Tomorrow (Friday - August 20) is the celebration of St. Stephen’s Day in Hungary. This day is a public holiday and marks the transfer of the relics of the patron saint of Hungary to the city of Budapest, the country’s capital. It also commemorates the foundation of the Hungarian state. In 1771, Empress Maria Theresia declared this day an official state and church holiday.
Stephen, originally named Vajk, was the son of the pagan chieftain Géza but was baptized a Christian at the age of ten and was given the Latin name “Stephanus” (“Istvan” in Hungarian). In 997, a succession struggle between the Christian Stephen and his uncle, the pagan chieftain Koppany, ended in a victory for Stephen. As a result, the Magyar tribes were united into one nation and converted from pagan ism to Christianity, This victory made Stephen the first king of Hungary. King Stephen consolidated his power and transform Hungary into a strong state and protector of Western Europe during the Medieval Ages. He built churches all around the country and invited Catholic priests to help to lay down the foundations of Christianity.
Pope Sylvester II presented him with a crown (the Crown of St. Stephen, still a symbol of Hungary) as a token of gratitude. In 1083, Pope Gregory VII canonized Stephen and he has since been referred to as St. Stephen of Hungary. When the remains were removed from his original grave at Szekesfehervar, the right hand of St. Stephen was found intact. To this day, it is kept as a valued as a valued relic by the Catholic Church.
For more: Hungary’s St. Stephen’s Day on August 20, 2010 | Manila Bulletin
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