Pope Francis is to preside over the final Mass of the International Eucharistic Congress, which returns to Budapest after 83 years.
Newsroom (August 21, 2021 8:10 PM – Gaudium Press) – Pope Francis will travel to the Hungarian capital on Sunday 12 September to conclude the 52nd edition. The event, initially scheduled for 2020 and then postponed due to the outbreak of the pandemic, will begin on 5 September with an opening ceremony in Heroes’ Square.
Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and Primate of Hungary, spoke about this important religious event, which is destined to enrich the love and understanding of the Catholic faithful for the Eucharistic Mystery.
“During the days of the Congress we will not just talk about the Eucharist, we will adore it. Adoration, when manifested visibly, can be convincing. At the opening Mass we will also celebrate the First Communion for thousands of children. I think that these elements and all the pastoral work behind them are a great comfort for faith in the Real Presence. I must say, however, that people in Hungary are not so ‘philosophical’: it is much rarer to find people who call themselves Catholics but do not believe in the Real Presence.”
“This is the centre of our worship”
He continued “In recent years we see that adoration before the Blessed Sacrament is becoming increasingly popular among young people. It is almost fashionable! Even during the preparations for the Congress we saw groups of young people contemplating the Eucharist in silence. It is a moment that deeply touches their hearts. It is a reality that we did not expect 30-40 years ago: at the time it was thought that adoration before the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance could be the manifestation of a baroque spirituality, but today we see, with joy, a reawakening. The important thing is that the attitude with which we adore the Eucharist is a clear expression of our conviction. We adore the one God Jesus Christ, God made man. This is the centre of our worship.”
The Cardinal went on to add “During the years of communism, we Hungarians were subjected to internationalist propaganda and our national culture was viewed with suspicion. With the collapse of the Soviet bloc, there was a rediscovery of the values of the people, cultures and identities. In the early 1990s, several sovereign states came into being and national identity was accentuated. This phase was followed by a wave of globalism. We must respectfully accept our own cultural identity and, by the same token, respect that of others. It is our faith that teaches us how to do this. In this regard, it is very important that in the Mission Cross – the symbol of the Congress – we have placed the relics of 20th century saints, blesseds and martyrs from all peoples. All in the same Cross, therefore in the same faith, for Christ who is one and only one. It is a great teaching and, not by chance, in the parishes where this Cross has been brought we see that there has been great participation, even of non-Hungarian religious and lay people. There are problems specific to Europe and to certain regions, but there are also problems common to all peoples. Why don’t we help each other to face them in solidarity?”
The Church is born from the Eucharist
In response to a question about if there was a common thread between the persecuted Christians at the time of the nascent Church, those in Hungary in the 20th century and those in the Middle East today, the Cardinal replied ” The Church is born from the Eucharist and the Eucharist is celebrated in the bosom of the Church, as the Second Vatican Council reiterated. There is a ‘dialectical’ relationship between the Eucharist and the Church. This Eucharistic event constitutes our communion with Christ and also the communion between Christians. This is also the fact that makes Christian community life live from generation to generation. In the 20th century, there were several Hungarian martyrs of the Eucharist. One of them was János Brenner, considered the new Tarcisio. This young priest was fatally stabbed after being persuaded to leave the parish to attend to a sick person. He took the Eucharist with him and held it over his heart as he was killed. When they found his body, the Particle was still clutched in his hand. Brenner was beatified a few years ago and is greatly venerated in Hungary. Besides him, we also wanted to remember many priests and bishops who celebrated the Eucharist clandestinely inside the prisons of the communist regime. We collected their relics and placed them inside the Missionary Cross that travelled all over Hungary. This Cross was a call to conversion and also to focus on the essence of our faith. The testimony of these saints, blesseds and martyrs confirmed our conviction that the bridge over which they crossed the abyss between life and death is still there. And that spring from which they drank still exists.”
Compiled from La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana