At the turn of the 11th century, St. Stephen became the first Christian king of Hungary. In the years thereafter, many of its rulers followed in his steps, leading the nation with a commitment to the Catholic faith.
Here at the National Shrine, St. Stephen is honored alongside a variety of Hungarian saints in sculptures and mosaics. As we celebrate the feast of St. Stephen of Hungary on August 16, we invite you to learn about three Hungarian saints who were instrumental in furthering Catholicism in their country.
1. St. Stephen
The first Christian king of Hungary, St. Stephen is best remembered for his efforts to establish churches in the country, as well as his great heart for the poor.
Although Saint Stephen was raised by a pagan family, he decided to follow Christ at a young age. On Christmas Day in the year 1001, Stephen assumed the throne as king of Hungary. Determined to unify the country under Christianity, he implemented a series of strict reforms, outlawing pagan customs while leading efforts to evangelize and build new monasteries and churches across the nation. But his rule was not without its difficulties; some of his nephews plotted to murder him, and his son Emeric suffered an early death from a hunting accident. In his later years, Stephen also experienced excruciating health complications.
Throughout his rule, Stephen assisted those in need. On one occasion, he donned a disguise to sneak unrecognized into a dangerous district and deliver alms to the poor. Unfortunately, his attempt was foiled by a group of ruffians who attacked him and stole the money he had on hand. But this didn’t stop Saint Stephen from continuing to do all he could to support the impoverished. Today, he is known as the patron saint of Hungary – you can find him honored in the Basilica in the relief sculptures flanking the Our Lady of Hungary Chapel.
2. St. Ladislaus
Born to a Polish princess and Béla I in 1040, St. Ladislaus grew up in exile. It was not until his thirties that he returned to Hungary with his brother Géza, who assumed the throne despite controversies over their cousin Salomon’s claims to rule. Following Geza’s death in 1077, Ladislaus began his reign as king.
Though Salomon had relinquished his right to rule, he rose up against Ladislaus multiple times, gathering the pagan Turkish Cumans to revolt in 1089. Ultimately, Ladislaus emerged victorious, and continued to distinguish himself with a powerful military presence. His expansion efforts included broadening the Hungarian borders in Transylvania and the occupation of Croatia in 1091, motivated largely by an intent to defend his sister, who was the widow of the prince of Croatia. He also brought Catholicism to the region; some sources credit him with founding the Bishoprics of Agram and Grosswardein in 1092.
During his rule, he tirelessly labored to eliminate heathen practices and introduced laws which helped his kingdom flourish. He passed away in 1095 amidst preparations for the First Crusade, and in 1192, he was canonized by Celestine III. Following his passing, St. Ladislaus was lauded as a heroic conqueror by his people in poems and legends for centuries to come. You can find him portrayed in the Basilica in mosaic tile in the Our Lady of Hungary Chapel.
3. St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Born in 1207 to Andrew II, King of Hungary, St. Elizabeth lived at the Hungarian court for just four years before being sent to central Germany. There, she lived with Landgrave Hermann at his splendid castle in Thuringia, and married Hermann’s son Ludwig, who trained to be a knight. When Landgrave Hermann passed away, Ludwig became sovereign of Thuringia at just 18 years old. In their opulent life at court, he and Elizabeth had many servants and comforts – but the extravagance disquieted her. One day, when she was in church, she removed her crown and placed it in front of the crucifix before falling to the ground in contrition. Overwhelmed by the incongruence between the excesses of the court and her Christian principles, she determined to practice justice and charity from that day onward. She dedicated herself to caring for the sick and the poor, burying the dead, and offering debt relief. She would even leave the castle to personally deliver supplies to those in need.
Tragically, Ludwig fell ill and died, leaving his brother to assume the throne of Thuringia. But his brother did not show compassion on Elizabeth; he banished her and her three children from the Castle of Wartburg. Fortunately, Elizabeth was blessed with two faithful ladies-in-waiting, who found homes for her children with Ludwig’s friends. For about a year, she travelled around caring for those in need until she was able to find refuge in the royal family’s Marburg castle. There, she founded a hospital, where she labored for the last three years of her life. Elizabeth also formed a religious community and became a Patroness of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis and of the Franciscan Secular Order. Less than five years after her husband’s death, she contracted a severe fever and died on November 17, 1231. The accounts of her holiness so greatly abounded that Pope Gregory IX canonized her just four years after her death.
Sources:
Butler’s Lives of the Saints, ed. Bernard Bangley.
“Ladislas I,” Britannica.
Rohling, Geraldine M., PhD, MAEd. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: Guide and Tour Book. Washington, D.C.: Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 2018.
Speech of St. Benedict XVI given on October 20, 2010, the Vatican.
“St. Ladislaus,” Catholic News Agency.