Magyar News, 1992. szeptember-1993. augusztus (3. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1992-09-01 / 1. szám
Volume III, Issue I. Bridgeport, Sept. 1992 Magyar News Monthly Publication in Cooperation of the local Hungarian Churches & Organization THE ADMONITIONS OF ST. STEPHEN THE LEGACY OF HUNGARY’S FIRST KING REFLECTION: BROTHER LÁSZLÓ, O.F.M. This brief review here is to acquaint the reader with a part of the great legacy of Saint Stephen, his ten Admonitions to his son, Saint Emery, whom he hoped to be his heir on the throne. Stephen was not only the towering statesman history recalls with pride, but a man of personal integrity whom the Universal Church honors as a saint and celebrates on August 16 every year all over the world. He died on August 15, 1038 A.D. It is most timely to consider these Admonitions of our first king, not only because these Admonitions allow us to capture the essence of the working philosophy of our founder, but because these guiding principles were for centuries the very foundations on which Hungary thrived as a welcome partner among the nations. There is even a more urgent reason today to consider these Admonitions. Currently the news from Hungary reveals that the nation of Hungary is at a moral, economic and governmental impasse as she is yearning to disengage from the claws of communism without clarity of purpose, and national resolve and a loss of their identity. Let us hope and pray that our brothers and sisters in Hungary re-discover the wisdom of St. Stephen and espouse our Christian heritage he had left for us all. We see at the center of the picture Saint Stephen standing with his raised left hand pointing to the apostolic double cross. On his right St. Emery is intently listening in a semi-kneeling position as his mentor, St. Gerard is looking on. The apostolic double cross has a special significance. Displayed and carried in front of the king, this apostolic double cross was an intentional token of recognition by Pope Sylvester II for Stephen’s apostolic commitment and zeal in converting the Magyars to Christ. The Holy Father wanted this double cross to be carried in front of the king to show the king’s authority and apostolic position in the Church. This double cross has become the nation’s symbol and, united with the crown, from then on it had become forever the essential focus of the national emblem. It symbolized the new identity of the united peoples of Hungary. Crown and cross united state and faith of the Hungarian peoples. He was generous and cherished the many different peoples that populated his domain. He said: “Weak and fragile was that state which spoke only one language.” This idea and legacy alone make Stephen transcend his contemporaries and lift him into our most advanced political philosophies. Today we marvel at his profound insight and wisdom he possessed 1000 years ago! He must have understood the resiliency of his people that uniquely survived many other peoples the Magyars mingled with or on their way passed by. When he wrote his Admonitions in Latin for his son, Emery, his hopeful future heir, he must have looked into the future as well to hand over the very best for his people in order to survive and continue. St. Stephen had an appreciation for the importance of friendly relationships with our neighbors. Many nations became our friends. He was also a great patriot. As our king, he loved his people: he often dressed up in different clothes and mingled among This picture, visible above the main altar on the cupola of St. Emery Church on King's Highway in Fairfield, Connecticut, is a portion of the original painting by Károly Lotz (1887) entitled "The Admonitions Given to St. Emery”, which is on display at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest. (Photo: Steve Havery) the people incognito. He had pity on the poor and the downtrodden. He built orphanages, hospitals and cared for the needy, giving them alms and protected them with laws and intervened in court cases when he saw any form of injustice. St. Stephen had a concrete appreciation for the richness and, therefore, the benefits of the presence of other civilizations. The presence of Slavic ingredient among the Magyars was appreciable. Stephen looked on this wisely as a plus. This co-existence with others was not all that new to the Magyar experience. Soon after 570 A.D. the Magyars had accepted into their midst three tribes of the Khazars which experience included the presence of Jews or the Jewish ingredient. This is significant and helpful in explaining the Magyars’ longrange hospitable profile toward other nationals and other cultures. In its century by century overall analysis of the Jewish experience in Hungary, the Jewish Encyclopedia testified to this open hospitality of the Magyars. Up to the Nazi avalanche in Europe, Hungary was the most preferred and secure place for European Jews. Toward his neighbors, King Stephen opened his (continued on page 3)
