Gyökerek • A Dráva Múzeum tanulmánykötete, 2006

Frankovics György: „Minden nép a saját nyelvén virágzik!” Reformáció és a katolikus hitélet újjáéledése a török kori Dráva-melléken

Frankovics György: „Minden nép a saját nyelvén virágzik!" Reformáció és a katolikus hitélet újjáéledése GYÖRGY FRANKOVICS „Every nation flourishes in his own language!" THE REFORMATION AND THE REVITALIZATION OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH IN THE TURKISH PERIOD IN THE AREA NEXT TO DRAVA SUMMARY There are several valuable written documents from the early 17th century in Croatian and Latin about the actions of Croatian priests in part of Somogy and under Szigetvár. (Episcopical Archiv of Zagreb) In the period of Osman occupation the bishops in Pécs (1543-1686) did not govern their diocese from the bishop centre but from their home town, very often from Zagreb too. In the period of Osman-Turkish occupation not only in Pécs and its surroundings but also near Szigetvár in the area next to Drava and in the Southern part of Somogy county the number of Croatian population increased. Apart from the Bosnian Franciscans also secular priests (Hungarians and Croatians) and representatives from the Vatican, mainly missionary Jesuits in the occupational area looked after the Catholic believers. Benedikt Vinkovic became a titular bishop in Zagreb after gaining the dignity of bishop in Pécs. He continued letter writing in Hungarian with Hungarian priests who diminished in member very much, while he wrote his letters in Croatian or Latin to his Croatian priests. Earlier because of the work of Mihály Sztárai the keen reformer almost 200 villages' population converted to the Calvinist faith from 1540 to 1570 in Tolna, Baranya and Somogy counties. It is a less well known data that at that time also the population of other villages in the area near Drava river (Somogy county then) who became assimilated to Croatian culture converted to the new religion. For serving the Catholics bishop Vinkovic sent priests to the area of diocese in Pécs and lays into the empty priest positions in these villages. His primary interest was not just the collection of the church tax ("one tenth" 9 but also the strengthening and helping of the Catholic religious life. The Osmans did not interfere with the religious life of the population, for them the most important thing was the regular collection of taxes. At this time the population was considered dual taxpayer. Under the time of the new bishops-considering the bishops from Pécs or Zagreb - the situation of the Croatian and Hungarian peasants did not improve. 78