Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/609

 HUNGARY

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HUNGARY

Apostolic King and Apostolic Legate, the right to have a legate's cross carried before him, and other privileges, but modern investigation has shown that the Bull of Pope Sylvester bestowing these honours is a forgery of the seventeenth century. After the return of Abbot Astricus, Stephen was crowned King of Hungary with the crown sent by the pope at Gran, 17 August, 1001. In settling the organization of the Church he placed at its head the Archdiocese of Gran, giving it as suffragans, Gyiir (Raab), Veszprem, Pecs (Fiinfkirchen), Vacz (Waitzen), and Eger. About 1010 he founded a second archdiocese, that of Kalocsa, which had as suffragans the Dioceses of Bihar, Tran- sylvania, and Marosvdr (later Csandd) which was founded in 1038. In this way the land was divided into ten dioceses, the Archdiocese of Gran being the metropolitan. The Benedictines settled in Hungary during this reign, and Stephen founded the Benedic- tine monasteries of Pannonhalma (Martinsberg), Zobor, Pecsvarad, Zalavar, and Bakonybdl; he also founded numerous other religious houses, including the convent for Greek nuns near Veszprem.

In order to provide for the support of the clergv, Stephen issued edicts concerning church tithes; he ordained that each tenth township should build a church and provide the priest with suitable land and servants for his svipport. The king was to supply the churches with all the necessary equipment, while the bishop selected the priests and provided the books needed. The laws of King Stephen also contain ordinances regarding attendance at Mass, observance of the church fasts, etc. With the aid of these laws, Stephen brought over almost all of his people to the Catholic Faith, although during this reign measures had often to be taken against pagan movements among the population — as against his uncle Michael (1003), against the Bulgarian prince Kean, and (1025) against Ajton. These revolts, although political in character, were also aimed more or less at the Catholic Faith. Stephen was able to suppress these insurrections, and could, therefore, hope that the Church would meet with no further antagonism. The confusion and wars over the succession, which followed the death of Stephen, and the stormy reigns of Kings Peter and Aba Samu (1038-46) soon brought about a decline of Christianity. A part of the nation sank back into the old heathenism, and in 104(i there was a revolt against the Catholic religion which led to the martyrdom of Bishop Gerhard, who was thrown by the insurgents from the Blocksberg at Buda into the river. The new king, Andrew I (1047-60), either

Coronation Mantle of Hungary

Purple tlama^k embroideretl in silk and ^old by Queen Gisela;

dated 1031; preserved at Budapest

could not or would not act energetically at first, and it was not until after his coronation "that he took strong measures against those who had fallen away from the Faith. After his death a small part of the population that was still pagan broke out into revolt, but this rebellion was quickly suppressed by King Bela I (1060-63). The internal disorders during the reigns of King Solomon (1064-74) and King Geza I

(1074-77) did great damage to the Christian Faith; ecclesiastical discipline decayed, antl many abuses crept into the Church.

During the reigns of St. Ladislaus (1077-95) and Koloman (1095-1114) the Church w-as reformed and many ordinances were passed against the prevailing abuses. In particular the synod of Szabolcs (1092) took decided measures against the marriage of priests. Married priests, as a special act of grace, were per-

Thb Holv Crown of Hungary Upper part presented to St. Stephen by Pope .Sylvester II f999- 1003), with enamelled placques of Christ and the Apostles, lower part'presented to Prince G6zcl by Emperor Michael VII Ducas (1071-78). with enamelled portraits of Christ, two Byzantine emperors, and various saints; preserved at Budapest

mitted to exercise priestly functions, but a new marriage was regarded as concubinage and such unions were to be dissolved. The synod also passed ordinances concerning the indissolubility of marriage and the observance of church festivals and Sundays. Other decisions were directed against the still existing pagan manners and customs. After the conquest of Croatia Ladislaus founded the Diocese of Zagnib (-\gram). He transferred the see of the Archdiocese of Kalocsa to Bdcs, and that of the Diocese of Bihar, founded by St. Stephen, to Grosswardein (Nagy- Varad). He founded new churches and monasteries and took measures for the conversion of the Bisseni and Saracens (Ishmaelites) who had settled in Hun- gary. Jjadislaus successfully resisted the invasion of the pagan Cumans. During the reign of Koloman the Church was largely under the influence of the royal avithority. Koloman claimed the investiture of the bishops for himself, made laws concerning the prop- erty of the Church, obliged the bishops to perform military service, etc. At a later date, at the synod of Guastalla, Koloman yielded the right of granting in- vestiture and agreed that the chapters should have freedom in the election of bishops. The reforms of Gregory VII were also adopted in Hungary. The clergy were withdrawn from secular jurisdiction, marriage was regarded as valid only when entered into before a priest, celibacy was enforced, and a number of ordinances beneficial to the religious life were passed.

The chief feature of the reigns of Koloman's suc- cessors Stephen II (1114-31), Bela II (1131-41), Geza 11 (1141-61), and Stephen III (1161-73), was the struggle of Himgary with the Byzantine Empire for national independence. These wars, however, did not check the growth of the Church. One of the most important events of this period was the synod at Gran (1169). It enacted that bishops could not be transferred without the consent of the pope, took the administration of vacant dioceses out of the hands of the laity, and obtained a promise from the king that the property of the Church should only be