2011-09-26

Ardud was the setting for a double celebration on the 25th of September when the 1545 synod was commemorated and the foundation stone of the Drágffy Gáspár Parish and Church History Center was laid down. MEP Csaba Sógor delivered a sermon at the event.

The Calvinist community of Ardud commemorated on Sunday the events that made the town famous. 29 priests gathered here on the 20th of September 1545 to set the 12 rules of the Christian faith. The community also commemorated the fact that Calvinists were banished from the town during the Habsburg rule.

Clergy from three localities attended the celebration yesterday and they all spoke about the diminishing number of Hungarians and Calvinists. According to their experience, the number of deaths is higher than the number of births. Szabolcs Kurta-Tőtös, the priest from Dobra urged for the continuation of the Calvinist community’s meetings.  He plans to hold the next annual meeting at Viile Satu Mare, while the 2013 will be held in Dobra.

In his opening speech, Ervin Rácz, the priest from Dobra said that they’ve gathered to bring together the community that was dispersed until 1768. “We do not want to sob, we simply want to create a union of the four Calvinist communities: Ghirisa, Dobra, Viile Satu Mare and Ardud” – he said.

The ceremonial sermon was delivered by MEP Csaba Sógor, who quoted prophet Isaiah: “You will not survive if you do not believe”. – When we look back to the year 1545 and the 29 priests, we have to realize that it was much harder to be a Calvinist back then. Unfortunately, the community received a hard blow in the 18th century, almost no Calvinists remained at the site of the synod. Although our forefathers lived scattered in neighboring villages, we are gathered here today to give thanks for the survival of the community – he said.

The MEP also called attention to the importance of small communities: scientists are studying the reasons why small communities can survive economic crises. Their secret is that they value work. Today the West acknowledges why the East is on the rise: the existence of small communities – Csaba Sógor added.

The celebration ended through the placement of the foundation stone of the the Drágffy Gáspár Parish and Church History Center. Drágffy was the man who brought Calvinism to Satu Mare County. The foundation stone also contained a time capsule and was blessed by Sándor Kovács, bishop of the Satu Mare Church District.