Melega Miklós (szerk.): Remembering St Martin in his birth place (Szombathely, 2016)

an unprecedented figure in the town of ca 30,000 inhabitants at the time. Snjoyin^ rapt attention, the event was documented by countless photos and several arti des were published to report about it in the press both locally and nationwide. Later a book was published to preserve the event for posterity.4

The success and the significance of the celebrations lied in the fact that by addressing the people of the Diocese the event was no longer an internal affair of the Church but it became a celebration involving all layers of sodety.

Literature and notes

1 A szent ereklye megszerzése. - Szombat- helyi Újsá^ (hereinafter: SZÚ). 15"' dune 1913, 9. p4 ZsÁmtéKY ГПопгка Szent ITlárton elfeledett és megkerült ereklyéje^zombat- helyen - Vasi Szemle. 2016.5. sz 131-138. p.

“ A mai na^y ünnep. - Vasmegyei Napló. 17"’ dune 1913, L p^ Szent ITlárton - szülőföldjén. - SZÚ. 17 dune 1913.8. p.

^ ГПбг&ЗА rTTiklós: Az 1913. évi szombathelyi Szent tTlárton-ünnep. In: Slőadások Vas me^ye történetéről. 6. Szerk. ITIaysr László, TucsiK György. Szombathely, 2015, 149- 176. p. (Archivum Comitatus Castriferrei; 7)

4 Cssmpssz dános: Szent ITlárton ereklyéinek hazahozatala. 1913. [Reprint edition. 2013.] 144. p.

C

ount ITliKSs dános, the Bishop of the Diocese of Szombathely, was appointed in 1912. The bishop was trying to make sure that St martin, the patron saint of the Diocese is present in the Cathedral not only in his spirits but also physically—in the form of a relic The Saint's minor relics were held in the Dominican church only and in the chapels of the Bishop's Palace and the seminary.1

At the bishop's request the archbishop of Tours lifted a fragment of the Saint’s skull to the Diocese. Sent to receive the relic the delegation returned to Szombathely from France on 13 dune 1913. To cjive St martin coming home to his birth place a worthy welcome, cjrand celebrations of unseen scale were organised in Szombathely in concerted efforts by church and secular authorities alike. Worthy of a triumph procession, the relic was carried all over the streets of the inner dty on 15th dune, Sunday as part of a ojrand procession, starting from the church of the Szentmárton parts of the dty to the Cathedral where it was meant to be keptf

In line with an dent church traditions. the streets and squares the procession passed through were decorated with garlands made of gjreen twijfs and flowers. The houses were adorned with flacjs, decorative carpets were hungj from windows and the main entrance of the Cathedral was adorned with drapes. The procession was led by military guards of honour.followed by school children and a cjroup 100 little $rls, dressed in white, scattering rose petals in front of the horse-drawn coach carrying the relic Amidst the tolling of bells they were followed by priests, bishops, and monks; the leaders and hic(h-rank officials of the dty and the county; as well as the members of countless sodeties: and finally by pilgrims from parishes in rural areas, sin^in^ church songjs. To round off the celebrations a festive open air mass was held at the main Square, bursting at the seams with people. The relic was placed on the Cathedral's altar in an ornamental herma made for the occasion, thus creating another major centre in town, dedicated to the Saint’s veneration?

Some 30.000-40.0Q0 people partidpated in the event, which is

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Remembering $t martin

in his birth place