In Szeklerland, the church year does not just take place within the walls of churches: farewells, processions and pilgrimages connect the villages, shrines and chapels of the mountains. We have compiled the most important religious celebrations in the region – from Catholic farewells to Protestant memorial days.
January 13 – Day of Religious Freedom
The 1568 Tordai National Assembly declared the freedom of preaching, which is considered one of the first religious freedom laws in Europe. In memory of this event, the Hungarian National Assembly declared January 13, 2018, as the Day of Religious Freedom in 2018. The Unitarian Church, whose foundation is tied to this year, especially celebrates this day.
April 24 – Saint George, Esztelnek
The farewell service of the Franciscan church in Esztergom is held on St. George's Day – the church was built using elements of the old St. George Chapel.
Ash Wednesday – the farewell from Csíksomlyó
The most populous pilgrimage of the Hungarians takes place on Pentecost Saturday, with the festive mass held at the Small and Nagysomlyó Middle Narthex, at the altar designed by Makovecz Imre in Hármashalom. The blessing of the shrine was granted by Pope John IV in 1444, and the first authentic record of the blessing of Pentecost dates from 1722. The origin story associated with the 1567 battle of Toľvasov-Tetőrt is from the 18th century, and therefore is considered a legend by researchers. The blessing was declared a hungarikum in 2020.
Lord's Day – processions in the villages
The Lord's Day (the Feast of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ) is celebrated on Thursday after the Sunday of the Holy Trinity; the feast was ordered by Pope IV Urban in 1264 for the entire Church. In Szeklerudvarhely, the consecration is held on Thursday in the main square, with the crosses of the four cardinal directions and the churches of the surrounding villages. Lord's Day is also celebrated in Gyimesbükk, Lázárfalva, at the chapel in Csicszentmárton and in Nagykászon-Impe.
June 27 – St. Ladislaus Day
At the Knight King festival in Csíkszentsimon, a farewell ceremony is held every year, and an annual pilgrimage is also made to the pagan St. Ladislaus Chapel on the ridge separating Csíkos and Gyimes. More about the cult of St. Ladislaus Faith Set in Stone You can read it in our article titled "Hungary".
July 2 – Holy Mary of Sorrows
This is the celebration of the title of the church temple in Csíksomlyó, and at the same time the original day of farewell for the place of worship. On the same day, farewells are held in Csíkszentgyörgy (Kotormány), at the Bándpatak Chapel in Gyimesközéphegy, in Marosfő and Ditró, and at the Felszeg Chapel as well.
July 26 – Farewell to Saint Anna at the Saint Anna Cemetery
The St. Anna Chapel stands on the shore of the lake located in the crater of the Csomád Mountains; the farewell service is held on July 26 or on a nearby weekend; the chapel is maintained by the parish of Lázársfalva; the ceremony includes a procession around the lake. The history of the farewell is turbulent: in 1786 Bishop Ignác Batthyány banned it, in 1830 it was re-authorized, and in 1844 it was again banned – however, since 1990 it has been held regularly again.
August 15 – Our Lady of Gyimesbükk
The Great Lady Church in Kontumac, near the thousand-year-old border, is the first Catholic church in the valley, founded by the Franciscans from Csíksomlyó in 1782. In recent years it has become a popular pilgrimage site. The celebration is accompanied by a three-day preparation (triduum) and pilgrimage.
October 31st – Reformation Day
The Reformed and Evangelical congregations commemorate the event of Luther’s 1517 speech with a festive service on Reformation Remembrance Day. In Szeklerland – in Háromszék, Marosszék and Udvarhelyszék – this is one of the most important celebrations of the Protestant communities.
Good to know
- Some of the farewells are a moving celebration (Pentecost, Lord's Day), others are scheduled for the nearby weekend depending on the day of the week – always check the current date with the parish.
- At big farewells, the crowd is huge: arrive early and, if possible, approach the venue by public transport or on foot.
- A Peregrinus Events Calendar On our page we are constantly updating the upcoming events.
