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A special historical monument has been saved from decay in Štúrovo (Párkány, at the Slovakia-Hungary border) thanks to the dedicated work of the Memoriae Patrum Local History Association. They discovered the cross hidden in the thicket among old vines, weathered and forgotten, and worked tirelessly to save it.
Bréda Tivadar, the president of the association, said that although the cross was found in a hollow between old vines, it deserves to be in a better place. It may have once stood somewhere near the paper mill. During socialism, it may have poked someone’s eye and ended up in the bushes.
The local hunters usually say that “we start at the Jesus statue,” but I didn’t know where it was, an old man showed me its location. Even in its neglected, fragmented, worn-out state, it was beautiful.
It was obvious that someone had already tried to save it, because the detached parts of the body were glued together with cement,” observed Tivadar.
Unfortunately, little is known about the cross’s origin, as no records of it have been found in the parish or in the church archives of Esztergom (near the Slovak-Hungarian border). The cross therefore continues to hide secrets for the time being.
The Memoriae Patrum Local History Association successfully applied for the Bethlen Foundation in 2024, and won a grant of one and a half million forints for the renovation. In addition, they organized a large-scale charity concert together with the church, where outstanding choirs of Štúrovo performed. Local entrepreneurs also supported the noble cause and used the 2% of the tax revenue for this purpose.
In the end, although scarcely, they managed to raise 9,000 euros, the cost of the renovation.
The work was carried out by Attila Csák and Gábor Bánfi, stone sculptors living in Páty (near Budapest). The cross will soon be placed in its rightful place, in the square in front of the parish, where it can once again stand as a symbol of the community. Its inauguration is planned for the upcoming city mission.
Via ma7.sk; Featured picture: Pexels