In the footsteps of Mindszenty
Tours
József Mindszenty – or known by his birth name, József Pahm– is still one of the greatest figures of the Hungarian Catholic church in the 20th century. Several ecclesiastical buildings, sculptures, facilities, squares and gardens bear his name in Zalaergerszeg. He came to the Maria Magdalena Parish Church in Zalaegerszeg in October 1919, where served as vice-vicar for 25 years. Later he was ordained a bishop in Veszprém, the archbishop of Esztergom, and then cardinal. He was the last Prince Primate of Hungary.
The trail follows the attractions connected to József Mindszenty.
Sacral engrossment and secular tranquillity await every visitor in the garden built in the honour of Cardinal József Mindszenty, located in the vicinity of Jesus’ Heart Franciscan Parish Church.
The neo-baroque church and Franciscan convent was constructed with the initiative of József Pehm, better known as Cardinal József Mindszenty at the place of the stables belonging to the former cavalrymen’s barracks. When it was built, it was offered in honour of Charles IV, on whose consecration his widow, Queen Zita was also present.
The operating licence was withdrawn by the state from the Franciscan order in the summer of 1950, and therefore from the local Franciscans as well. The order got the cloister back in 1990, and Otto Habsurg- the son of the beatified Charles IV- participated at the festive opening ceremony, too.
The memory of the royal family is cherished on a painting on one of the church’s walls.
The monastery built for the Notre Dame Order between 1927 and 1929 stands tall like a castle. Its thick walls have witnessed adventurous, stormy decades. The order got the impressive building, which demands respect in all its greatness. A school operates inside its walls, which was named after József Mindszenty,who played a crucial role in the foundation of the monastery.
Mozgalmas története van ennek a Kosztolányi és Petőfi utca sarkán álló épületnek, melyet 1914-ben emeltek Metzner József tervei alapján. Pehm József apátplébános, a későbbi Mindszenty bíboros építtette Katolikus Legényegyletnek, később itt talált otthonra a Katolikus Hitközség. 1929-ben színpaddal bővült, 1945 után pedig filmvetítésre jártak ide a zalaegerszegiek. Több mint 50 éve étterem működik földszintjén.
It is no exaggeration to say that this baroque building is our city’s most monumental church, though how could we ever hope to exceed the praise of literary man and academician Dezső Keresztury, who was born in our city: “(…) artistically the most significant building of the town (…). It was constructed in the difficult, but in all its raggedness still alluring style of the Transdanubian baroque, and sat there extensively, lying low in the city centre like an attentive hen.”
A church stood here even in the 13th century, around whose walls the building with the two towers was built from 1747 to 1769. József Mindszenty served here as a parson at the beginning of his career.
The passage of time is most easily observed in Zalaegerszeg at the Mindszenty square, where the Maria Magdalena Parish Church is permanent, and its surroundings are temporary. No matter the fires, construction, a new road, the church always “prevailed”.