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Holy Mass and procession on the feast of St. Stephen
Budapest, August 20. The solemn Holy Mass and procession on the feastday of King St. Stephen are one of the highlights of the year for members of MMLSz. This year more than thirty knights and dames took part: members of the Order of Malta and of the Order of St. John walked together in the procession. The Hungarian charity Service was represented by hundreds of volunteers under the flags of the various regional units, led by Fr. Imre Kozma and the two deputy presidents.
The Holy Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Peter Erdő, in presence of the President of the Republic János Áder and a number of other personalities. The homily was said by László Német, bishop of Nagybecskerek. Starting from a theme of the readings, he reflected on the difficulties of achieving righteousness, and on the primacy of the commandment of love; linking with the legacy of King St. Stephen, he emphasised the importance of our European identity, that of maintaining solidarity with all other nations, and of remaining faithful to the Holy Father in Rome.
This year's guest of honour at the celebrations was Cardinal Beshara Boutros Rai, Patriarch of the Maronite Church of ANtiochia and all the East, on visit from Lebanon. In this connection Cardinal Erdő underlined, in his introductory words, the close relationship that we have, and must maintain, with Christians of the East.
On the eve of the feast, members of MMLSZ participated, as in previous years, in the ecumenical liturgy celebrated in the Reformed church on Szilágyi Dezső square.
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