A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve: Studia Historica 10. (Szeged, 2007)

ORBÁN Imre: A római katolikus közösség története Kiszomboron

Év Keresztelések száma Temetések száma Esküvők száma 1970 51 63 13 1975 40 63 13 1980 32 63 11 1985 20 51 9 4. táblázat Összesített anyakönyvi adatok a kiszombori plébánián 1970-1985 között Lohmann Ferenc 1991-ig teljesített Kiszomboron szolgálatot. A rendszerváltás eredményezett némi megújulást, de ez nem hatotta át a katolikus népesség egészét. Ugyanakkor érzékelhető némi visszafordulás az egyház felé: 1992-ben már a korábbi adatokkal egybevetve kiugróan magas, 61 volt a keresztelések száma. Az esküvők száma ekkor 9, az eltemetetteké pedig 65. A 200l-es népszámlálás adatai szerint a falu lakóinak 61,4 %-a vallotta magát római katolikusnak. IMRE ORBÁN HISTORY OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH IN KISZOMBOR Due to the missionary activity led by the bishop Saint Gellért, along the River Maros around 1030 Latin rite Christianity gained dominancy. The papal tithe register of 1333 states, that Zombor was a significant ecclesiastical centre of the region. The region suffered from continuous Turkish attacks, and the campaign of 1596 either expelled or exterminated the remaining population. From the middle of the 17

th century Hungarian speaking Catholic population started to resettle in the region. First Zombor became a filial church of Makó, then from 1739 that of Csanád. In 1744 the Roman style rotunda church of the village was renovated, and a new aisle with a small wooden tower was built to it. The church was dedicated to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Zombor was an independent parish from 1753, and part of the Makó deanery from 1795. In 1776-1777 a larger aisle was built in the church. In 1783 Kiszombor became the property of Mátyás József Oexel flater Rónay), who owned a brewery in Nagyszentmiklós. As a patron the family supported the parish generously. Life of the village dwellers was controlled by religious and mundane regulations. After 10 o'clock at night, or in a prohibited period no event with loud music could be held. People did not perform prohibited jobs on church feasts; the believers regularly went to church, although it was remarked that only few of them sang during the services. In case of emergency midwives baptised the newborn. Markets and auctions were not held on Sundays and feast days. There was no case of public adultery or neglecting of confession at Easter. Regulations of the Fast were always kept. Children regularly took part in religious education. The veneration of the Blessed Virgin played a central role in religious life; an altar, a bell, pictures and statues were devoted to her. Also Saint Stephen was popular among believers. Several public statues were erected to his veneration. A characteristic local veneration of Saint John of Nepomuk formulated in the settlement. Saint John of Nepomuk could help especially in emergencies caused by water, i.e. by the tides on the River Maros. His statue is already marked on a map from 1805. In 1810 the Oexel (Rónay) family had erected another stone statue of Saint John in the village. The cult of Saint Wendelin was also in the focus of religious life, as the protector of agriculture, shepherds and domestic animals. Believers offered an altar, a votive picture and a bell to his veneration, but he is also depicted (similarly to Saint John of Nepomuk, the Blessed Virgin, Saint Joseph, Saint Michael and