Szombathely, Diocese of

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; seminarians 42 (statistical data from 1948). Within the territory of the diocese 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 schoolmistresses, 2 gymnasia.

The most distinguished monument of the city is the Cathedral; begun in 1791 under the episcopate of Szily János, it was built by the architect Hefele Menyheri in the Baroque-classicizing style of the period and consecrated in 1815 by Bishop Somogyi Lipót. Most noble in line, rich internally with pink marble facing and gilding, it was almost completely frescoed by Maulbertsch. Unfortunately it was destroyed by the bombings of the Second World War, but it has been entirely rebuilt with the admirable collaboration of all the people and consecrated by Card. Mindszenty. The first bishop of the diocese, constituted from the territory of the adjacent dioceses of Győr,

Veszprém and Zagreb, was Szily János (1777-99), who left an indelible mark on the life of the young diocese. His successor was Card. Herzan Ferenc (1799-1804), a great humanist. A glorious period for the diocese was the episcopate of Somogyi Lipót, who completed the construction of the Cathedral, had a house built for elderly priests, and held a diocesan synod in 1821; he died in the reputation of sanctity. During the difficult years for the Church in the 19th century, Bishop Böle András (1824-43) fought against liberalism; Bishop Hidasy Kornél revived Catholic life after the period of absolutism. Bishop of Szombathely was also the then-imprisoned Archbishop of Kalocsa, Msgr. Gross József. The current bishop is Msgr. Kovács Sándor, consecrated by Card. Mindszenty on 25 March 1944.

Giulio Toth