Magyar News, 1996. szeptember-1997. augusztus (7. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1996-09-01 / 1. szám
Volume VII, Issue I ^::í:ÍÍIf W 1» Bridgeport, September 1996 OUSAHD ONE HUNDREDTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONOUES! mr m by Rev. Stephen László Galambos, OFM Crosses from the time of the Conquest never seen in public before: Left.Jound at Tiszaeszlar, center and right from Sarretudvari A word or two about sources: Even before this review of our ancestors’ beginning turn to Christianity we need to consider our national origin. Because this latter subject is a formidable puzzle, we shall resist movmg beyond its surface, just enough to be armed with acceptable parameters and to be able to oversee the direction of our journey. Recently our national Chronicles regained their authority and stature, thus transmitting to us invaluable information from earlier resources, some of which are now no longer extant. However, the so called Finno-Ugric theory, that was artificially inflated by linguists, in isolation from all other disciplines, mostly to advance a “politically correct” view, is being reduced to a mere fraction of the original hypothesis, making way for a more balanced and provable view, one that allows freedom to confirm and further explore the strong leads of the Turkic and die Hunnic connections. Byzantine historians, Western Chronicles, Armenian, Russian, and Arab sources deserve to be credited here. This writer has been convinced by the lifetime scholarship of Gyula László, who patiendy gathered and scrupulously interpreted the massive evidence that emerged as a proven, safe and solid basis for the now acceptable view. According to his findings our nation’s formation in Central Europe had occurred in a slow process that commenced not in 895-6 A.D., when the last major wave of settiement took place, but much earlier, as our Chronicles mdicated. Gyula László is too modest to claim, but let it be said, that he almost single-handedly reversed the theory of our national isolation and discovered a colorful panorama of a multitude of peoples related to our nation and language, the discussion of which deserves more space, at another occasion. Experience outside Carpathia: As an introductory remark, let it be noted here that each of the following groups, the Scythians, the Huns, the Avars, the Turkic peoples, correspond to some fluid federation of peoples, whose empire extended across immense land masses. At one time the Hunnic Empire reached from the Korean Bay to the lands of Europe. As one Empire seemed to have disappeared, another rose out of the previous formation mostly just under another name. Our ancestors survived through these waves of mammoth conglomerates as a specific continuum giving us an ancient identity and history. Also, one specific people was given different names by different authors throughout the ages. For instance, the Huns were also called Heftalites by some, or Massagates by others, etc. The Turkic peoples are not to be confused by the later Turkish designation. Because a Byzantine author suggested that the Turkic people had a “high regard for the elements of fire, air, and water but that they worshiped the creator of heaven and earth as God,” many concluded that our ancestors were monotheistic. It was clear, nevertheless, that the Huns used the well developed and refined expression, “skyfather,” coming close to the Judeo- Christian of one God concept. Everyone knows that Asia Minor was evangelized by Saint Paul and the Apostle John himself, who created numerous centers of intense Christian communities. The Apostle Andrew is said to have founded the church on which Byzantium rose The Northern region of the Black Sea had Christian missionaries in the second century after Christ. The city of Bosporos, an important trading post for our ancestors had a highly organized and active Christian life. The Goths (who also joined the Huns) along the Danube accepted the heretic, Aryan form of Christianity in the fourth century. (continued on pages 4 and 5) Page 1
