Prohászka László: Polish Monuments - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2001)
the tenement blocks of the Seminary in Lósy Imre utca in District VIII. In the centre of the composition there is a representation of the Madonna of Czestochowa, carved from marble and placed on top of a pillar. It is flanked on both sides by larger-than-life- size figures of two Pauline monks praying on their knees. The sculptor of this work was a portraitist who aspired for precision of detail. Since the Pauline Order was not active in Hungary in the early 20th century, he wrote to Czlchostowa asking the order to send him a cowl so that he could use it as a model. “A friar called János answered my letter sending me his own felt cowl... Needless to say, 1 took great care to keep it in good condition and when I had finished the sculpture, I sent it back to him immediately,” Ligeti wrote several years later. The pillar supporting the Madonna representation and the figures of the Pauline monks (whose faces Ligeti modelled after the faces of Nándor Rótt, rector of the seminary, and Ferenc Robitsek, canon of Esztergom) were carved from Czech stone. The architectural design of the well was made by Emil Tory and Móric Pogány. On the front of the stone pillar, below the Madonna sculpture is an old Hungarian prayer which reads: AVE MARIA / Bend over the storm / with the light of your great heart / with the peace of your soul. / Look down at the Hungarians / from your heavenly throne / from your starry abode. /The inscription at the back of the pillar features a few lines from the ancient Hungarian national prayer beginning “Our Blessed Virgin Mary”: Before your son Jesus /pray for us / Because unless you do / We will all be lost. /Do not forget /about our sweet country Hungary / Do not forget about / us poor Hungarians. Carved into the frontal edge of the well-curb of the big pool is YOCI ARE ALL OUR HOPE, and, at the back OH DO HOT LEAVE US HOLY VIRGIN MOTHER. The ornamental well was erected by the Seminary within the area originally enclosed by its hostel buildings. A few years later the park was converted into a 47
