Province of Saint Stephen (Hungary)

PROVINCIA SANCTI STEPHANI IN HUNGARIA

NAGY SZENT BAZIL RENDI MONOSTOR
Kossuth ter, 25
4326 Mariapocs — HUNGARY

Beginnings: After World War II, only two Basilian monasteries remained in Hungary: the Monastery of Saint Michael in Máriapócs (founded in 1749) and the Monastery of the Sacred Heart of Christ in Hajdúdorog (founded in 1933).

In Máriapócs, the Fathers cared for a parish of about 1,600 people. The parish church, built in 1756 and fully restored in 1938, was raised to the dignity of a Minor Basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1948. It houses a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary and became a major pilgrimage site, attracting nearly 100,000 pilgrims each year. The monastery also ran a school with 300 children and hosted the novitiate.

In Hajdúdorog, the Basilian Fathers operated a minor seminary and a boarding school for 60 boys, along with a public chapel where the faithful could participate in liturgy and receive the sacraments.

In 1947, these monasteries were formally organized into the new Hungarian Province of Saint Stephen.

Struggles under Communism

At first, the Province grew quickly with many new vocations. However, the rise of the communist regime brought persecution. Schools and seminaries were closed, public pilgrimages were banned, and on December 2, 1950, the government dissolved all monastic orders and confiscated their property. Many Basilian clerics and novices were sent home and forbidden to study. Some priests were allowed to serve in parishes, while older monks were assigned to live with younger ones for support.

Diaspora and Renewal

During the Hungarian uprising of 1956, three young Basilian scholastics—Joseph Erdei, Vasyl Rakatsky, and Stepan Shkinta—escaped to the West. After completing their studies and ordinations, they served Hungarian Greek-Catholics in the United States and Canada.

In 1964, they purchased farmland near Matawan, New Jersey, and founded the Basilian Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Máriapócs. This was the first Hungarian Basilian community in North America, beginning with three priests, one brother, and two students.

Over the years, the Matawan community grew. They carried out parish ministry, organized pilgrimages, summer camps for boys, and social activities, while promoting devotion to the Virgin of Máriapócs. They built new facilities, including a summer camp, a large social center dedicated in 1973, and in 1981, a new monastery and chapel.

The Province of Saint Stephen (Hungary) – Today

Since 2020, the Province of Saint Stephen has been under the care of the Protohegumen of the Province of Saint Nicholas. At present, it has two communities: the Monastery in Máriapócs and a mission house in Budapest. The Province serves within the Hungarian Greek-Catholic Church and is committed to preserving the Church’s cultural and liturgical traditions. These traditions are treasured as a heritage that helps maintain the unity of the Basilian Order and the Catholic Church.