GYŐR, Diocese of. - In Hungary, suffragan of Esztergom. It was founded by St. Stephen (997-1038), first king of the Hungarians, converted by him to the faith of Christ. The diocese then extended over the entire territory of the counties of Sopron and Moson, and over the greater part of the territory of the counties of Győr, Komárom, Veszprém and Vas, in the north-western corner of present-day Hungary.
Tradition indicates the existence of the bishopric already in 1001. The first bishop was the Benedictine monk Radla, friend and disciple of St. Adalbert, bishop of Prague. His successor was Modestus, whose name is commemorated in the records of the coronation of King Andrew I (1046-60). Bishop Hartvik, commissioned by King Coloman (1095-1114), wrote around 1111, on the basis of historical sources, the life of the holy king, the celebrated "legend" of St. Stephen. Bishop Ugrin Csák (1188-1204) was a famous warrior, later also archbishop of Esztergom. Bishop Gregory (1223-41), the 18th among the bishops of G., was repeatedly sent as the king's legate to Pope Gregory IX; he died on the field of Mohi (in north-eastern Hungary) in the tragic battle of the Hungarian army against the Mongols. Bishop Amadeus II (1254-63) consecrated the church of Ják, one of the most beautiful of the Romanesque-Gothic period in Hungary. The great counsellor of King Matthias Corvinus (1458-90), Cardinal Thomas Bakócz, before becoming archbishop of Esztergom and chancellor of King Vladislaus II (1490-1516), was bishop of G. (1486-94). Bishop Blaise Paksi (1525-26) was killed in the fatal battle of Mohács (in southern Hungary), which began on the part of the Turks the invasion and occupation of most of Hungary, prolonged for about 150 years. The bishops Zacharias Delphine (1566-72) and Gregory Draskovich (1578-87) were elevated to the purple. The latter subsequently became bishop of Zagreb and lieutenant of Croatia. George Széchenyi (1658-85), later archbishop of Esztergom, one of the most significant figures in the history of the Hungarian Church, founded the diocesan Seminary, a college of Jesuits and several other schools. Leopold Kolonich (1685-95) had various churches, schools, hospitals and homes for the aged built, and as bishop of G. was elevated to the cardinalitial dignity. Augustine Keresztely (1695-1725), before beginning his ecclesiastical career, as an officer took part in the reconquest of Buda from the Turks. During the episcopate of Count Francis Zichy (1743-83) the territory of the diocese was considerably reduced; the parishes in the county of Veszprém were aggregated to the ancient diocese of Veszprém; those instead of the county of Vas formed, together with other territories, the new diocese of Sabaria (Szombathely). Zichy also made great sacrifices for the restoration work of the Cathedral, which was then adorned with frescoes and paintings by the Baroque painter Maulpertsch. The treasury of the Cathedral was also enriched by him with precious gifts. Cardinal John Simor, archbishop of Esztergom, for a certain time was also bishop of G. (1857-64). Bishop John Zalka (1867-1901) was an ecclesiastical writer and also displayed considerable activity in favour of the Church, of society and of the nation. The founder of the new diocesan Seminary was Bishop Count Nicholas Széchenyi (1901-11). His successor Arpád Várady (1911-14), an excellent canonist, deserves consideration as president of the society of St. Ladislaus for the spiritual care of emigrated Hungarians. During the First World War the bishop of the diocese was Anthony Fester. The Second World War gave the diocese a martyr bishop, Baron William Apor, who was killed by a Russian soldier because he energetically defended the life and honour 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 180 parishes of the diocese about 350 secular priests and about 60 religious priests carry out their activity. The number of the faithful reaches 400,000. In 1948 there were still 280 Catholic elementary and secondary schools, in which about 400,000 children and young people received a religious and civil education. Unfortunately in that year all Catholic schools were nationalized. The chief town of the diocese is G. (Győr). Among its beautiful monuments the most important are the religious ones. As distinguished monuments of the Hungarian Gothic style, the chapels of Hédervári (1404) and of Dóczy (1498) are cited. A beautiful Baroque example is the church of the Benedictines, formerly of the Jesuits (1641).
In G. are also found the most important religious institutions of the diocese: the Chapter of canons, which during the Turkish occupation was for a certain time transferred to Sopron; the diocesan Seminary; various houses of religious men (Benedictines, Carmelites) and religious women (Ursulines); the gymnasium-lyceum of the Benedictines for boys and of the Ursulines for girls and a large diocesan teachers' training school, institutes that fell in June 1948 under the law of nationalization. G. is thus not only a centre of the industry and commerce of north-western Hungary, a connecting link between Budapest and Vienna, but also an important religious and cultural centre in Hungarian life.
Gerardo Békés