Demeter Zsófia - Gelencsér Ferenc: Örvendezz király város! - Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei. B. sorozat 51. A Fejér Megyei Múzeumegyesült kiadványai 8. (Székesfehérvár, 2002)
A tanulmány forrásai
Of course, all of the celebrations in 1938 were connected with the newly excavated Garden of Ruins, St. Stephen’s Mausoleum and sarcophagus and the common grave dedicated on 13th August, where the bones of the kings, family members, dignitaries and bishops uncovered in this area were given a solemn burial. On 22nd May 1938 the sun dawned brightly on the town. It was the day of the first national event of the jubilee year. The Champion Graduation Ceremony usually held on the Margaret Island in Budapest was this year planned for St. Stephen’s town, nearer his family Basilica, in his burial place. This was the first official celebration to take place in the newly excavated and fashioned Garden of Ruins. The 1,903 candidates standing on the adjoining roadway to the Garden of Ruins were later initiated by Governor Horthy. Afterwards the units performed a celebratory procession on the side of the Garden of Ruins. The Governor viewed the excavations guided by Bálint Hóman, and this was followed by the laying of the foundation stone of the Vitéz’ Headquarters. During all this the Governor’s wife lunched with the Bishop, and after this took part in the laying of the foundation stone of the Ladies’ Home and the opening of the Education Exhibition. Here she looked round the exhibition and listened to the speech choir led by Tibor Kovács. With this and a few short speeches the new St. Stephen Central Elementary School was opened, which contained the 1000th classroom to be built during Homan’s time as Religious and Public Education Minister. It seemed there was no end to the celebrations at this time! On the same day that the champions had been sworn in, the 34th Eucharistic Congress, which lasted until 29 May, had its preliminary sitting in Budapest, and the day after this, following a procession, the Holy Right Hand was taken round the country. Cardinal and Secretary of State, Eugenio Pacelli (from 1939 Pope Pius XII), accompanied by Giovanni Battista Montini (later Pope Paul VI) arrived together with 14 other cardinals, 37 archbishops and 196 bishops. The papal delegation arrived in Székesfehérvár on May 31 on the Triest fast train, and was greeted by Lajos Shvoy, Diocesan with a speech in Latin, and Pál Teleki, the Education Minister. Cardinal Pacelli’s homeward bound train on 31st May also stopped in Székesfehérvár and this time Archbishop Serédi escorted him to the border. Serédi then returned to Székesfehérvár for the reception of the Holy Right Hand. The Catholic Church officially started celebrating St. Stephen Year on 30th May, in Budapest, celebrating the discovery of the Holy Right Hand. The taking round of this relic aroused particular interest and veneration. The formalities were also quite special. The relic was transported in the so-called “Golden Train” in a special carriage, designed by Vilmos Urbányi and Lajos Márton. The carriage cost 19,000 pengős, and the cost of the travel 7070 pengős. The relic was transported in the glass middle part of the “chamber carriage”, accompanied by vicar general János Mészáros and guards. On 1st June 1938, a Wednesday, the Holy Right Hand arrived on the “Golden Train” in Székesfehérvár, its second stop. 238
