Hungary Constitution Day
August 20, 2010
Hungary celebrates Constitution Day as a public holiday.
A day when the constitution of a country is made it’s a public holiday in the country. This day is known as a Constitution Day.
It is celebrated to show the honor and respects to the constitution of the country. Hungary celebrates this day on August 20 every year. August 20 is also known as St. Stephen Day in Hungary.
Hungary Constitution Day History
It was Hungary’s first king, St. Stephen, that laid the state’s foundation by transforming the wanderer and Hungarians (pagan Magyar) into Christianity. Until the 10th century’s end, it was seen that seven of the tribes from Hungary manier times attacked & robbed the European Nations. After being defeated, the Hungarians finally came up with a decision to not raid anymore. They ultimately decided to settle down and came up with the strong state.
King Stephen used his powers to set the various churches and asked the Catholic priest to bring Christianity ahead. Thus, it was all due to the efforts of the St .Stephen that Hungary became a strong state. It was on August 20, that the first king of the Hungary was canonized. Thus, this day remains as the national day and remained until 1945.
The Right Hand of Saint Istvan, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest, Hungary King Istvan (“Stephen” in Hungarian) was the first king of Hungary and is credited with bringing Christianity to the region. King Istvan died in 1038 and was canonized soon after his death. As part of the process of becoming a Saint, his body was dug up from the grave and shockingly his right arm had not decayed like the rest of his body. Taking this to be a sign that his right arm was holy, it was chopped off and separated from the rest of his body which was re-buried.
Image: Curious Expeditions/ Flickr
St. Istvan’s hand bounced around Eastern Europe during turbulent war years, and it finally made its way back to Hungary in 1945 after WWII. It currently resides in St. Stephen’s Basilica, a Neoclassical church completed in 1905, inside an elaborate reliquary. Although the reliquary is free for public viewing, to see the hand itself visitors to St. Stephen’s have to put a 100 Forint coin in a slot, and then the hand becomes illuminated for 30 seconds.
As the communist revolted against this celebration since it was based on religion. It was in 1990 again that the Hungarian parliament made the constitution and declared this day as a national day once again.
http://www.salvemariaregina.info/SalveMariaRegina/SMR-157/St.%20Stephen.htm
Hungary Constitution Day Customs and Activities
The day, August 20, begins with state ceremonies, which launches the program for the day. It is a day when the foundation of this country took place. This function is usually held in the Kossuth Square, which is located in front of the Hungary Parliament and Heroes’ Square. There is not only a state program but many others are held in the morning and the evening for the family to have a nice time throughout the day.
The first event that takes place is the Hungarian flag hoisting on Kossuth Square. Leading marching bands perform on that day. There is a scope of even learning the techniques of making tents and bows as Hungarian use to make. An archery show is also organized; dances are performed in front of the Hungary Parliament. Foods, which are made on this day, are awesome. They include ox and poultry are roasted on the open fire. Many confectioneries make different cakes from different recipes and the best one is cut to celebrate the occasion.
Many other festivals and events, such as Red Bull Air Race, the Bread Festival, the Wheel Festival, water & air parade, which took place above Danube. And many more commence on this day. Fireworks are the most attractive feature on this day. There are many unique dance shows, which are performed by the dancers when the fireworks take place. The choreography of the dance is based on showing the foundation of the Hungary.
Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen. ”On Christmas of the year 1000, the crown was sent as a gift from Pope Sylvester II to St. Stephen the First King of Hungary commemorating the acceptance of Catholicism in the “Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen”. The Crown was the physical symbol of the Hungarian Kingdom, present at the coronation of every King of Hungary up to (deposed) Blessed Charles I of Austria. After suffering 30 years of disuse, loss, and disappearance, The Crown of St. Stephen had been recovered by US Troops at the end of World War II, hidden inside of an oil drum, revealed to the Allies by a commandant of the Hungarian Royal Crown guard. It had been stored at Ft. Knox for 32 years preceding the 1978 return, always in process to be returned to Hungary at “some suitable time”.
The performance ends with the Coronation of the first King of Hungary, St Stephen.
