A pilgrimage was held to mark the 825th anniversary of the canonisation of Ladislaus I (Laszlo) of Hungary in Oradea (Nagyvarad), in western Romania, on Sunday.
Delivering a mass at the city’s Roman Catholic Basilica-Cathedral prior to a procession honouring the 11th century king, Cardinal Peter Erdo, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, said Ladislaus had embodied chivalry during his reign as king and had lived an exemplary Christian life.
Addressing the thousands gathered for the pilgrimage, Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen described Saint Ladislaus as a symbol of the unity of Christianity, the Hungarian people and Europeanness. He said Ladislaus had demonstrated in his life that “not only are national devotion and Christianity not opposed to one another, but they are dependent on each other.”
He said national sovereignty and Christian evangelisation were especially important ideas today “when western Europe is disowning its Christian roots”.
Romania’s Minister of Religious Affairs Victor Opaschi said the role of saints was to create unity and build bridges between traditions and nations.
