Gergely Gulyás, the minister leading the Prime Minister’s Office, emphasized: the cardinal stood unwaveringly against all the dictatorships of the 20th century.

“That is why he was tortured and imprisoned by the Council Republic, led by Szálasi’s Hungarian Nazis, and by the order of Rákosi, the communist dictatorship. In matters of faith, national freedom, and human dignity, he was unyielding and relentless,” the minister stated. He continued, saying that Mindszenty’s guidance is clear and eternal. He quoted the cardinal, who said, “Remain faithful to God, to your faith, to your homeland, to Hungarian history and language in this decaying world! It is your natural right and duty. From what little remains, we must rebuild our country. National revival can only come from spiritual renewal.“

He spoke about how József Mindszenty’s life, in many great struggles, was not defined by the likelihood of success but by the righteousness of his cause. “From an earthly perspective, we believe that rational deliberation and probability matter above all else. (…) From the perspective of eternity, probability is inconsequential. From that viewpoint, only the truth matters,” said Gergely Gulyás. Mindszenty, the cardinal, took on, survived, and endured the torment of the communists, imprisonment, and exile, first in his own country and then abroad because even here on Earth, he served the cause of eternal truth, he emphasized.

“We, Hungarians know that, as Otto von Habsburg said, Good Friday brought us our resurrection through József Mindszenty. We, Hungarians know what Rome must also acknowledge, even correcting the grave error of Pope Paul VI: József Mindszenty was not only the greatest Hungarian prelate but also a saint,” he added. He reminded everyone that the cardinal’s motto was “Devictus vincit,” meaning “Overcome, he conquers.” According to the politician, Mindszenty proved this with his life’s example.

“Now, with his engraved figure in Fátima, allowing future generations to pay tribute, we can rightfully say, ‘Devictus vincit, mortuus vivit.’ The conquered triumphs, the dead lives,” he said.

Tibor Rieger, the sculptor, unveiled his artwork depicting József Mindszenty (1892-1975) at the Marian Shrine, at the entrance of the Hungarian Calvary, alongside Carlos Cabecinhas, the rector of the sanctuary, and Viktor Tömördi, a Franciscan monk. The event included a welcome address by Miguel de Pape, the president of the Portuguese-Hungarian Cooperation Association, and speeches by Martinho Villani, the co-chairman of the Portuguese-Hungarian Cooperation Association.

Source: MTI