SABARIA (SZOMBATHELY), DIOCESE OF. — In western Hungary, founded in 1777 by Maria Theresa and erected by Pope Pius VI.
Area: 4,707 sq. km.; population: 391,593; Catholics: 338,456; churches: 287; parishes: 165. Number of secular (diocesan) priests: 261; religious priests: 94; seminaries: 42 (statistical data from 1948). Within the diocese’s territory there were 10 houses of male religious orders with 177 members, and 35 houses of female religious orders with 401 members. The diocese had the following Catholic schools: 265 elementary schools, 5 female teacher training schools, 2 higher institutes for the training of teachers, and 2 gymnasia.
The most notable monument of the city is the Cathedral; begun in 1791 during the episcopate of János Szily, it was built by the architect Menyhért Hefele in the Baroque-classicizing style of the period and consecrated in 1815 by Bishop Lipót Somogyi. Noble in its lines and rich internally with pink marble revetments and gilding, it was almost entirely frescoed by Maulbertsch. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the bombings of the Second World War, but it has been entirely rebuilt through the admirable collaboration of the entire people and reconsecrated by Cardinal Mindszenty. The first bishop of the diocese, which was constituted from the territory of the adjacent dioceses of Győr, Veszprém, and Zagreb, was János Szily (1777–99), who left an indelible mark on the life of the young diocese. His successor was Cardinal Ferenc Herzan (1709–1804), a great humanist. A glorious period for the diocese was the episcopate of Lipót Somogyi, who completed the construction of the Cathedral, built a house for elderly priests, and held a diocesan synod in 1821; he died in a reputation for holiness. During the difficult years for the Church in the 19th century, Bishop András Bőle (1824–43) fought against liberalism; Bishop Kornél Hidasy revived Catholic life after the period of absolutism. Bishop of Szombathely was also Archbishop József Grosz of Kalocsa, who was later imprisoned. The current bishop is Sándor Kovács, consecrated by Cardinal Mindszenty on March 25, 1944.