Anniversary Conference
Gödöllő (Hungary), 30 July – 3 August 2024
Gödöllő (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈɡødølløː], https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gödöllő, auf Deutsch: Getterle; v slovenčine: Jedľovo) is a charming small town with a rich history, just 30 km northeast from the city center of the Hungarian capital. From a village and a popular summer resort (of only 10,000 habitants even after World War II), it reached 30,000 in the 1980s, but it is still growing slightly due to the rural population moving to the Budapest area and even more so due to the migration from Budapest (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt]) to the agglomeration. Unfortunately, the mementos of this population growth are the ugly concrete apartment blocks that blight even the town centre, but it is the suburban character (detached houses with gardens) that characterises the town.
Gödöllő and its neighbouring towns and villages are part of an agglomeration of 2.5 million people (more than a quarter of the total population of Hungary) that surrounds Budapest. The capital, which in 1990 still had a population of over 2 million, has lost nearly 400,000 inhabitants, while rural depopulation and migration to towns and cities, especially to the agglomeration of Budapest, is proceeding at an extraordinary pace.
Today, the town is the seat of Gödöllő District in Pest County, a district with a population of around 170,000 in 5 towns and 9 villages. Fully integrated with four other municipalities, Gödöllő’s 35 000 inhabitants belong to a settlement of 80 000 people. Suburbanisation has had a number of curses on its surroundings, but fortunately the fact that the town is mostly surrounded by wooded hills has put a stop to the unmanageable growth. Gödöllő, however, has not lost much of its former charm, even less the Royal Palace, the vast parks, the university campus in a huge park and the Abbey on a forested hillside. Urbanism provides good amenities and Gödöllő has excellent local, inter-local and long-distance transport. (See Transport & Travel)
Gödöllő’s main attractions are linked to its historic past: the Royal Palace, , (Hungarian: Királyi kastély), famous for Sissi or Sissy, i. e. Elisabeth (1837–1898), Empress of Austria and Queen Consort of Hungary from her marriage to Emperor (and King) Franz Joseph I until her assassination; as part of the Palace, the charming but in need of restoration chapel of St. John of Nepomuk, in which mass is held only occasionally, otherwise, it is entrusted to the Premonstratensians; the Royal Waiting Room (Hungarian: Királyi váró) at the railway station; the 1933 World Scout Jamboree.
Among its contemporary buildings, the churches stand out: the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity (Hungarian: Szentháromság-templom, 2007):
the Greek Catholic Church of the Holy Cross (Hungarian: Szent Kereszt-templom, 2014):
the Baptist Church (2013):
the Municipal and Regional Swimming Pool (Hungarian: Gödöllői Városi és Térségi Uszoda) (Rules of the pool, see here):
and the railway station (see Transport & Travel).
The town of Gödöllő with its churches and noble buildings offers beautiful sights, and in the nearby valley, which today belongs to Gödöllő, the Capuchin church of Máriabesnyő is still a place of pilgrimage for devout Catholics in the wider region. A walk in the arboretum with the miniature railway (not just for children) is a noble recreation.
Gödöllő is a university town, home to the Szent István Campus, the largest of the five campuses of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (Hungarian: Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem, MATE). Until a few years ago the university was still known as Szent István Egyetem (Saint Steven University), as it can be seen on some information boards and maps in the town. Gödöllő is far from a sleepy little town, especially with thousands of students on campus during the academic year. In summer, they are mostly represented by foreign (many African) students who do not go home for the summer but stay in the student residences.
During the school year, even the Abbey is not primarily a place of quiet contemplation. But in its forest creeping up the mountain, the world goes quiet. Built on the highest point of the town, the Premonstratensian abbey church, where finishing touches are being made, will be a landmark from afar. (See below.)
See also Gödöllő’s Information Portal.
The Premonstratensian Auditorium:
The Concert Hall of the Premonstratensian Auditorium:
The Secondary School, Building B:
The Aula of the Secondary School, Building B:
The Secondary School, Building A (not a lecture venue, but you will have to go past this building to reach Building B):
The conference will therefore take place in a quiet but easily accessible part of the town, close to the old town centre, the railway station and the Royal Palace. The main building of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE) was originally the monastery and the famous gymnasium of the Premonstratensian canons who moved to Gödöllő from Jászó (today in Slovakia, see below) after the Treaty of Trianon, in 1923. The Norbertines who returned to Gödöllő after the dissolution (1950) at the regime change (1990) gave up the main bulding of the university campus, (the campus had been built during the Socialist era and consists of several educational buildings and student residences), but in the process of partial restitution of church property, and, in compensation to the former abbey, monastic buildings, gymnasium, school, sport halls (construction of a big sport hall and pool still ongoing) and now, finally, a worthy church have been built.
The surrounding forest was planted by the Premonstratensian fathers before the Word War II, and later used by the university as a model forest for agricultural training, but it was taken back by the Norbertines in a very neglected state. Unfortunately, it is still evident today that Gödöllő's trees have been destroyed by the spectacular but tree-killing parasitic mistletoe throughout the town, because of a lack of attention to the serious epidemic. Considerable work is under way to replace the sites of the new buildings with reforestation in the immediate vicinity of the abbey and in another areas of the town; reminders of the huge reforestation programme carried out with Premonstratensian secondary school students (in the spirit of green sensibility) can be seen in several places.
The conference will be also part of the jubilee year of the Fathers. The centenary of their presence in Gödöllő began March 2023, and will last until November 2024. The Abbey, its secondary school, the auditorium (concert hall) and the very new church will provide the space and background for lectures, communal meals, church concerts, and, if participants wish, they will be able to participate in the liturgical life of the church, designed with a contemporary reinterpretation of the medieval Premonstratensian architectural tradition. The huge building is equivalent in size to the 700 students and the parish that has outgrown its current church. The consecration of the church will take place in May 2024, and by the time of the conference, the interior and the organ will be finished. Catholic priests, participants of the conference are welcome to celebrate daily Mass there. Information on the worship schedule of the new church will be provided in due course.
Behind the church, which is nearing completion, stands an interesting, imaginative, but long disused tower in a neglected setting. (It is shown between the two towers, see above.) Originally built to supply water to the university, the water tower failed to fulfil its function, and the observatory planned for the top was not built. The tower (and the church) is located at the drainage divide of the Danube and Tisza rivers at the top of the hill: on the other side, the water flows towards the Tisza, while this side is the catchment area of the Duna. The Rákos stream (Rákos-patak), which flows through the Lower Park near the Royal Palace, originating at the border of the neighbouring village, also flows into the Danube, at Budapest. The university has also designed „well houses” to supply water to the university. A small remaining building was recently converted into a charming café and cake-shop (Kútház kávézó) in the park in front of the Abbey. Worth a visit during one of the midday breaks!
The Abbey is a religious and educational institution (with sports facilities), but apart from general good conduct, there are no special expectations for conference participants: the monastery itself is isolated in a corner within an extensive campus. As for sports facilities, a rubber covered outdoor track with some equipment, three outdoor ping-pong tables and a teqball table are also available in the summer, and participants can run longer distances in the forest directly adjacent to the school grounds. (The Municipal and Regional Swimming Pool is also open nearby, on the other side of the railway, in the Lower Park for all interested, see above).
The history of the Hungarian Canons Regular of Prémontré (also known as Premonstratensians, Norbertines) dates back to the time of Saint Norbert. (In 2021, the order's 900th anniversary was commemorated at numerous events in Hungary as well.) The "White Order" or the "White Canons" (Hungarian: premontreiek, fehér barátok) had their prosperous periods, and have always managed to re-establish themselves after periods of repeated expulsions, dissolutions and closures. At present, the Hungarian Premonstratensian Circary has four independent communities in Váradhegyfok (today Romania, near to Nagyvárad, colloquially Várad/Oradea), Gödöllő, Csorna and Zsámbék. The Circary’s vicar is today Péter Piusz Balogh OPraem, abbot of Gödöllő, one of the organizators of the Cantus Planus 40 Gödöllő 2024 Conference.
Váradhegyfok. According to ancient tradition, the Norbertines settled on the hill opposite the castle of Várad, on the banks of the Körös river, at the invitation of King Stephen II of Hungary, in 1130. The monastery received its founding members from the mother monastery, Prémontré in France. The monastery of Váradhegyfok played a leading role in the Hungarian Circary in the Middle Ages („father-abbey” of Meszes, Almás, Majk, Zsámbék, Hatvan, Jászó, Garáb, Kökényes, Jánoshida, Pályi, Cheym, Zich, Bény, Adony, Kaposfő, Nyulak szigete, today Margitsziget/Margaret Island, in Budapest). In a symbolic sense, Váradhegyfok became the medieval Hungarian Prémontré. In the 13th and 14th centuries it also functioned as a place of authentication (locus credibilis); the oldest surviving charter dates from 1209.
The so-called Nineveh catalogue of the order from 1234 also mentions Ócsa (today 25 km from Budapest) as a filia of Jászó (today in Slovakia). It is probable that Ócsa belongs to the monasteries founded by kings (Váradhegyfok, Csut, Turóc, Margitsziget). In the middle of the 16th century, partly because of the Turkish threat and partly because of the advance of the Reformation, the Norbertines were forced to leave the monastery. The church was used as a mosque for a time during the Turkish occupation, and has been used by the Reformed (Calvinists) since 1560. – The early recordings of the Schola Hungarica, led by László Dobszay and Janka Szendrei, were made in this church with its unique acoustics until 1986. The reconstruction and complete renovation of the church of unparalleled beauty between 1986 and 1992 revealed more of the presumed medieval form, but destroyed the unique acoustics. (See here.)
Gödöllő. The Premonstratensian Abbey of Gödöllő is the successor of the Jászóvár (Jászó/Jasov/Jossau) monastery in the „mother country” (present-day Hungary), founded at the end of the 12th century. Gödöllő claims the spiritual heritage of Várad, Jászó and Lelesz. Its foundation is linked to the consequences of the division of the country's borders under the 1920 Treaty of Trianon. It was founded in 1924 by Dr. Menyhért Takács, provost of Jászóvár, with the Premonstratensians who had become undesirable persons in the successor states (Slovakia, Romania) after the closure of the Premonstratensian gymnasia (secondary schools) in Kassa (Košice/ Kaschau), Rozsnyó (Rožňava/Rosenau) and Várad (Nagyvárad/Oradea/Großwardein). From 1929, Gödöllő became independent with its own novitiate and theological college, and in 1937 the Holy See elevated it to a priory (prioratus sui iuris).
From 1938 to 1945, the governor prior of Gödöllő was again prelate of the united Prelature of Jászóvár. From the restoration of the Trianon borders in 1945 until 1950, Gödöllő became independent again, briefly with its own parish. Then the large complex of buildings became the property of the University of Agricultural Sciences when the religious orders were dissolved (1950). At the time of the dissolution of the orders, there were 55 members of the Gödöllő Priory and 10 in Váradhegyfok (Nagyvárad), which had by then become an independent priory again. During the dissolution, Gödöllő was legally part of the Provostry of Váradhegyfok. In the early 1960s, the community was secretly enriched with new members by a vow to the title of the ancient Provostry of Zsámbék. One of them was father Péter Ullmann, he is one of the few living scholars who participated in the first conference of Cantus Planus forty years ago, in Veszprém.
Csorna. One of the oldest clan-founded Premonstratensian monasteries is that in Csorna, which according to tradition was founded in 1180. The convent's fruitful life is shown by the fact that in the first century after its foundation it founded three new Premonstratensian monasteries: Türje in 1184, and around 1240 in Rajk and Mórichida. The Norbertines of Csorna were probably also involved in authentication activities for the inhabitants of the area from the time of the foundation – the first record of this dates back to 1247.
Premonstratensian nuns lived in Hungary in the Middle Ages in Somlóvásárhely, Szeged and Brassó (Kronstadt in Siebenbürgen/Brașov). The women’s monastery in Szeged was one of the seats of Hungarian-language literacy in the Middle Ages. A Cantionale (see Welcome) for the Premonstratensian nuns was written here. The monastery was destroyed in 1551. (During the Turkish occupation of most of Hungary.) In the same year, twenty sisters, known by name, moved to Somlóvásárhely and were granted the right to act as authenticators by King János.
The Order of Premonstratensian Nuns (Premonstratensian Canonesses) was re-founded in 1927 with the help of the Zwierzinyiec monastery (Krakow) and Sebestyén Ráday, a Premontratensian canon from Gödöllő in Külsővat. They started the monastic life with three sisters, but by 1950 the community had 70 members and they were active in 11 houses throughout Hungary. The sisters taught in elementary schools, ran kindergartens, or performed cantor services in the parishes. They were dissolved in Hungary in 1950.
From the Provostry of Váradhegyfok (1130) until the Abbey of Csut (1264), also established by the will of the king, we can count a total of nearly 40 houses in Hungary in the so called Árpád era (1000-1301, the reign of the Kings of the House of Árpád). Close ties were established through filiation: in Hungary, there were four provostries which were populated directly from Prémontré (Váradhegyfok, Lelesz, Sanctus Augustinus and Túróc). Váradhegyfok had 13 filiae, also Csorna and Jászó abbeys had a significant number of filial churches.
The Norbertine monasteries were weakened by the devastation of the Tartar invasion (1241–2, 1285) and became extinct as a result of the Turkish occupation and then the Protestantism. In 1705, the Premonstratensian monastery of Várad was bought and run by the abbey of Louka in Moravia. The post-Turkish revival of the Premonstratensian monastery of Csorna was also due to Austrian (Pernegg in Austria in 1702) and Moravian (Hradisch in Moravia from 1710) Norbertines who resumed religious life. In 1789 Joseph II (from 1765 Holy Roman Emperor, from 1780 ruler of the Habsburg monarchy, Archduke of Austria and King of Hungary and Bohemia) abolished the order and its legal status. In 1802, Emperor Francis II (first Emperor of Austria, also King of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia as Francis I from 1804 to 1835) restored the order to its rights, while at the same time creating two legally separate orders: the Premonstratensian Order of Jászó and that of Csorna.
The charter of Francis I gave the Premonstratensians the task of teaching as well as pastoral care – and the White Canons became a teaching order. In Nagyvárad, secondary school education began in 1808 and continued uninterrupted until 1923, when the Romanian authorities withdrew the school's licence to operate. In addition to the one in Várad, in the 19th century, the abbey of Jászó operated four secondary schools: in Lőcse (Levoča/Leutschau), in Eperjes (Prešov/Preschau), in Kassa and in Rozsnyó. In 1924, a Premonstratensian gymnasium was opened in Gödöllő, and in 1937 in Budafok (now a district of Budapest). The Norbertines of Csorna opened secondary schools in Szombathely and Keszthely in 1808, and in Csorna in 1947, operating for only one year because of the communist takeover in 1948.
After the Second World War, 1950, the Premonstratensian provostries had to endure the dissolution of their communities, the dispersal of their members and the nationalisation of the schools they maintained. During the dispersal period, the Premonstratensians took up various secular occupations, whether physical or intellectual. Some taught in secondary schools or did academic work, others joined foreign abbeys (e.g. in USA). The nuns also served in churches, parishes and other jobs.
After the fall of the socialist regime, from 1989 onwards the Premonstratensians have been living again in communities, continuing the work of their predecessors in pastoral and teaching-educational service.
Gödöllő. In 1989, on the initiative of the abbot general of the Premonstratensian Order, the independent Priory of Gödöllő was re-established. Of the 55 brothers who had been living at the time of the dispersion, only 12 were still alive; Ottó Fényi (1917-2002) became governing prior of the community, which had a total of 15 members, including the secretly professed and ordained Norbertines. Even in the difficult decades, father Fényi kept the order together, cared for the elderly and sick, and led a community life that was credible under the circumstances.
In 1993, the new community built a small monastery and a chapel in the street bordering the old area (Fácán sor), which became a Premonstratensian parish church in 1998 by order of the bishop of Vác. This gave them the opportunity to carry out parochial pastoral work in addition to their school and educational work in Gödöllő. In 1992, the Premonstratensian Gymnasium (with lay teachers) was opened in two small buildings, replacing the monastery building they had lost. Over the years, the school has also been expanded with several buildings.
From 1997 to 2015, Péter Ullmann held the office of the governor prior. He was succeeded by Péter Piusz Balogh, who, after the General Chapter of the Premonstratensian Order raised the Priory of Gödöllő to the rank of abbey on August 3, 2018, continues to serve as the first abbot.
The Premonstratensian Abbey of Gödöllő runs parishes in Gödöllő, Zsámbék (which has been "dependent house" of the abbey since 1990), Tök, Mány and Nagykökényes, and the abbot is the director of Szent Mihály-templom (St Michael's Church) in Budapest, where the largest number of Catholics adhering to the ancient (extraordinary) form of the Roman liturgy practice their faith. The Abbey runs the Premonstratensian St John the Baptist School Centre (Primary School, Gymnasium and Elementary Art School) in Zsámbék.
Zsámbék. The Premonstratensian Nuns could only resume community life after the political changes of 1989. Some 35 sisters survived nearly 40 years of repression. Today they have 10 sisters living in the motherhouse in Zsámbék, close to the baroque parish church in Zsámbék.
In addition to liturgical and practical church ministry, they are responsible for faith formation and the maintenance of three socially oriented institutions (St. Norbert Charitable Foundation, Premonstratensian Day Care Centre, Premonstratensian Technicum, Vocational School and Gymnasium in Zsámbék). The first two were founded in 1993 to alleviate the daily needs of poor families in the village. For a long time, the Foundation provided financial means for social care, but now it also works with the school to train and employ young unemployed people. The Premonstratensian Day Care Centre provides free day care for pupils aged 6-16 (irrespective of denomination) in Zsámbék. In 1993 it provided 27, now 75 pupils (40% Gypsy/Roma, 30% mildly mentally handicapped) with free meals three times a day and all the necessary things to live at the standard of living of an average family (shoes, clothes, school supplies, glasses, etc.), while trying to educate them in the true values of life. After seeing that these children were not guaranteed a further education after finishing primary school, they founded the Premonstratensian Vocational School in Zsámbék in 1996, which is now a vocational secondary school (initially 27, now 480 students, 40% Roma youth).
In April 2006, the sisters took over the social services of the municipality of Zsámbék. The care is provided in the framework of the Blessed Gertrúd Basic Service Centre and the Transitional Home for the Elderly.
Váradhegyfok. The Premonstratensian Provostry of Váradhegyfok currently serves in parishes in the border of Romania with Hungary (the historical Partium), in Nagyvárad, Váradszentmárton (Sânmartin) and Asszonyvására (Târgușor). They are planning to establish and run a spiritual, cultural and study centre in Nagyvárad.
Csorna. The Csorna Premonstratensian Provostry runs parishes in West Hungary (Csorna, Szombathely, Türje, Dör, Bágyog and Szovát, Bodonhely, Rábaszentmihály, Rábacsécsény, Mihályfa and Szalapa), as well as the St. Norbert Premonstratensian Gymnasium in Szombathely and the. Premonstratensian Vocational Gymnasium, Technicum and Student Hostel in Keszthely.
Many sites, buildings and works of art from the long history of the Premonstratensians in Hungary have been destroyed or are in ruins, occupied by other denominations, or have a different function than originally. But several of their significant artistic treasures are still, once again, used by the Order, fulfilling their original function. And they succeed in their efforts to enrich today's society with buildings and spiritual and human values that are truly contemporary, but also in keeping with the spirit of the White Canons’ Order.
There is a beautiful film (A premontrei örökség — Norbertine Heritage) about the history and the mission of the Hungarian Circary today, with English subtitles.
Our conference venue appears at 29:01-29:18
Aerial photos of Zsámbék and the ruined church of Zsámbék at 7:10, 14:23 etc.
Liturgy with the St Michael's Lay Chapter at 45:30
Unfortunately the background music (despite the client's intention) is often too loud and it "climbs on" the liturgical chant, but for a few seconds, beautiful moments are evoked by Hungarian Gregorian chant at 21:4, 42:10, 48:04
premontrei = Premonstratensian
premontrei rend(i) = (of the) Premonstratensian Order
Premontrei Női Kanonokrend = Premonstratensian Canonesses
apát = abbot
apátság = abbey
prépost = provost
prépostság = provostry
perjel = prior
nyugalmazott kormányzó perjel = retired governor prior
perjelség = provostry
általános elöljáró = general superior
szerzetes = religious (or: monk, canon)
szerzetesnővér = nun, sister
Csornai = of/in Csorna
Gödöllői = of/in Gödöllő
Nagyváradi = of/in Nagyvárad
Zsámbéki = of/in Zsámbék
Szentlélek és Gyömölcsoltó Boldogasszony Plébánia = Parish of the Holy Spirit and Annunciation of Our Lady
Belvárosi Szent Mihály-templom = St Michael’s Church, Downtown, Budapest;
Premontrei Gimnázium = Premonstratensian Gymnasium
Premontrei Szakgimnázium = Premonstratensian Vocational Gymnasium
Premontrei Iskolaközpont = Premonstratensian School Centre Keresztelő Szent János Iskolaközpont = St John the Baptist School Centre
Premontrei Szakgimnázium, Technikum és Kollégium = Premonstratensian Vocational Gymnasium, Technicum and Student Hostel
tanár = teacher
tanuló = school pupil
Idősek Átmeneti Otthona = Transitional Home for the Elderly premontreiek találkozója = meeting of Premonstratensians
The Conference is supported by:
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