The tradition of Saint Ladislaus in Debrecen

To the knowledge of the people of Debrecen, their village is the northernmost settlement with a Hungarian majority in the Uplands and the Carpathian Basin. Although it is a sad fact that only a few dozen kilometers from the Hungarian-Slovak border, further north of us, there is no longer a settlement inhabited by a majority of Hungarians, we are proud of our current situation. There may be many reasons for this perseverance, but we see our present success and the pledge of our future in the respect and nurturing of our knight king, Saint Ladislaus. ; ; Legend has it that Saint Ladislaus, who was perhaps even more highly regarded than our first king in the Middle Ages, rested with his army in a clearing right here, more precisely on the outskirts of the village, after a battle against the Cumans. Moreover, not only did he rest, he also drew water for his thirsty soldiers with the horseshoe of his horse, praying to the Creator. This miracle forever etched itself in the memory of the people of Debrecen and the surrounding area. So much so that a church was built on the clearing later named after Saint Ladislaus, which in the following centuries became a place of pilgrimage visited even from distant regions. ; ; According to our written sources, Domonkos Bátkay, provost of Jászóvár, had a stone church built here around 1500. However, some serious researchers recognized in their profession date the origin of one part of the church much earlier. What is certain is that the centuries have thoroughly tested the building, as a result of which it had become completely ruined by the 20th century. By the beginning of the 2000s, only limestone stones protruding from the ground here and there marked the traces of the former church. At that time, however, the people of Debrecen, led by parish priest László Frankovics and mayor Anna Papp, decided to renovate the church and restore the place to its former dignity. In the spring of 2006, construction began based on the plans of architect Gábor Tamás, and was completed after more than a year. The result is a plant church that is unique in the Carpathian Basin and fits perfectly into its environment. Unfortunately, Mayor Anna Papp did not live to see the rededication of the church. ; ; Since 2007, a farewell has been held in this holy place every year on St. László's Day or the Saturday closest to it. We can safely say that the number of visitors is increasing year by year and the "event" is becoming increasingly well-known in the Upper Hungary and in Hungary. ; ;