William Penn Life, 2012 (47. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2012-01-01 / 1. szám
Crowning (jiory For 1,000 years, the Holy Crown has Inspired awe and brought hope to a nation by Kathy Megyeri Thirty-four years ago this January, the Crown of St. Stephen was returned by the U.S. government to its rightful owners, the people of Hungary. Before making the controversial decision to return the crown, President Jimmy Carter and his administration sought the advice and counsel of William Penn Association, as it was the largest Hungarian American organization in the U.S. In response, the WPA Board of Directors passed a resolution in December 1977 stating: "we, as loyal Americans of Hungarian descent, affirm the decision of our government to return the Crown to the Hungarian People, provided that: (1) Our government has assurance that the Crown will remain in Hungary as a National Treasure; (2) Our government grant to Hungary Favored Nation Status; and (3) Our government continues to champion the cause of Human Rights and Religious Freedom." The official delegation accompanying the Crown on its return included then-WPA National President Elmer Charles. "It was," President Charles noted, "an awe-inspiring sight in the spacious rotunda of the Parliament building in Budapest as this historical event unfolded." The sight of the Crown still inspires awe among those who visit it. Here, writer Kathy Megyeri offers her thoughts after seeing this vital part of Magyar lore and history. I never visit Budapest without going again to view the Hungarian Crown because, as most remember, it was returned to Hungary during President Jimmy Carter's administration, and I vividly recollect the controversy that accompanied that decision. On WPA's 2010 tour, led by Endre and Arlene Csornán, members saw the crown and the changing of the guard when they visited Parliament as part of their itinerary. The Hungarian Crown, although not an official state symbol, is regarded with particular respect in Hungary. It is called either the Holy Crown or Crown of St. Stephen and is not only a symbol but also an attribute of statehood. Its legitimizing role can be traced back to the time when King Stephen I was crowned by Pope Sylvester II. Magyar tribes, under the leadership of Chieftain Árpád, had settled in the Carpathian Basin in the center of Europe in the 9th century. But it was King Stephen I who converted his people to Christianity and founded the state of Hungary. He ascended the throne in the year 1001 and ruled until 1038 and was later canonized in 1083. After the canonization of St. Stephen I, the coronation regalia (in particular the crown) became relics of the king. The symbols of Hungarian royal authority-the crown, scepter, orb and sword-are Europe's oldest coronation regalia. The upper part of the crown with its enamel panels depicts the apostles and dates from the first half of the 11th Kathy Megyeri is a writer in Washington, D.C., and can be reached at Megyeri@juno.com. 12 0 January 2012 century, while the lower part was made toward the end of the century. Around 1170, the two parts-the so-called Latin and Greek crowns—were assembled into the crown we see today. From that century on, only the person who had the Holy Crown placed on his head was considered the rightful and lawful ruler of Hungary. Over the course of history, this crown was stolen, buried, smuggled abroad and even pawned. Whenever it was returned home, another national celebration was held. From 1260 on, the crown was termed the Holy Crown Xt and was held to be the crown of the first king of Hungary. Matthias Corvinus was elected king in 1458 but could only be crowned in 1464 after he had ransomed the Holy Crown for the vast sum of 80,000 gold forints from the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III. After this, a law was enacted to safeguard the coronation regalia. During the time of Matthias I, Hungary enjoyed a strong economy and army as well as a flourishing cultural life and was one of the most highly developed states in Europe.
