Celebration of unity – St. Stephen’s Day farewell for the third time in Tiszacsoma
The celebration of the founding of the state was praised for the third time in Tiszacsoma. The Pro Cultura Subcarpathica has been paying tribute to the memory of King Saint Stephen with a festival in the Beregszász district since 2015. The starting venue was Mezőkaszony, where the non-governmental organization inaugurated a bust on Friday, and in the afternoon its co-organizers awaited the worshippers and those, who were interested in the Memorial Park in Csoma.
The program traditionally began with a sacred liturgy in the local Greek Catholic church. After that, the Cultural Alliance of Hungarians in Sub-Carpathia (KMKSZ) held a commemoration. At the official opening ceremony, Mátyás Szilágyi, General Consul of the Consulate of Hungary in Beregszász, László Bakancsos, member of the board of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Ukraine and József Barta, vice-president of the Cultural Alliance of Hungarians in Sub- Carpathia held a speech and placed wreaths in front of the statue of King Saint Stephen.
ʽʽThanks to St. Stephen, we were able to stay in Europe. He was the one who founded a Christian state. The Hungarians already had a statehood before that, but in order to survive here in Europe, in a Christian world, it was necessary to found a Christian state. Therefore, we, his late descendants, can be forever grateful to King Saint Stephenʼʼ said Ildikó Orosz, President of Pro Cultura Subcarpathica, at the opening ceremony of the folk music section.
At the same time, with the performance of folk groups of the area, more than twenty craftsmen were waiting for those interested on a free session at the Pro Cultura Subcarpathica tents. Participants had a chance to try glass painting, beading, yarn weaving, wood carving, candle making, embroidery, felting and decoupage. There were also infinite rows at the tents of henna and face painting, also at the hairdressers as well.
The aim of the Pro Cultura Subcarpathica, non-governmental organization, since its formation, is to support young people working in different segments of culture. In Tiszacsoma they also gave opportunity to introduce a young band, the Ullie. Indicated by the large audience, singing and the applause it was surely a success.
The program ended with fireworks.
Stephen I Saint’s Day was supported and organized by Pro Cultura Subcarpathica, co-organized by the Cultural Alliance of Hungarians in Sub-Carpathia, the Greek Catholic Youth Organization and the Greek Catholic Diocese, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Ukraine, the Youth Association for Hungarian Culture in Transcarpathia. Also with the association of the House of the Hungarian Culture Foundation and the Beregszász district, the Consulate General of Hungary in Ungvár, the Consulate of Hungary in Beregszász and the government commission responsible for the co-ordination of co-operation and co-ordinated development tasks of Transcarpathia.
Kárpátalja.ma