The 130th anniversary of Áron Márton in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Alba Iulia (Gyulafehérvár) began on Thursday in Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár) with a festive Holy Mass held in St. Michael’s Church. The commemoration was announced on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the birth of the late Transylvanian bishop, and its main purpose is to introduce his spirit and legacy to younger generations.
Áron Márton’s life was closely connected to Cluj-Napoca, and Thursday marked the 87th anniversary of his consecration as bishop in the main square church and the beginning of his influential ministry, said communications coordinator Csongor Böjte at a press conference about the commemorative year.
The Holy Mass marks the opening of the archdiocese’s events for the commemorative year, but the Romanian parliament has not yet passed the draft law on the national commemorative year. The Senate approved the draft proposed by the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) on Wednesday, but the decision of the Chamber of Deputies is still pending, it was announced.
In a video message sent from Rome, Archbishop Gergely Kovács of Alba Iulia recalled that Cluj-Napoca was the scene of Áron Márton’s early years, and that during his time as a young pastor, he also worked in the press and edited a newspaper.
As he pointed out, one of the main goals of the commemorative year is to convey his message to younger generations and familiarize them with his spirit and legacy.
László Kerekes, auxiliary bishop of Alba Iulia, emphasized that Áron Márton’s life is “not a past event, not history;” the faithful regard him as an intercessor and still seek his help today.
He pointed out that his teachings, sermons, and circular letters contain many values that are still relevant today, such as the question of conscience and the topic of religious freedom.
He emphasized that Márton is “not only an example to follow, but also a guiding light,” because the faithful believe that he still intercedes for them, the archdiocese, and the individual parishes.
In addition, a short animated film about the church leader is being made based on his legacy in Alba Iulia, which will be released in March-April. A multilingual exhibition about him will also open in Alba Iulia in the spring, with the aim of presenting his strong personality in an exciting way.
A creative competition has been announced for young people, based on an excerpt from one of Márton’s speeches, in which applicants must answer the question: what does Christianity mean to them in today’s world?
Csilla Lázár said that if parliament approves the draft law on the commemorative year and provides funding to the organizers, they will be able to better reach the Romanian public and publish more publications.
Ödön Szabó, RMDSZ member of parliament, said in connection with the national Áron Márton memorial year that Romanian politicians have initiated memorial years for many Romanian personalities, which are accompanied by funding and special attention from the Romanian public media.
No Hungarian has been celebrated yet, but according to the RMDSZ faction, Márton is a figure who not only speaks to the Hungarian community, but is also capable of earning everyone’s respect and communicating with people even in this turbulent world.
He recalled that the former bishop also lived in “turbulent times” and stood up very firmly and strongly for Christian values and the protection of minorities, never shying away from speaking out, expressing his strong opinions, and showing the way forward. He was also able to speak out decisively on majority-minority issues, for example in defense of minority churches, which is why his example is important, he said.
He added that Márton is also widely accepted in Romanian society, and the governing parties have also come out in support of the commemorative year as co-initiators. He said that the legislative process, which is being discussed in an emergency procedure, is halfway through, with the parliamentary committee report and the vote still to come.
In response to a journalist’s question, he said that during the commemorative year, the community will also be informed about the beatification of Áron Márton. Currently, based on the decision of the Holy See, he is entitled to the title of Venerable, and as a further step, a miracle, a miraculous healing, would have to be identified, documented, and then investigated.
Information about the programs for the 130th anniversary of Áron Márton can be found on the Roman Catholic portal Romkat.ro under the menu item Márton Áron 130.
Via MTI; Featured image: Wikipédia
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