GIAVARINO (GYÖR), diocese of. — In Hungary, a suffragan diocese of Strigonia. It was founded by St. Stefano (997–1038), the first king of the Hungarians, whom he converted to the faith of Christ. The diocese then extended over the entire territory of the counties of Sopron and Moson, and over most of the territory of the counties of Györ, Komaron, Veszprém, and Vas, in the northwestern corner of present-day Hungary.
Tradition already indicates the existence of the bishopric in 1001. The first bishop was the Benedictine monk Radla, a friend and disciple of St. Adalbert, bishop of Prague. His successor was Modesto, whose name is commemorated in the accounts of the coronation of King Andrea I (1046–60). Bishop Hartvik, commissioned by King Colomanno (1095–1114), wrote, around 1111, on the basis of historical sources, the life of the saintly king, the celebrated «legenda» of St. Stefano. Bishop Ugrin Csak (1188–1204) was a celebrated warrior and later also archbishop of Strigonia (Eastergom). Bishop Gregorio (1223–41), the 18th among the bishops of G., was repeatedly sent as the king’s legate to Pope Gregorio IX; he died on the field of Mohi (in northeastern Hungary) in the tragic battle between the Hungarian army and the Mongols. Bishop Amedeo II (1254–63) consecrated the church of Jak, one of the finest buildings of the Romanesque-Gothic period in Hungary. The great adviser to King Mattia Corvino (1458–90), Cardinal Tomaso Bakocz, before becoming archbishop of Strigonia and chancellor to King Vladislao II (1490–1516), was bishop of G. (1486–94). Bishop Biagio Paksi (1525–26) was killed in the fateful battle of Mohacs (in southern Hungary), which initiated the Turkish invasion and occupation of most of Hungary, lasting for ca. 150 years. Bishops Zacaria Delphine (1566–72) and Gregorio Draskovich (1578–87) were elevated to the cardinalate. The latter later became bishop of Zagabria and lieutenant of Croatia. Georgio Szechenyi (1658–85), later archbishop of Strigonia and one of the most significant figures in the history of the Hungarian Church, founded the diocesan seminary, a Jesuit college, and several other schools. Leopoldo Kolonich (1685–95) had various churches, schools, hospitals, and homes for the elderly built, and as bishop of G. was elevated to the dignity of cardinal. Agostino Keresztely (1695–1725), before beginning his ecclesiastical career, took part as an officer in the reconquest of Buda from the Turks. During the episcopate of Count Francesco Zichy (1743–83), the territory of the diocese was considerably reduced; the parishes in the county of Veszprém were incorporated into the ancient diocese of Veszprém, while those in the county of Vas, together with other territories, formed the new diocese of Sabaria (Szombathely). Zichy also made great sacrifices for the restoration of the Cathedral, which was then adorned with frescoes and paintings by the Baroque painter Maulpertsch. He likewise enriched the Cathedral treasury with precious gifts. Cardinal Giovanni Simor, archbishop of Strigonia, was also bishop of G. for a certain period (1857–64). Bishop Giovanni Zalka (1867–1901) was an ecclesiastical writer and also engaged in considerable activity on behalf of the Church, society, and the nation. The founder of the new diocesan seminary was Bishop Count Nicola Szechenyi (1901–11). His successor, Arpad Varady (1911–14), an outstanding canonist, deserves mention as president of the Society of St. Ladislao for the spiritual care of emigrated Hungarians. During the First World War, the bishop of the diocese was Antonio Fester. The Second World War gave the diocese a martyr bishop, Baron Guglielmo Apor, who was killed by a Russian soldier because he vigorously defended the life and honor of his faithful, who had taken refuge in the shelter of the Episcopal Palace during the advance of the Red Army in March 1945.
Today, in the diocese’s 180 parishes, ca. 350 diocesan priests and ca. 60 religious priests carry out their ministry. The number of the faithful reaches 400,000. In 1948 there were still 280 Catholic elementary and middle schools, in which ca. 400,000 children and young people received religious and civic education. Unfortunately, that year all Catholic schools were nationalized. The capital of the diocese is G. (Györ). Among its beautiful monuments, the most important are religious ones. The chapels of Hedervari (1404) and Doczy (1498) are cited as distinguished monuments of Hungarian Gothic style. A fine Baroque example is the Benedictine church, formerly belonging to the Jesuits (1641).
G. is also home to the diocese’s most important religious institutions: the Chapter of Canons, which during the Turkish occupation was transferred for a time to Sopron; the diocesan seminary; various houses of men religious (Benedictines, Carmelites) and women religious (Ursulines); the Benedictine gymnasium-lyceum for boys and that of the Ursulines for girls; and a large diocesan teacher-training school, institutions that came under the nationalization law in June 1948. G. is thus not only a center of industry and commerce in northwestern Hungary, a link between Budapest and Vienna, but also an important religious and cultural center in Hungarian life. Gerardo Békés