Foundation of the Cistercian parish in Nagykarácsony: Dr. Debreczeni Sixtus (1945–1948)

Abstract

The parish was founded during the declining period of the Cistercian Order in Hungary. However, the construction of the church was completed during the heyday of the order’s activities in Hungary, but until January 1, 1945, it functioned as a filial church of the Előszállás Parish. It was established under rather difficult circumstances. The Second World War severely damaged both the interior and exterior of the church building. The first parish priest, appointed by the abbot, was Dr. Sixtus Debreczeni. Thanks to the devoted work of Sixtus Debreczeni, he managed not only to fix the parish building in a short time with his own funds, but also to create a well-functioning parish. The population living in the area knew and respected him, as he had lived and worked among them since 1942 as an assistant priest in the Előszállás filial church and therefore knew the local people well. The Nagykarácsony wasteland also became a part of the nationwide resettlement, so families with a different backgrounds and social habits were settled next to the natives. Despite efforts at the head of the parish to treat the settlers as equals with the parish priest, it was not possible. With the rise of communist power, the relations grew increasingly tense, which culminated in the physical assault on the parish priest by some settlers. The incident attracted national attention, but the ever-strengthening power played down the incident. From this point on, the vicar’s days at the head of the parish were numbered. Assessing the situation, Abbot Endrédy Vendel of Zirci transferred the vicar to Eger in October 1948, but following the dissolution of the monastic orders on 7 November 1950, his activities had to be officially terminated. Debreczeni, despite the official dissolution of the monastic orders by the communist regime, secretly continued religious education mainly among young people. His activities disturbed the leaders of the dictatorship and, presumably on their orders, the monk was murdered in February 1954 under mysterious circumstances. „My soul longs for silence, for a peaceful life of prayer...” [dr. Sixtus Debreczeni]