 updated
10/7/2004 - Hungarian flags fly again in Upper Hungary
/ Slovakia... The American Hungarian Federation donated 6 Hungarian
flags to the Slovakian Chapter of the World Federation of Hungarians (WFH).
For years, Hungarian churches were not allowed to fly the Hungarian colors.
Churches in Garamkövesd; Ebed, just accross the Danube by Esztergom; Ekecs
in the Csallóköz; and Kassa (Kosice) where the The Church of the Hungarian
Holy Cross (Nagymagyar Szt. Kereszt Katolikus Templom) serves seven communities.
 The
young "Hussars" seen here, who brought the flag to the church,
are from the Sobiesky Memorial Hussar Regiment in Parkany. Julius Geonczeol,
president of the WFH-Slovak Chapter, reported the flags upset some nationalist
Slovaks who lobbied to remove the flag from the church. "But the
Village was standing up like one behind the flag, since its their own
and they will proudly defend their flag."
 The
oppressive Slovak "language purity law" is even affecting masses
in purely Hungarian congregations. Today, young Hungarian priests are
not allowed to serve in Hungarian communities. Young Hungarians are not
welcomed at the Slovak held training facilities. Many Hungarians went
to Hungary and were ordained to be priests, but the Slovak bishops did
not allow them to return to the Hungarian villages. Slovak priest are
placed into entirely Hungarian communities. These priests do not speak
Hungarian and the masses are held in Slovak, with only a few words reluctantly
uttered in Hungarian. This all has a ruinous effect on the Hungarian communities.
The American Hungarian Federation hopes that recent Slovak accession to
the European Union will temper such oppressive, apartheid-like, and unjust
laws.
 MORE flags are needed... PLEASE donate!
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