Order of Malta

Vienna - Mariazell, 5 October. This year the MMLSZ participated as a delegation in the annual pilgrimage of Hungarians to Mariazell.

The day before, on Friday evening, we gathered at the Collegium Pázmáneum in Vienna, starting our pilgrimage with Holy Mass, celebrated by our chaplain, Rector János Varga. Afterwards Fr. János invited us to a pilgrims' dinner. 

On Saturday morning, eleven of us set off for the mountains. On the way, we visited the beautiful "black" church in Annaberg. The solemn Holy Mass at the Mariazell shrine began at 1 o'clock, celebrated to our great joy by our Head chaplain, Auxiliary Bishop Levente Balázs Martos, and concelebrated by Father Janó Varga.

The Bishop chose the story of Mary's Visitation to Elizabeth as the Gospel. " 'Blessed are you because you have believed', says Elizabeth during the visit. Faith is a devotion of heart and spirit, but it also seeks action. Concrete steps, often devotion and sacrifice. I am touched by the memory of the many, many of our countrymen who have prayed in this sacred place for their families, for their people, for peace in the world. They wanted to build not just a church of stone, but a spiritual church. Speaking out our own attachment and story is only a prelude to truly being mindful of others. As they say here in Mariazell, Magna Mater Austriae is also Magna Domina Hungarorum and Mater Gentium Slavorum - Our Lady of the Hungarians, Our Lady of Austria, Mother of the Slavic Peoples. How could she be for all of us if it were not for one and the other? It is precisely faith in the Creator and Caring God of us all that inspires, and indeed gives us the surest basis for speaking of equality, equal dignity, complementary and enriching qualities, while respecting and accepting with a simple heart the Creator's laws," - the Bishop said in his homily.

Magyar Kurír published a detailed report on the ceremony, which can be read (in Hungarian only) by clicking here.

After Holy Mass, we set out to the Stations of the Cross in the nearby forest, led by Bishop Balázs. On the way home, we stopped for dinner at a restaurant, and in the evening everyone went to bed tired, but full of wonderful experiences.

The next day, Sunday, we hurried to the centre of Vienna, where we celebrated Mass together with our Austrian brothers and sisters in the Church of the Order of Malta on Kärntner Strasse. Here, too, eight Hungarian members of the Order were present. Imre Ugron read the prayers of the faithful. Afterwards we were invited for coffee in the premises of the Austrian Grand Priory, where we had many nice conversations and got to know each other. We had lunch together in a nearby restaurant, and then everyone went home again. It was an unforgettable experience to spend a "triduum" together, to cultivate our community and to find each other in the conversations.

And we have a lot in common with Mariazell, so we would like to return next year to Our Lady of the Hungarians and be present as Knights and Dames of Malta at the annual pilgrimage of the Hungarians. For those who want to plan their participation now, the pilgrimage will be on 3-5th October. We, your fellow members living in Austria, look forward to seeing you all next year!

Katalin Kraetschmer De.H.D.

Photos by Ágnes Németh; participants.