one night. In his dream an angel came to him and spoke. "Many centuries ago, at the request of your predecessor, the mighty Atilla, King of the Huns, spared Rome. Now a later descendant of this Atilla is sending an envoy with a request to you. Young István, Ruler of the Magyars, is asking for a royal crown and for your Apostolic blessings. Give him the crown, because I say unto you, that the Magyars will become the shield of Christianity, and the sword of the Church. They will sacrifice and suffer more for the Christian faith than all the other nations on earth combined." This was the dream of the Pope, and lo, only a few weeks later, Archbishop Astrik, from the land of the Magyars, arrived in Rome with a splendid escort and abundant gifts. He asked in the name of Geza's son Vajk, who had been baptized and had received the Christian name István, for a royal crown. He was received with great joy. Pope Sylvester II sent back with him not only a Royal Crown, along with his apostolic blessings, but also a beautifully written letter. The letter said, "Pope Sylvester, Servant of God, to the leader of the Magyars, hail and blessing!" "With the power invested in us by the Almighty God, and the Apostles, we willingly permit, give and donate with our Apostolic Blessing, everything you have asked from us, namely, the Crown, the Royal Title, Esztergom's ecclesiastical metropolitanship, and the other bishopries. "Furthermore, with our Apostolic power, we allow, and request, that you and your lawful heirs and successors, whoever they shall be, may have the cross carried before them as an apostolic symbol. As befits an Apostolic King, you and your successors may manage and settle, instead of us, all the present and future ecclesiastical and church matters in your land." "Rome, March 27, 1000 A.D." As the Holy Crown began its journey from Rome into the land of the Magyars, a host of heavenly angels escorted it high on the sky, clearing the clouds away, stopping winds, rainstorms and flood-waters. Wherever the small group carrying the Crown passed through, flowers suddenly appeared on both sides of the road, even in the high mountain-passes where there was still snow on the ground. Many other wondrous things happened along the road. The cows gave more milk, the ewes dropped three lambs that year, pastures, meadows, plow-fields and orchards doubled their crops. Seeing these miracles, people along the way knelt down as the Crown passed by, and gave thanks to God, each in his own tongue, from the City of Rome, to the land of the Magyars. APPENDIX The father of István, leader Geza, great grand-son of Arpad, was already christianized, and had built several churches in the land. His wife, Sarolt, the mother of István, was the daughter of Gyula, Duke of Transylvania, and was raised in the Greek-Christian religion. Istvan's wife, the Bavarian Princess Gizella, brought German knights and —continued next page 32 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW JANUARY 1991
