Folia Theologica 7. (1996)

József Török: History of the St. Paul order (A critical Study)

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J. TÖRÖK

the monastery of Sajólád in 1537 and ruined it. The Paulines of Csáktornya were drove away for a short time by György Zrínyi in 1570. The cases of arbitrary forceful take over could be endlessly listed.

Despite the poor general situation the Pauline order was the only one besides the Franciscan order, that could keep the continuity in some of the monasteries despite all the difficulties. These monasteries are as follows: Máravölgy, Lepoglava, Remete. The monastery of Máriavölgy situated far from the areas destroyed by the Turks and near Nagyszombat and Pozsony, the two catholic centres of the royal Hungary, could take over the role of Budaszentlőrinc after a while; it was considered as centre of the Order and gave home for the general provost. All the diplomas and documents of the order saved from the monasteries were collected here. The general chapters continued their gatherings. Lepoglava counted as center of the south territories. From 1700 it was the main place of the Croatian province. They gave up their own liturgy on the general chapter of 1600, they kept only some pieces of it.

At the beginning of the 17th century the Pauline Order could strengthen its positions in five places, that is it could get back four monasteries (Wondorf, Sátoraljajúhely, Lád, Terebes). In Pápa they founded a new monastery and so enriched the province. As during the occupation, the Paulines took an increasing role in the pastoral work in the occupied territories, then in the Hungarian Kingdom, later on in Transylvania, they were given a house, then a church in the town of Nagyszombat, also called Hungarian Parva Roma (little Roma) (1652). Nagyszombat, being the residence of the archbishop and that of the chapter, was considered at that time as center of the Hungarian Church.

Baroque Bloom, Forceful Death

After fighting back the castle of Buda in 1686 the Paulines wanted to return to the heart of the country. Therefore two monks started soon to search after the former monasteries of the order and to announce a just claim for them. The ruins of Szentlôrinc in the wildly growing forests were too far from the safe castle of Buda, the castle and the surroundings were already occupied by other orders. So the monks asked for land in Pest for the future buildings.

From the middle of the 17th centuries more and more donations were received in Máriavölgy near Pozsony, that assured the continuation of