Prominent Hungarian Programs at the Holy Year Events in Rome

Pope Francis has proclaimed 2025 as a Jubilee Holy Year, a period of great ecclesiastical, cultural, and spiritual significance for the entire Catholic world. In connection with this momentous occasion, the Hungarian Academy in Rome, in cooperation with the Pontifical Hungarian Ecclesiastical Institute and the Embassy of Hungary to the Holy See, is organizing a wide range of Holy Year events, expressing the fundamental idea that Christianity and Hungarian cultural identity are historically inseparable. The programs, supported by Hungary’s Ministry of Culture and Innovation with nearly 100 million HUF, took place on October 7–8, with Anita Kiss-Hegyi, State Secretary for Cultural Relations, representing the Ministry.

The State Secretary opened the conference titled “Witnesses of Faith – Rays of Hope”, held in honor of the 50th anniversary of Cardinal József Mindszenty’s death and the beatification and 80th anniversary of the death of Magdolna Mária Bódi. The solemn event took place at the Hungarian Academy in Rome. In her opening address, the State Secretary emphasized that Catholicism is an integral part of Hungarian national identity and has been one of the most important cornerstones of Hungarian culture for more than a thousand years. The conference, held on October 7 in the presence of high-ranking state and church dignitaries, featured speeches by Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen, Ambassador of Hungary to the Holy See; Cardinal Péter Erdő, Primate of Hungary and Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest; and Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. The speeches were followed by a roundtable discussion moderated by don Roberto Regoli, Professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, with participants Cristiana Marinelli, Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen, István Takáts, and Tibor László Varga. The conference continued with a book presentation, followed by the personal testimony of Mária Bódi, niece of Blessed Magdolna Mária Bódi. The event concluded with closing remarks by dr. György Udvardy, Archbishop of Veszprém and an exclusive reception.

On October 8, the Feast of Our Lady of Hungary, State Secretary Anita Kiss-Hegyi attended the Papal Audience at St. Peter’s Square, where she personally greeted Pope Leo XIV together with Dr. Krisztina Lantos, Ministerial Advisor; Gábor Németh, Secretary of the Hungarian Bishops’ Conference; János Balázs, pianist, and his family; and Cecília Bárdos, First Counsellor at the Embassy to the Holy See. Later, the blessing of the mosaic of Our Lady of Hungary, located on the façade of the Falconieri Palace, took place, celebrated by Cardinal Péter Erdő in the presence of the diplomatic corps. On behalf of the Ministry, Kiss-Hegyi Anita presented gift packages to the Cardinals and Archbishops, including a miniature replica of the watercolor painting depicting the ornamental gate of the Hungarian Academy in Rome and an album from the Virágh Judit Gallery featuring works from the Roman School. The latter held special significance, as the Church was once a great patron of the Roman School, and the publication includes several works with ecclesiastical themes. The State Secretary also delivered a speech at the official reception of the Embassy of Hungary to the Holy See, where she was joined in greeting the guests by Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy See, and Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen, Hungary’s Ambassador to the Holy See. The celebration continued in the Liszt Hall of the Hungarian Academy in Rome, where János Balázs, internationally renowned pianist and recipient of the Kossuth and Liszt Ferenc Prizes, gave a brilliant concert. The evening concluded with a light projection show created by the Academy, reflecting on the lives and legacies of Cardinal József Mindszenty and Blessed Magdolna Mária Bódi, followed by a festive reception.

Jointly organized by the Embassy of Hungary to the Holy See, the Pontifical Hungarian Ecclesiastical Institute, and the Hungarian Academy in Rome, this two-day program series represented a particularly dignified and significant highlight within the annual sequence of events integrated into the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year celebrations. Supported financially by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, the events eloquently expressed the deep symbiosis between Hungarian culture and Hungary’s Christian roots.