A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve: Studia Historica 5. (Szeged, 2002)

MIKLÓS Péter: A kisteleki római katolikus plébánia 1848/49-ben

PÉTER MIKLÓS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH OF KISTELEK IN 1848/49 On the history of Kistelek — after the monography of Lajos Vicsay in 1929 — two volumes of studies have already been published. One in 1976 compiled by Antal Juhász, the other in 1991 compiled by László Blazovich. The history of the settlement in 1848/49 was elaborated thoroughly by Lajos Vicsay (1929) and László Barta (1991). The religious life and church history of Kistelek was studied by Sándor Rostás (1991). In this study the history of the Roman Catholic parish is enlightened during the revolution and war of independence based on the data of the Episcopal Archives in Szeged. In 1848 the parish became unoccupied. The unpopular, aggressive and "Austrian at heart" vicar, Antal Szűcs (1803-1863) was driven away from the settlement, and later in April he resigned from his status. Instead the young and popular Pál Oltványi (1823-1909) became the temporal vicar until August. He was to debate with provost Antal Kreminger (1804-1885), also subdeacon of Szeged, conservative at heart. Not longer than for two months, only until September served at Kistelek József Rácz (1813-1894). The new vicar, the erudite and popular Ferenc Bezdán (1817-1864) acted during the war of independence and afterwards during the period of neoabsolutism. To the study some letters are attached from 1848 connected to the history of the parish at Kistelek. The original handwriting and punctuation is preserved. These serve as data to the local history of Kistelek and Szeged, to the study of ecclesiastical administration in the middle of the 19

th century as well as help to reveal the life of lower clergy in the diocese of Csanád. Szűcs Antal