Pope Francis recalls the spiritual heritage of Hungary

Vatican City, 20 August 2013: The Hungarian people have the "human and spiritual heritage" and the "moral resources necessary to build a future of peace and fraternity", wrote Pope Francis in a message addressed to the President of Hungary, Janos Ader, on the feast of St.
Stephen, patron saint of Hungary. The whole of Hungary celebrates the feast of St. Stephan on August 20.

Cardinal Peter Erdo, primate of Hungary, presides over a solemn Mass on Tuesday afternoon for the liturgical Feast of Saint Stephan, in the square in front of St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, Hungary. The Mass will be followed by the solemn procession of the "sacred right" - relic of the Holy King, housed in the Basilica dedicated to him. The most important relic of the saint is the sovereign right arm, also called "sacred right".

Canonized by Pope Gregory VII in 1083, Stephen was the founder and first King of Hungary. After his conversion to Christianity, he became the evangelizer of Hungary.

During the period of Turkish rule, in fact, lost track of the hand of St. Stephen, which was found a few centuries later in the Dalmatian city of Ragusa and reported in Hungary thanks to the intervention of the Empress Maria Theresa. Subsequently, the relic was moved to the St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, where it is still preserved.

Around 1860 the procession of the "sacred right", which took place in the neighborhood of the Royal Palace, became hugely popular. Source: VR Sedoc