Catholic Churches in Hungary [antikvár]

From the history of the Hungárián people and Church, it seems that our people, which has been Christian and European for a thousand years, must be used to constant renewal, resumption and revival. Time and again, the painstaking work of succeeding generations has been destroyed by national conflagrations and physical and intellectual struggles. Yet when Popé John Paul II visited Hungary in 1991, he could quote the words of the poet: "The Hungarians live, Buda still stands!" I am sure this vitality, this ability always to rise again, is prompted by faith in the risen Christ. So history springs to mind as one looks through this book, which testifies to the resource of the Hungárián Catholic community. Their resourcefulness is embodied in the churches which have been preserved from all periods, and from it springs the life and culture presented in this book's wonderful pictures of 131 Hungárián Catholic churches. Gratitude is due to the publisher, Hegyi and Company, for making this album available. Dr József Török and Dr Ernő Marosi have provided professional guidance on ecclesiastical and art history to accompany the 652 colour pictures. Learning about these churches, readers further afield can alsó gain a closer acquaintance with this country and its history, and explore the bordér country shared by Western and Eastern Christianity and their interdependent artistic traditions. It may even inspire in them a desire to visit these houses of God, so full of history and spirituality, and hear the song of praise to God and the congregation of saints. I hope the beauty that makes the relationship between God and man manifest can break through our linguistic isolation in Europe, bringing us closer to one another, and the common vehicles of our European heritage to the creation of a common future European home. If this book makes a small contribution to attaining that purpose, I am sure God's blessing will be upon its production and reception. / Archbishop of Eger President of the Hungárián Catholic Episcopate Eger, 1992 7 / Arc