Gulyás Katalin et al. (szerk.): Tisicum - A Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Megyei Múzeumok Évkönyve 23. (Szolnok, 2014)
A vallástudományi konferencia előadásai - Gecse Annabella: „…egyházy styljére nézve előkelőbb helyet érdemel…” Adalékok Méhi (Včelincei) XX. századi vallási néprajzához
GECSE ANNABELLA: ...EGYHÁZI STYLJÉRE NÉZVE ELŐKELŐBB HELYET ÉRDEMEL...” _______ADALÉKOK MÉHI (VCELINCE) XX. SZÁZADI VALLÁSI NÉPRAJZÁHOZ_______ Annabella Gecse because of his ecclesiastical style, it would deserve a more honourable place...” Additional data to the 20th century religious ethnography of Méhi (Vcelince) This paper came to existence as part of the research, the aim of which was to examine the religious ethnography in Catholic settlements of Gömör, in South Slovakia. The research was carried out between 2011 and 2014 in the following nine settlements: Rimaszécs and leányegyháza Cakó, Abafalva and leányegyháza Sajószentkirály, Velkenye, Méhi, Baraca and leányegyháza Füge, and Uzapanyit. These settlements are either the parishes or the out-parishes of the Rozsnyó episcopate. Méhi is one of the few Catholic villages of the Sajó valley that remained Catholic even during the time of reformation. It was a remarkable Catholic centre in a Protestant environment, which was also mirrored in the significant number of Catholic worshippers living in its out-parishes and the neighbouring lands whose religious attendance was the responsibility of the Méhi parsonage. The archive data from the first half of the 20th century are mixed but still telling. The data regarding the organisation of religious life and the sources of the living of the parish-priest do not really reflect the Church itself, but rather the village and its population. The date creates the image of an ordered settlement that deals with religion in practice. The importance of the objects, next to the orderly state of the parish- church and its equipment, is reflected in the outstandingly high number of road-side crosses (10). In its relation to sacred objects, the religious community of the village remained virtually unchanged till the end of the 20th century. Plowever, there was a considerable change: while the parish-priest had done great efforts for renovations, during this period renovations were initiated by worshippers rather than priests. Between 1949 and 1990, they did not forget about these voluntary obligations, but the era did not really favour this kind of activity in connection with the church. What makes the situation difficult today is the frequent change of parish-priests. Today’s worshippers are not satisfied with the attitude of the other inhabitants of the village either. In their opinion, the change of regime cannot be felt in the religious practices. Those who were socialized in the religious life of the 1940’s still practice that religion, however, this cannot integrate younger generations, and the priests seem to be unable to involve them. One priest managed to do that, but soon after he was transferred to a different parish. His opinion on Méhi (and on settlements in similar situation) is generally the same as that of the older worshippers of the village. The priest thinks that the situation of the whole area can only be saved, if the attitude of priests changes in such a direction that shows they want to be members of the community. 351
