VACIA (Vácz), Diocese of. – A city and diocese in Hungary, founded, according to tradition and the unanimous opinion of most historians, by St. Stephen, the first King of Hungary.
Area: 13,160 sq. km.; population: 1,671,987, of whom 1,187,345 are Catholic; churches: 275; parishes: 245; diocesan priests: 452; seminarians: 63; religious priests: 128. Within the diocese, 24 houses of religious orders operated, with 220 members, and 70 houses of female religious orders with 777 members. In the diocese, all the gymnasia, 15 normal schools, a commercial school, a hospital run by the Brothers Hospitallers, various orphanages, male and female educational colleges, and a large printing house are under ecclesiastical authority (statistics from 1948, in Ann. Pont. 1953, p. 440).
The city of Vácz, despite its ancient foundation, today presents the appearance of a Baroque city, having been repeatedly sacked. It began to revive in the 18th century; in 1760, construction began on the imposing cathedral in a classicizing style with a dome 58 meters high, frescoed by Maulbertsch. The parish church of the upper city, built in 1769, is of fine Baroque style. Notable as well are the church of the Franciscans, the Provost’s Palace, and the Town Hall.
The diocese occupies the entire plain between the Danube and the Tisza and is the largest in Hungary. Exposed to all the invasions that struck Hungary from the East, it has had a most troubled history. Devastated by the Tartars in the 12th century, by the Hussite Czechs in the mid-15th century, and by Dózsa’s great peasant revolt in 1514, it fell under Turkish rule in 1544. The one hundred and fifty years of Turkish domination not only destroyed its cities and villages but also caused immense spiritual damage. Before the catastrophe of Mohács (29 Aug. 1526), the diocese had 262 villages with churches and priests. In 1654, however, there were only five parishes in the entire territory. In 1664, the city of Vácz was liberated by Charles of Lorraine, but as soon as the imperial troops withdrew, the Turks reconquered the city, albeit briefly. In 1675, under Bishop Pongrác, there were 14 parishes, and the number of faithful did not exceed 13,000. The work of spiritual revival was fraught with difficulties. During their domination, the Turks had favored the Protestants, allowing them to flock en masse into areas where the Catholic population had perished in the numerous wars, granting their pastors freedom of worship and movement. In 1700, the number of parishes had risen to 53, and 17 “flying chaplains” worked to reach the faithful scattered across the vast diocese. The number of faithful was 124,332 in 1769; 317,800 in 1850; 656,360 in 1900; and 1,059,238 in 1930.
Among the bishops who most distinguished themselves during these troubled years were Dvornikovics, who governed the diocese at the beginning of the 18th century; the two Althanns, Michael, who later became a cardinal, and Michael Charles, an excellent organizer and a man of great learning and piety. Finally, Kristóf Migazzi (1714–1803), who became Bishop of Vácz in 1756. A year later, he was transferred to the archiepiscopal see of Vienna, but in 1761 he was appointed administrator of the diocese of V. His government, which lasted 25 years, was a great blessing for the diocese. He spent winters in Vienna and summers in Vácz. He employed his entire patrimony in the construction of churches, schools, and charitable institutions. Most of the public buildings in the city of Vácz are also due to him. At the end of the last century, Constantine Schuster deserves mention for having established a large number of schools and institutes for the education of male and female youth.
Pius IX granted the Bishop of V. the use of the pallium; since 1942, the bishop has been Msgr. József Petery.